SOR's 5 Burning Questions, Part II

Jul 26, 2010 | By: Random Blogger

As the end of July comes about, the Rutgers football program is gearing up for the 2010 season. As with any other college teams, there are some burning questions that arise when taking a look at the 2010 edition of the Scarlet Knights. StateOfRutgers.com has examined the Rutgers football program and came up with five burning questions. In today’s installment, the second of this series, we take a look at our No. 2 burning question heading into training camp for the 2010 season:

Who will replace Devon McCourty and what how will the secondary shape up?

In 2009, Devin McCourty had one of the finest senior seasons of any Rutgers player ever. When he wasn’t blocking punts or excelling in the return game, McCourty was locking down one side of the field as a cornerback on defense, often leading the team in snaps played on a game-by-game basis.

Since McCourty had massive responsibilities on both defense and special teams, it is unlikely that any one player will be able to fill his shoes. However, in recent years Rutgers has done an excellent job at recruiting the position and has plenty of suitable candidates who may be able to fill the void.

The first player to watch is former Cocoa High School (Fl.) standout David Rowe who has started or played significantly the past two seasons. While Rowe has been effective as a boundary corner for the Scarlet Knights, he has excelled in the past at nickel back. Since the close of the 2009 season, head coach Greg Schiano has indicated that he may have Rowe play Nickel where he has enjoyed the most success.

Incoming freshmen Lorenzo Waters will also likely be given a look at the nickel position where his skill-set of being able to understand zone defenses, as well as cover smaller, quicker receivers will serve as an asset to both him and the Rutgers defense.

If Rowe is seeing significant playing time at the nickel position, that leaves a considerable amount of playing time open at both corner spots. Senior Brandon Bing has in the past shown that he is up to the challenge of battling for playing time and will not relinquish any open playing time without a battle. Bing entered the 2009 season as a starter and could remain a viable option since he has previously shown a competitive drive that keeps him under consideration for playing time.

Redshirt freshman Logan Ryan is perhaps the one corner on the roster who has shown the most promise, gaining praise from on-lookers who observed practices last year as well as shutting down Penn St. sophomore wide receiver Justin Brown in the 2009 N.J vs. the Northeast Football All-Star Classic.

The wildcard candidates in the battle for playing time at corner at this juncture seem to be redshirt freshman Darrell Givens and redshirt sophomore Marcus Cooper. Givens arrived at Rutgers a highly touted corner and has showed flashes of potential at the position since his arrival.

However, he was given a look at free safety during the spring. He seemed to take to the safety position naturally and in one scrimmage had a 100-yard interception return for a touchdown against starting quarterback Tom Savage. Since there may be more playing time available at corner, Givens may be given repetitions there in training camp to see if he may fill a need there.

Otherwise, Givens may have to play safety behind incumbent starters, senior Joe Lefeged and sophomore Khaseem Greene. Cooper was moved to corner in the spring after playing wide receiver in previous years. Reportedly he has picked up his new position very rapidly and may be a force to be reckoned with at the position.

Standing 6-foot-2 Cooper and encompassing high 4.4-second range speed, he has the size and athleticism that National Football League scouts dream of in a cornerback. The question is whether Cooper’s sudden re-emergence at his new position will be enough for him to garner significant playing time. Do not be surprised if it is.

The summer of 2010 will also mark the addition of incoming freshman Gareef Glashen to the defensive secondary. Glashen is an exceptional athlete from Carol City (Fla.) High School, which is one of the most feared high school programs in Miami. Glashen has impressive measurables and is a stingy, ferocious player in run support. If he is able to come into camp and pick up the defensive schemes and mental aspect of the collegiate game, Glashen could be someone to look out for in the near-future.

While there is plenty of opportunity for playing time at the corner positions, that is not the case at the safety positions. Both starting safeties return in senior Joe Lefeged and sophomore Khaseem Greene, Also, sophomore Duron Harmon who earned playing time last year as a true freshman, mostly on special teams, is back with a vengeance.

Lefeged will likely be the vocal and emotional leader of the entire secondary since he is the most seasoned veteran out of the group, while Greene displayed flashes of All-Big East ability in games last year. Harmon is a nicely built player who likely enters training camp as the back-up for both safety positions as well as someone who will contribute on kick coverage teams.

In addition to Greene, Harmon, and Lefeged, Rutgers also has two highly regarded safeties in the previously mentioned Givens and Waters. Both players have the coaching staff excited about what they could accomplish at the position. Both players will likely find roles on special teams, or in nickel or dime packages. Lorenzo Waters was an exceptional punt blocker in high school and will be a candidate to take on McCourty’s previous role as the special teams disruptor.

Junior Patrick Kivlehan and redshirt sophomore Brandon Jones are a couple additional players who have the opportunity to make an impact in 2010. Before Kivlehan got injured in 2009, he received significant playing time at the safety position and made vast contributions to the secondary from that spot.

Brandon Jones is a versatile prospect who has been utilized on both sides of the football for the Rutgers football program over the past couple years. If he is moved back to his defensive post, look for him to make some noise as well.

2010 Rutgers signee Rashad Knight doesn’t appear to have qualified and will likely spend the semester at prep school.

It is not very often that a collegiate football program can lose a player to the first round of the NFL draft and potentially become better at that player’s position the next year, yet that is exactly what Rutgers might be able to accomplish this summer. With upperclassmen such as Lefeged, Rowe, and Bing to go along with promising prospects like Rowe, Givens, Waters, and now Cooper, Rutgers has a unique blend of talent in the defensive back-field.

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