Underclassmen Pave Way In Win Over Syracuse
Several Rutgers Players Leave Field With Injuries
October 14th, 2007
Written By: Kirk Herbstreit
ESPN NCAA Football Analyst
[New Brunswick, New Jersey]-- On a day in which the Rutgers University football team looked doomed from the beginning, several key sophomores would step in and solve what looked to be a mysterious puzzle. The first drive of the game for the Rutgers football team was a three and out, and after the third play of the game, and only two passes, quarterback
Mike Teel would have to leave the game.
It was later learned that Teel had pulled a hamstring while scrambling to complete a pass. It was then learned that Teel wouldn't be returning to this game, but should be ready to go for next week's thriller vs USF. However, that wasn't all that would come for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights fans.
The very first play for the Rutgers defense saw what looks like could be a season ending injury to their star of the defense. Safety
Courtney Greene was going up to make a tackle and broke his jaw, immediately left the game, and will miss about seven weeks according to team trainers.
"
It was scary", said fellow defensive back
Ron Girault.
"He was just up there to make a tackle, and got plowed over, then you heard the smash. We knew it was serious, especially when a guy like Courtney doesn't get up right away."
Freshman
Joe Martinek would get the call to fill in for Greene, leading to the real story of the day was the play of the sensational underclassmen. Martinek was just one of several underclassmen to make huge contributions to the Rutgers football team today. Sophomore
Jabu Lovelace would step in and take the snaps at quarterback. The passing game didn't miss a beat without Teel, as Lovelace completed twenty of twenty seven passes, for two hundred and seven yards and three touchdowns.
After a nine yard touchdown pass from Lovelace to fellow sophomore
Kenny Britt late in the first quarter, the Rutgers defense would come up huge again. This time, junior
Kevin Malast intercepted his fourth pass of the season, setting Rutgers up with the ball in Syracuse territory.
Then, it happened. The whole crowd went from cheers, and being rediculously loud, to as quiet as can be. You could hear a cricket in that stadium had it been chirping.
Ray Rice first run from scrimmage after the interception was for a three yard gain, and Rice wouldn't get up. He had to be helped off the field, and was said to have pulled his hamstring. Sophomore
Kordell Young spelled Rice for this drive, and rushed the ball five times for twenty one yards, setting up another Lovelace touchdown pass to Kenny Britt, their second completion of the day.
After a Syracuse field goal, the Rutgers fans saw their star halfback trotting back onto the field. After a halftime at which Rutgers saw themselves leading 14-3, Syracuse's new gameplan for the second half seemed to have worked. The Orangemen came out passing, completing them left and right, and found themselves adding another field goal to their score.
After
Jean Beljour punched in a five yard touchdown run, Syracuse came right back and completed a forty-seven yard pass for a touchdown, drawing them even closer to a comeback, putting them only down by eight.
Sophomore punter
Teddy Dellaganna had been sensational all day long, already nailing Syracuse to start at their own four yard line twice in the game. This time, he was two yards better, forcing them to start at their own two. Two plays later, Blair Bines found himself wrapping up the Orangemen halfback in the endzone, to give Rutgers two more points and the ball back.
Sophomore punter Teddy Delleganna nailed the Syracuse offense to start inside their own five yard line four different times in the win.
"It was awesome, I don't think I've ever had a game like that punting," said Delleganna.
"Hopefully I can do that every time out from now on, it gave our defense some huge oppertunities."
Kenny Britt would strike for a third time, this time on a thirty-seven yard hookup from Lovelace, pretty much wrapping the game up. It was now 30-13 Rutgers, and Rutgers was sitting pretty.
A mild comeback effort by Syracuse was not enough, two touchdowns brought the score to 30-27, but
Jeremy Ito would connect from nineteen yards out, giving Rutgers the win, 33-27 and improving them to 6-0 on the season, and 2-0 in the Big East.
For more information, be sure to check out the website in my sig.