2009 Season Preview: Running Backs

Projected 2009 depth chart

RB: Joe Martinek (RS-SO 6′0, 215 lbs), Jourdan Brooks (RS-SO 6′1, 230 lbs), Kordell Young (RS-JR 5′9, 190 lbs), De’Antwan Williams (FR 5′8, 195 lbs)
FB: Jack Corcoran (SR 6′1, 230 lbs), Andres Morales (RS-JR 6′2, 250 lbs)

During his three years on campus, before departing for the NFL, Ray Rice singlehandedly rewrote the Rutgers University record book. The team road him to a dream, 11-win 2006 season. Every media pundit had Rice on their Heisman shortlist, his publicity helped put the Rutgers football program on the map, and the Scarlet Knight offense sputtered in the first half last season while they were still adjusting to life without the departed Rice. Case closed on Rice being an irreplaceable team cornerstone, right?

My contention is that the common sense explanation here doesn’t quite tell the full picture here. Last year, teams weren’t compensating for Rice’s departure by playing by doubling all receivers downfield (although, they frequently were shadowing Kenny Britt). Mike Teel was playing so badly that opponents had no qualms about stacking eight or nine defenders in the box.

On a similar note, it’s great to have an elite back, but productive RBs are, by and large, relatively easy to find. Breaking in a new one requires some trial and error when it comes to pass protection, or the screen game, but the act of running itself comes naturally (it’s no coincidence that RBs typically have lowest Wonderlic scores at the NFL Combine). It was fair to expect some inconsistency in replacing Rice, but the running game wasn’t going to do fall off a cliff, and it didn’t. Rushing success is just as much a function of having a strong offensive line up front; quality line play is the prerequisite for accomplishing anything on offense.

Sophomore Joe Martinek enters fall camp at the top of the tailback depth chart. Martinek, after impressing on the scout team during his redshirt season in 2007, first saw significant carries against Navy last season while Kordell Young and Mason Robinson were out injured. Martinek looked impressive, but then proceeded to sit on the bench for another month before seeing his workload steadily increase in December.

I don’t know how or why

anyone from Comcast thought that this site was important enough to send a press release about adding ESPN U and ESPN 360 to their lineup. But I’ll run it, because this release is conceivably informative, and posting it also gives me an opportunity* to once again lobby for Comcast and SNY (of which Comcast is a part owner) to beef up their Rutgers athletics coverage. Specifically, I’d like to see more On-Demand content. If there’s one thing that Tim Pernetti knows, it’s cable television. If Rutgers can strike a deal with FiOS, they can with Comcast.

The long and short of it is that ESPN U is now on Comcast’s digital tier on Ch. 730. ESPN 360 (ESPN’s online streaming video service) will be available starting August 4th to subscribers. Full presser after the jump, if you are so inclined.

*Also, it gives me an opportunity to once again wish all possible ill will on ESPN for holding Rutgers fans hostage by exclusively airing games on ESPN U and 360 last season.

Britt’s deadline

Tom Savage and Rocket Williams: two great tastes that already go well together.

Williams and Savage have become fast friends. Williams has already visited Savage’s home in Pennsylvania for a weekend and the two plan on rooming together in the fall.They also both have high expectations for themselves. Although they are only freshmen, Williams and Savage are more than ready to play as soon as possible and make an immediate impact. 

“The big thing for me and him is that we are both high recruits and we both want the same thing as freshmen and that is to start,” Williams said.

Rutgers: #34 (that’s Rocket’s number), on The Quad’s countdown.

Coach Demo is the new HC at Hudson Catholic. Hope he can steer some players our way in the future.

Negotiations are going down to the wire with Kenny Britt, as Tennessee’s training camp is set to start today. HC Jeff Fisher is still confident that a deal is in the works. Meanwhile, Ti Underwood is finally under contract. Jason McCourty is getting a head start on Kenny.

“This opportunity is something you dream about, so to actually be here is kind of like a rush,” said rookie cornerback Jason McCourty. “It’s real exciting to just get out there and start practicing.”

Billy Anderson was named to the Allstate/AFCA Good Works team. He’s one of several Scarlet Knights involved with the Evangelical group Athletes in Action, and the link has more about Anderson’s charitable works.

Of course, it’s no surprise that Ray Rice is being pegged as a breakout back. Jeremy Zuttah is entering camp entrenched as a starter.

The offense never missed a beat. At 6 feet 4, 308 pounds, Zuttah has great feet and appears to be a very good fit for the new zone blocking scheme of coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski.

SI’s Ross Tucker thinks that Darnell Stapleton’s starting job is in jeopardy. Perhaps, but Stapes may also be in the mix at center depending on how everything plays out in Pittsburgh. Colts.com has a new interview up with Eric Foster (ht: Stampede Blue, which also has a preview of Indy’s 3-technique DT position). Video is recommended viewing, IMO. Good stuff, make sure to watch both parts.

And what about Courtney Greene, you may ask?

We like the way Courtney Greene looked. He’s a real physical guy. We want to get more physical across the board, especially in the secondary. So I think we’re going to see some good battles develop quickly.