Rutgers 2005 Season | Team Page	Select Conference ACC Big East Big Ten Big 12 Conference USA Independents MAC Mountain West Pac-10 SEC Sun Belt WAC Select Team

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The Lowdown 2006 Schedule Coach: Greg Schiano (7th season, 23-46) 2005 record : 7-5 (Lost to Arizona State in Insight Bowl) Big East finish: 4-3 (t-3rd) 2005 I-A offensive rankings: Rushing: 42nd (162.3 ypg) Passing: 42nd (234.8 ypg) 2005 I-A defensive rankings: Rushing: 36th (133.0 ypg) Passing: 79th (239.3 ypg) Date Opponent Sept. 2 at North Carolina Sept. 9 Illinois Sept. 16 Buffalo Sept. 23 Howard Sept. 30 at South Florida Oct. 14 at Navy Oct. 21 at Pittsburgh Oct. 28 Connecticut Nov. 9 Louisville Nov. 18 at Cincinnati Nov. 25 Syracuse Dec. 2 at West Virginia Depth Chart: Offense 7 returning starters in red Ps. No. Player Yr. No. Player Yr. WR 84 Willie Foster Sr. 10 Tiquan Underwood So. WR 4 Shawn Tucker Sr. 9 Marcus Daniels Sr. LT 77 Pedro Sosa Jr. 78 Kevin Haslam Fr. LG 72 Mike Fladell Jr. 67 Corey Hyman So. C 53 Darnell Stapleton Sr. 75 Dave McClain Fr. RG 95 Cameron Stephenson Sr. 70 Mike Gilmartin So. RT 71 Jeremy Zuttah Jr. 96 Carl Howard So. TE 81 Clark Harris Sr. 85 Sam Johnson Sr. QB 14 Mike Teel So. 15 Jabulani Lovelace Fr. FB 23 Brian Leonard Sr. 32 Jean Beljour Jr. RB 27 Ray Rice So. 22 Dimitri Linton So. Depth Chart: Defense 7 returning starters in red Ps. No. Player Yr. No. Player Yr. DE 90 Jamaal Westerman So. 97 Pete Tverdov So. DT 56 Eric Foster Jr. 98 George Eshareturi Jr. DT 60 Ramel Meekins Sr. 93 Chris Dirksz So. DE 35 William Beckford Sr. 92 Gary Watts So. SLB 52 Chenry Lewis So. 47 Brandon Renkart Jr. MLB 55 Devraun Thompson Sr. 44 Kevin Malast So. WLB 50 Quintero Frierson Sr. 51 Chris Quaye So. CB 11 Derrick Roberson Sr. 26 Manny Collins Sr. CB 24 Joe Porter Sr. 31 Anthony Miller So. SS 43 Ron Girault Jr. 20 Robert Baham So. FS 36 Courtney Greene So. 29 Glen Lee So. Special Teams Ps. No. Player Yr. Ps. No. Player Yr. K 1 Jeremy Ito Jr. P 30 Joe Radigan Sr. KR 84 Willie Foster Sr. PR 84 Willie Foster Sr.

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After spending five seasons building toward last year's bowl appearance -- Rutgers' first since 1978 - head coach Greg Schiano will have considerably less time to reach the program's next goal: proving the Scarlet Knights aren't a one-hit wonder.

"I'm sure people are looking at us and thinking, 'Was that a one-year deal with Rutgers or is that a program that will continue to have success?'" says Schiano. "Now we need to go out and show we're building a program. I think we have, but we'll see."

But Schiano, who turned 40 on June 1, isn't feeling any pressure to make a second straight bowl appearance this year.

Days before the Knights' 45-40 loss to Arizona State in the Insight Bowl, athletic director Bob Mulcahy tore up the remaining two years on Schiano's contract and replaced it with a seven-year deal at a substantial raise.

Though a relatively young team -- 58 of the 85 scholarship players have at least three years of eligibility remaining -- Rutgers looks positioned to make another run at a bowl bid with seven starters back from a record-setting offense and seven returning on defense.

"What we did in going from being one of the worst programs in the country to where we are now is extremely hard," Schiano says. "But it's easier than going from where we are now to where we want to be. Becoming an elite program is tough."

OFFENSE

If Mike Teel is ready to start living up to the hype he arrived with three years ago as the most highly touted quarterback Rutgers has ever recruited, the Knights' offense could make a run at the school record of 4,765 yards set last year. There's that much talent for Teel to work with in his first full year as the starter.

Hybrid back Brian Leonard, one of the most versatile players in the country, and tailback Ray Rice give Rutgers a formidable rushing tandem. Rice was fifth nationally among true freshmen in rushing last year with 1,120 yards, becoming just the second Rutgers player since 1975 to top 1,000 yards.

All-Big East tight end Clark Harris returns, as does talented wide receiver Shawn Tucker. Big East Special Teams Player of the Year Willie Foster will be the other starting wideout, with ultra-talented sophomore Tiquan Underwood part of the mix.

In all, seven starters return, including three offensive linemen.

DEFENSE

Despite being roughed up by Arizona State for 679 total yards in the Insight Bowl, the defense showed overall improvement in Schiano's first season overseeing the unit.

Help is needed among the front seven, where there are more questions than answers. But if tackle Eric Foster makes a successful return from knee surgery, that should ease some of the concerns.

Rutgers must replace All-Big East defensive end Ryan Neill and his bookend, Val Barnaby. The two accounted for 20 of the school-record-tying 47 sacks the Knights managed last season.

Devraun Thompson, a steady but undersized linebacker, will start for a fourth year in the middle.

The secondary, which was the weakest area on defense last year, could be considered a strength this season because of the depth and returning experience. Courtney Greene emerged as a star as a true freshman with a team-leading 116 tackles from his safety position. The return of cornerback Anthony Miller and safety Robert Baham will help as well. Both missed all of last season.

SPECIALISTS

Willie Foster became the first Rutgers player since 1980 to return a punt and a kickoff for a touchdown in the same season, and he will be among the nation's best returners this season.

Junior placekicker Jeremy Ito could become a Lou Groza Award candidate after converting 20-of-27 field goal attempts last year, including both of his attempts from 50 yards or more. Joe Radigan lacks consistency but will be punting for his fourth season.

FINAL ANALYSIS

The schedule is a bit tougher than last year's -- at North Carolina to open the season, followed by Illinois at home, and later South Florida and West Virginia on the road. But Rutgers' talent base, especially on offense, is as good as it has ever been. And now that the program has shed its losing mindset there's a different expectation in the Knights' locker room.

Schiano continues to make enough steady progress to suggest a future where bowl appearances are commonplace. The offense, provided Teel is up to the task, will be very good while the special teams are strong enough to make a difference.

Rutgers' defense isn't ready to challenge West Virginia or Louisville in the Big East race; but overall, the Knights have the look of a bowl team once again.

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