Examining RU’s defense entering Big Ten play
PISCATAWAY >> Is Rutgers’ defense ready to combat the rugged Big Ten under Chris Ash?
That’s one of the major questions after the unit finished dead last in scoring defense (41.8 points per game) and second worst in total defense (505.8 yards per game) last season.
Here’s a closer look at how the Scarlet Knights’ (2-1) defense closed out non-conference play Saturday against New Mexico, one of the more exotic offenses it will face all season.
Despite a laborious first quarter in which Rutgers’ offense held the ball for only 2:57 of clock time, the defense responded from a 21-7 deficit by limiting the nation’s 35thranked total offense to 259 yards and seven points combined in the final three quarters.
On the day, Rutgers’ defense compiled three sacks, nine negative plays and 12 stops on 15 New Mexico third downs. Linebacker Greg Jones (eight) and defensive linemen Julian Pinnix-Odrick (12), Darius Hamilton (10) and Darnell Davis (five) all recorded career-bests in tackles.
On the flip side, the Lobos gashed the Knights for 293 rushing yards on 5.2 yards per attempt. The common theme for Rutgers through three games — early woes followed by progressively sharper play — continued.
“That’s what it may seem like now, but it shouldn’t be like that, and that’s what we’re working toward every day during the week,” Pinnix-Odrick said. “We have to start faster, and it shouldn’t be a feeling-out process because it’s never about your opponent. It’s about what you do and how you prepare.”
On the game’s first drive, New Mexico quarterback Austin Apodaca lined up in the pistol alongside one halfback, one slotback and trips to the left, with a fourth receiver in motion. The next play, Apodaca lined under center with two slotbacks and one wideout, and then moved back into pistol for two more distinct formations.
It wasn’t until after Janarion Grant fumbled a punt that New Mexico rolled out its patented full house formation with three backs behind the quarterback in pistol. Daryl Chestnut, the third trailing back, ran the ensuing handoff 19 yards for a touchdown on an inside zone play.
New Mexico did what it wanted in the run game, continuing to pound the ball in the interior while utilizing its speed on the edges for 156 rushing yards in the first quarter.
The Lobos also had sound pass protection to set up a 36-yard touchdown on an inside vertical route to Patrick Reed, who beat cornerback Isaiah Wharton over the top.
With the Knights reeling, New Mexico went up 21-0 on its next drive a minute later. On an option play, backup quarterback Lamar Jordan rolled to his right and beat defensive end Quanzell Lambert in a footrace off the edge. At outside linebacker, Jones stayed on his assigned halfback in case of a pitch, but he failed to react once Jordan committed to a keeper run.
Jones was spun around without leverage to make a tackle at that point. Jordan darted down the sideline, outrunning strong safety Anthony Cioffi’s lateral pursuit.
“Just a couple guys in different spots,” Pinnix-Odrick said of Rutgers’ adjustments after that. “You come out in formations and what they force you to do is be disciplined, they force you to make adjustments on the fly. And if anybody’s out of position, they take advantage.” key sack late in the second quarter. Davis squared his shoulders to force a third-quarter fumble in the trenches. Jones and weakside linebacker Deonte Roberts snuffed out options to the outside.
Rutgers was not only reading plays, but also reacting aggressively and flying to the ball.
“Our coaches put us in the right position to be great players,” Jones said. “They won’t put us out there in a bad position. We train for this. All week we were practicing this. We actually started practicing this defense in the beginning of camp.”
Pinnix-Odrick essentially sealed the win with perhaps the game’s most critical play, sacking Apodaca on 3rd-and-7 with 4:43 remaining when New Mexico trailed by six points.
Rutgers’ defensive end overpowered lineman Reno Henderson off the ball and had free reign to the quarterback since the running back failed to pick up PinnixOdrick in pass protection.
The fifth-year senior’s career day included his team-high in tackles along with 1.5 sacks. He also undertook a mentally challenging task as the edge defender that New Mexico frequently “veered” and left unblocked before choosing an option play.
“They’re usually reading you, whether they want to keep the ball and go to the (outside) pitch or they want to hand it off to the (inside) dive, contingent upon your placement,” he said. “But if I’m doing my job right, it’ll be cloudy for them to read that and I can make the play at either one.
“You want to get your hands on the tackle, make sure he doesn’t get up to our linebackers. And you really want to sit at the line and play composed, man. You don’t want to make any rushed decisions, you don’t want to panic because the play’s going to come to you regardless. Because no matter what, they can’t sit back there with the ball all day.”