Scarlet Knights Football Impact Expand Past Football

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights held their annual Scarlet-White game on Saturday evening, and it did not disappoint. The fans were electric from start to finish, excited to get a preview of what the 2024 Scarlet Knights have to offer. Before the game, the Scarlet Knights created a welcoming atmosphere for all fans and supporters, surrounding the stadium with kid-friendly activities and food vendors for the local community. The culture at Rutgers has changed dramatically over the past few seasons, and this transformation starts with head coach Greg Schiano. The impact this team has on the community is quite remarkable. It’s refreshing to see not only the players but also the fans buying in.

“I really appreciate our fans coming out today. It was a good turnout,” Schiano shared after the game. “They seemed to enjoy all the activities in the endzone, so shoutout to the crew for putting that together. It gave the stadium an energy similar to the boardwalk, which was awesome.”

Last season, the Scarlet Knights struggled to find offense at times against their B1G Ten division rivals. During the game, however, the Scarlet Knights appeared impressive both on the ground and through the air. Junior quarterback Gavin Wimsatt looked efficient and proved effective in the passing game. In the past, it’s been rare to see Wimsatt throw downfield this consistently. That said, the ball came out of his hand stronger than ever, and most importantly, with confidence. There’s a possibility he could shock many doubters this year by taking the next leap some had previously predicted.

“I thought all four of our quarterbacks did some good things,” Schiano stated. “I saw a couple of close calls, and I saw us hit a few deep balls. The Spring game is not always a great indicator of everything that’s transpired. We have 14 really competitive practices, and then the Spring game is more for the fans and young players. This was a good opportunity for a lot of guys to get quality reps.”

Although Wimsatt was impressive, the most exciting discovery was the depth in the backfield. Despite already being deep with running backs, the Scarlet Knights appear to have found an exciting freshman who looks ready to contribute. There’s a lot of high hopes leaving this game for Scarlet Knights fans and coaches.

“I think you may be getting ahead of yourself there,” Schiano continued. “That 1-2 punch will consist of Kyle, Sam, and Benji. Those three guys have put some mileage in here and done some really good things. It was great to see those young backs run, as you mentioned. Edd [Gurreir] is going to be a fine back, but these are young kids, and they’re still learning their way.”

Scarlet Knights’ Strengths

Some doubted whether the Scarlet Knights would improve or take a step in the right direction. However, they scored the most points ever in franchise history during their spring game. Another standout was sophomore kicker Jai Patel, one of the most impressive kickers in college football last season. Throughout the game, Patel made every field goal attempt except for a 45-yarder. That said, he appears to be a real weapon and another reliable source of points for the Scarlet Knights.

Game Notes:

1st Quarter:

No specific details provided.

2nd Quarter:

• Wimsatt missed a deep ball opportunity.
• Scarlet appears to be moving the ball down the field.
• 12:00: 7-7
• Driving down the field, Wimsatt is heating up and throwing the ball confidently.
• 10:47: 14-7 Wimsatt 37-yard rushing touchdown.
• Kalikmanis is moving the ball down the field but not as efficiently.
• Stands in the pocket and delivers a strike.
• Deep ball looks inconsistent and shaky.
• White is moving the ball up and down the field.
• 1st and goal at the seven, White driving the ball down the field.
• 5:56: 14-14 Edd Gurrier 7-yard rushing touchdown.
• Scarlet begins with the ball on the 25-yard line.
• Three and out.
• White gets the ball back.
• 4:17: 14-14
• Both teams are struggling to complete deep balls.
• The receivers are running open, but they struggle to connect (tons of missed opportunities).
• White is finding success on the road.
• Rutgers is struggling to complete a pass (missed the last three attempts).
• 1:57: 14-14 (ball on the opposing 30-yard line).
• 1:09: 21-14 WHITE Kalikmanis delivers an 8-yard touchdown pass to Nassiem Brantley.
• Scarlet is driving, running a 2-minute drill.
• 0:32: 21-14 Scarlet calls a timeout (ball on the opposing 30-yard line).
• 0:04: PI call (ball on the 2-yard line).
• 0:01: 21-21 Wimsatt 3-yard touchdown pass to Nazir Montgomery.

HALFTIME: 21-21 Tied

3rd Quarter:

• White special plays on offense.
• Driving down the field.
• Missed opportunity for WHITE DEEP BALL DROPPED FOR A TOUCHDOWN.
• 5:39: 24-21 White Patel 37-yard field goal.
• 3:50: Johnny Shepherd enters at quarterback.
• Shepherd completes back-to-back out routes in soft coverage.
• Shepherd throws a dime to Johnson, who drops it, missing another touchdown opportunity.
• Shepherd completes a great back-shoulder pass down the field (ball at the 12-yard line).
• 9:27: 24-24 Scarlet 33-yard field goal.
• SCARLET INTERCEPTION.
• Sullivan enters the game for Scarlet.
• 0:01: 24-24 Tied ballgame.
• 45-yard field goal attempt for the game … NO GOOD.

END OF THE GAME: 24-24 RUTGERS WINS

Final Score: 31-24