Galloped over Gophers: Rutgers football victorious for first time since September in win over Minnesota
The Rutgers football team ended its four-game losing streak with a 26-19 victory over Minnesota. It was a big sigh of relief for fans of the Scarlet Knights (5-4, 2-4), as Rutgers played good football on both sides of the ball since its late September win over Washington.
Here are my two biggest takeaways from the victory.
The defense finally steps up for the first time in over a month
It has been a brutal few weeks for the Knights’ defense. as it had allowed 133 combined points and 1,674 combined yards in its four-game losing streak.
Rutgers, though, showed out in the interior and the secondary against the Golden Gophers (6-3, 4-3) defense.
Despite allowing two touchdowns - one on the ground to Darius Taylor and one in the air to Marcus Major - the defense did not break.
The defense’s biggest play came in the fourth quarter when the Knights trailed Minnesota. With just over 8 minutes to go in the game, tight end Jameson Geers caught a short pass from quarterback Max Brosmer deep in Minnesota territory. Geers lost the football after senior linebacker Tyreem Powell forced a game-changing fumble that senior defensive back Shaquan Loyal was able to recover. This set up Rutgers in the red zone, with senior wide receiver Ian Strong hauling in a touchdown approximately 40 seconds later.,
The Knights totaled four sacks on the day, with their biggest coming at the 6:53 mark of the final quarter. Junior defensive lineman Jordan Walker was able to bring Brosmer down in the endzone for 2 points and give Rutgers a 23-16 lead.
Overall, the Knights totaled eight pass breakups, with senior defensive back Robert Longerbeam leading the charge with three. Rutgers also had eight tackles for losses and was led in that category by the team’s tackles leader and junior linebacker Dariel Djabome with three.
“I think they got back to who they were today,” head coach Greg Schiano said about the defense’s performance after the game. “And it has nothing to do with X's and O's, although X's and O's are important. And it's got nothing to do with technique; although I think technique is critically important. I think that unit laid down the line for each other. Literally splattered their bodies all over the field for each other. That's how you make the plays.”
No Monangai, no problem
The Knights entered the game without their best player and senior running back Kyle Monangai, who has totaled 931 yards and 10 touchdowns through eight games this season.
And while freshman running back Antwan Raymond and sophomore running back Ja’shon Benjamin combined for 139 yards in his place, it was the passing game led by senior quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis that ran the offense against the Golden Gophers.
Against his former team and in front of his former head coach, P.J. Fleck, Kaliakmanis threw for 240 yards and three touchdowns.
Kaliakmanis was able to find senior wide receiver Dymere Miller for Rutgers’ first two touchdowns. The first one came in the first quarter on a 1-yard slant pass to give the Knights a 7-6 lead. The other came in the second quarter on a slick 17-yard dime to give Rutgers a 14-9 lead.
His best pass of the day came in the second quarter when he delivered a dot to Strong who, with his fingertips, caught and took for 65 yards. Strong finished the game with four receptions and a team-leading 89 receiving yards. His day was topped off by what would be a game-winning score in the fourth quarter.
Schiano believes the offense’s success derives from getting more comfortable with the little details and commended each player on a stellar day.
“I think our quarterback, Athan, did a heck of a job,” Schiano said. “He's getting better and better. You know, really proud of those young backs today, with Kyle out, Ja'shon Benjamin and Antwan, those guys, it's a true freshman, and a redshirt freshman. Really proud of them. There was one time I look out there, and we've got Ian and K.J. You know those guys are, again, a freshman and a sophomore and Dymere Miller did a heck of a job. Proud of the guys.”
The Knights will look to build off of their momentum when they take on Maryland on the road next week. The game is scheduled for 6 p.m. and will be broadcast on Fox Sports 1 and 88.7 WRSU-FM.
“It's pretty well-chronicled, we are a little bit beat up right now but a bunch of guys laid it on the line for their teammates,” Schiano said. “Super proud of our staff. They really busted their hump to get some things cleaned up and just a really good win for our program.”
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