Rescigno replaces Laviano as starting quarterback
PISCATAWAY >> Chris Ash was always noncommittal on the long-term reign of Chris Laviano as Rutgers’ starting quarterback, assuring that the redshirt junior still needed to prove himself on Saturdays as adequately as in spring and fall camp.
With seven games in the books, the Scarlet Knights’ first-year head coach determined the results are insufficient.
Laviano’s streak of 18 straight starts dating back to 2015 is over, and Gio Rescigno is Rutgers’ new sheriff. The redshirt sophomore will make his first start this Saturday at Minnesota, and he will do so after receiving the lion’s share of the first-team snaps in practice this week. Ash does not wish for a revolving door at the position moving forward.
“I wanted to be able to give the offense the peace of mind that they know who the quarterback is going to be,” Ash said Monday. “I wanted to be able to get him the reps that he needs to be able to prepare the right way to go out and try to perform on Saturday.”
Prior to this past weekend, Rescigno played only two snaps in mop-up duty against Howard on Sept. 10 and rushed for a 42yard touchdown. Over the course of the season, the Michigan native quietly continued to work tirelessly, his bosses noted. Then last week in practice, the coaching staff witnessed a quarterback that performed more fluidly and relaxed than it had observed all season despite limited reps and scout-team work.
So at halftime Saturday against Illinois, with Rutgers squarely in a funk of 10 straight scoreless quarters, Ash turned to Rescigno for a spark. He obliged with 10-of-18 passing for 120 yards and one touchdown, plus another 37 yards rushing on the ground in the Knights’ 24-7 loss.
True freshman Tylin Oden has played a few series sparsely in three different games. Junior Zach Allen, a TCU transfer, has played in two contests, notably the bulk of the Michigan game. But neither demonstrated an ability to advance the offense like Rescigno against the Illini.
“He’s a kid that’s never wavered despite some of those other guys going in and getting some time,” offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer said. “He’s kept working, and this past week he went out and did some things that we hadn’t seen some guys do yet. It kind of culminated into that point.”
Postgame Saturday, Ash praised the dual-threat quarterback’s ability to extend plays, make throws on the run and scramble for yardage when protection broke down in the pocket, such as a 10-yard run off the edge on thirdand-eight in the fourth quarter. After film study, Ash’s final evaluation came following his viewing of Sunday’s practice.
“He had a lot of energy,” Ash said. “Other players around him fed off of that energy. We threw and caught the ball and did some things yesterday in practice better than what we’ve done on previous Sundays.”
Added left guard Dorian Miller: “In life, if you get a new shirt or you get a new video game, it’s just something that’s new and different. I think he provided just something a little different on Sunday, just a little enthusiasm. Once he got rolling ... it was just a classic case of building some momentum. Guys were making catches and making catches over two defenders. Everybody was clicking.”
Miller said the key for Rescigno this weekend is playing within himself, accepting the coaching, following the offense and making the appropriate reads. “He doesn’t need to go out there and be Cam Newton in his first game.”
Rescigno, just a humble, conscientious kid in his peers’ eyes, has never tried to be since entering the program in 2014.
Charismatic and funny, Rescigno is a big rap fan, Miller said. “He’ll debate with you to the death about Eminem.”
Said fifth-year senior Julian Pinnix-Odrick, a defensive end: “Gio is a guy who, when he first came in, he ran some scout team stuff with us. Was just a hard-working guy, man. He wasn’t scared. He would emulate the running quarterbacks we played, definitely not a guy you felt like going against that day. Gio is a tough kid, tough kid.”
Laviano, now relegated to backup duties, completed 70 of 145 passes for 748 yards with five passing touchdowns and two interceptions over the first seven games this season. Under his quarterbacking, Rutgers’ offense produced one touchdown over the last four games.