Tough loss should reap rewards for RU football
After further review
Doug McKenzie

For those who expected the Rutgers football team to get ambushed at the Insight Bowl, it didn’t take long for the Scarlet Knights to offer their response:

Fugettaboutit.

And while Rutgers was eventually out-gunned by an explosive Arizona State team playing in its 22nd bowl game, 45-40, the Scarlet Knights’ Dec. 27 efforts at Chase Field likely did more for the growth of the Rutgers program than any previous game in its 136-year history.

Here was Rutgers, a wide-eyed football team playing in its first bowl game since the Garden State Bowl in 1978 (a 34-18 loss, also to Arizona State), playing what was essentially a road game in front of 43,536 fans and millions of viewers watching on ESPN, and facing one of the most prolific offensive teams in the nation. While the Scarlet Knights certainly earned their trip to Phoenix, coming into the game with a 7-4 mark, highlighted by their win over a good Navy team back on Oct. 29, they were considered a long shot.

Not just a long shot to win the game, but a longshot to keep the game close.

While there was a definite buzz to this game throughout RU’s home state, there was also a certain “happy to be here” feeling being generated by many of Rutgers fans. Just becoming bowl eligible was enough to mark this season down as a success, in most people’s minds.

Just not those of the Rutgers players and coaching staff.

The Scarlet Knights did not come into this game looking to impress anyone. They came to win, and on the biggest stage these players have ever seen, they very nearly did.

From their opening drive, when the Knights swiftly raced 80 yards down the field on eight plays, eventually scoring a touchdown on a one-yard pass from Ryan Hart to Clark Harris, Rutgers proved themselves to be a worthy opponent.

Even after Arizona State answered with an 80-yard scoring drive of their own to tie it, Rutgers responded with three-play, 74-yard series that was capped by Brian Leonard’s 31-yard touchdown off a swing pass. It became evident very early that this was going to be a slugfest, and that Rutgers had come ready to fight.

RU added to its lead following a Ramel Meekins fumble recovery when Jeremy Ito hit on the first of his four field goals from 25 yards out. After Arizona State responded with a field goal of its own to get within 17-10, Rutgers again went 80 yards, this time in nine plays, the last of which was a three-yard TD plunge by Leonard.

But it was the Sun Devils who entered the locker room with momentum, cutting the lead to 24-17 with an eight-play, 80-yard scoring drive that was capped by a TD pass from Rudy Carpenter to tight end Zach Miller.

While holding a halftime lead was certainly one of Rutgers’ goals entering the game, it was not necessarily executed in the manner head coach Greg Schiano had hoped for. Schiano, who also serves as the team’s defensive coordinator, had said before the game that he wanted to avoid getting into a shoot-out with the Sun Devils, who entered the game averaging over 500 yards of total offense per game, and were well on their way toward eclipsing that mark after two quarters (they eventually did, piling up a season-high and Insight Bowl record 678 yards).

Schiano’s concern was that Arizona State simply had too many weapons for his young defense to contain, and that eventually his squad would wear down. That proved to be the case in the second half.

The Sun Devils came out firing, tying the game with a six-play, 70-yard scoring drive, while the ASU defense managed to hold Rutgers to a 23-yard Ito field goal on its first possession of the second half.

ASU then took a 31-27 lead when Carpenter (23-for-35 for 467 yards) hit Terry Richardson with a 22-yard scoring pass. Rutgers managed to respond with another Ito field goal, this one a career-high 52-yarder, to get within 31-30, and then managed to take the 33-31 lead on another Ito field goal (from 48 yards out).

But with the Rutgers defense struggling to slow the Sun Devils’ attack, what the Scarlet Knights really needed was touchdowns, and it came back to haunt them, as ASU scored back-to-back touchdowns on its next two possessions to take a 45-33 lead.

Rutgers did manage to get a late score when Hart, who played brilliantly in his final game, finishing 24-for-38 for 374 yards, hit Tres Moses (seven catches for 113 yards) with a 29-yard TD pass to get within 45-40. But after ASU recovered the ensuing onsides kick, the Sun Devils were able to run out the clock, effectively ending Rutgers’ upset bid.

While the loss was certainly a disappointing one, there were so many positives to take out of this game for the Scarlet Knights, it’s hard to gauge exactly how to feel for Schiano and his players.

They had an opportunity to shock the sports world, and officially put Rutgers football on the map with a win.

The thing is, they pretty much found a way to do the same thing with a loss.

People unfamiliar with just how much the Rutgers team has improved over the last couple of seasons certainly got a glimpse last Tuesday.

They now know that Brian Leonard is one of, if not the best collegiate fullbacks in the nation.

They now know that Ryan Hart is more than just a capable passer, and may be able to follow in the footsteps of RU’s Mike McMahon and find a home on an NFL roster somewhere.

They now know that Rutgers has one of the most explosive young running backs in the nation in freshman Ray Rice (20 rushes for 108 yards).

They now know that the Rutgers defense, though it struggled mightily Tuesday, is led by a guy in Ryan Neill, who will certainly be playing football on Sundays next year.

But most importantly, they now know that Greg Schiano’s program is growing up right before our eyes.

Their Insight Bowl performance affirmed that Schiano’s squad was a legitimate bowl team, and that the Garden State may finally be on the verge of having a big-time collegiate football team to call its own.

It’s hard to imagine the Rutgers bandwagon not picking up its share of fans following the team’s Insight Bowl effort.

Coaches tell you that there is no such thing as a moral victory.

And Schiano and his players likely won’t view this loss as a moral victory.

But the truth of the matter is, it may have been much more than that.