This Rutgers loss to Nebraska in a single phrase: Inexcusable

Look, with the best way this Rutgers offense performed on Friday night time, a one-point deficit would possibly as properly have been 1,000,000 factors. Nebraska was up, 14-13, and confronted a third-and-11 with 4 minutes left. The Scarlet Knights wanted extra than simply soccer. They wanted an intervention.

What occurred subsequent, nonetheless, was an unforgivable sequence on so many ranges that it’s laborious to know the place to start. And given how this terrible second half performed out at SHI Stadium, it was a becoming means for the Scarlet Knights to lose what was a must-win recreation.

Once more: Rutgers ought to get the ball again with loads of time. It used a timeout to cease the clock after a Nebraska run, however earlier than the Cornhuskers snapped the ball once more, head coach Greg Schiano known as one other day out.

Two timeouts. On the identical play.

That is the definition of clock mismanagement.

Even then, the Scarlet Knights appeared to have pressured factors and stopped the clock. Why? As a result of Nebraska is horrible. The Cornhuskers accomplished a brief move. Rutgers cornerback Kessawn Abraham wrapped up huge receiver Oliver Martin and pushed him out of bounds. That ought to have been it – however then Abraham unnecessarily threw Martin on the grass in full view of the referee.

The flag got here out for pointless roughness. As an alternative of getting the ball after the punt, Nebraska had 15 yards and a recent set of downs. It was the ninth penalty of the sport for Rutgers at 97 yards, following a season-long sample of penalty hassle.

It was, in a phrase, unforgivable.

The identical phrase sums up this whole loss.

How did Rutgers blow a 13-0 halftime lead towards a Nebraska program that fired its head coach three weeks into the season? With the standard offensive ineptitude, complicated personnel selections and a degree of quarterback play that wouldn’t fly within the Patriot League. It will have been laborious to abdomen in any case.

All this occurred six video games in Schiano’s third season. The Scarlet Knights are 3-3 now, and barring a fast turnaround after the bye week, will take a step again this season. This was a foul loss for a foul staff, with as unhealthy a playoff sequence as we’ve seen in Piscataway in a very long time.

Listed here are 5 observations from Rutgers-Nebraska:

1. QUARTERBACK WOES

Noah Vedral’s first three completions of the season went for 33, 34 and 43 yards, every longer than the final — and, extra considerably, every the longest passes for the staff this season towards FBS competitors. Granted, the 43-yarder got here when receiver Shameen Jones broke a deal with close to the road of scrimmage. However the first two had been lovely throws by Vedral, and a reminder of what the Scarlet Knights had been lacking when the staff captain went down with a hand damage this summer season.

After which they missed him once more. It’s not clear precisely what occurred to Vedral throughout this recreation, however the quarterback was clearly restricted in passing conditions. That pressured Rutgers to show the offense over to sophomore Evan Simon, who threw a pair of disastrous interceptions. The second gave Nebraska the ball on the Rutgers 27, and one play later, the lead the Scarlet Knights had spent a lot of the night time defending was gone.

It’s simple responsible Simon, who was the one scholarship quarterback out there moreover Vedral, with freshman Gavin Wimsatt nonetheless out with a leg damage. However Rutgers has mismanaged its quarterback state of affairs from the beginning, and offensive coordinator Sean Gleeson must account for an offense that continues to stumble by way of his third season on the job.

2. DOMINANT D-LINEMAN

It’s been some time since Rutgers has had a defensive lineman able to dominating a Large Ten recreation like Aaron Lewis did Friday night time. It didn’t present up on the stat sheet, however he spent a lot of the night time within the Nebraska backfield and made two of the most important performs of the night time.

Within the first quarter, Lewis teased Nebraska quarterback Casey Thompson as he threw the ball in what may need been the staff’s largest hit of the season. Thompson threw a fumbled move that cornerback Christian Braswell picked off.

Lewis additionally had an enormous sack within the fourth quarter that pressured the Cornhuskers right into a third-and-22 state of affairs as they tried to mount a comeback. Nevertheless, the sophomore was flagged for a late hit firstly of the third quarter that kick-started an extended Nebraska landing drive. Even after a great efficiency, there’s a educating second for Schiano.

3. Unexplained STAFF USE

It was clear from the primary drive that true freshman Samuel Brown can be the Scarlet Knights’ finest weapon on this recreation. It was clear from the final recreation, in truth, as Brown continued to show his capability because the highly effective working again this program has lacked.

Then it was clear once more late within the third quarter when Brown rushed for 18 yards on three consecutive performs to maneuver Rutgers into Nebraska territory. That’s when the Rutgers mind belief pulled him after switch Al-Shadee Salaam, who tried to run exterior and was choked for a 1-yard loss. Why?

On the time, Brown had simply 11 carries. With all of the struggles of this offense, why not maintain feeding Brown till the Cornhuskers show they will cease him? The quarterback rotation has gotten many of the consideration this season, however Rutgers’ refusal to run on its finest working again was mind-boggling.

4. BLOCK THE KICK

Rutgers got here into this recreation considering it may need a bonus on particular groups — and late within the first quarter, that hunch was confirmed right. Max Melton burst threw Nebraska protection to smother a Brian Buschini punt. It was the third blocked kick of Melton’s profession and Schiano’s 66th total in his two stints on the Rutgers sideline.

It was additionally one thing of a missed alternative. Parker Day, a walk-on in his sixth season with the Scarlet Knights, had his fingers on the ball for what would have been a straightforward scoop-and-score. As an alternative, the ball slipped out of his grasp and Rutgers took over on the Nebraska 9-yard line. Two infield runs and an incomplete move later, the Scarlet Knights needed to accept a chip-shot discipline aim.

Nonetheless: It was 10-0, and for the Rutgers particular groups, an enormous second.

5. “BLACKOUT”, AN NCAA SNUB AND FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS

Listed here are a couple of different ideas on Rutgers-Nebraska, the environment and different Large Ten information:

one. Rutgers introduced a sellout Friday afternoon, trumpeting in a press launch that “that is the primary time for the Scarlet Knights with consecutive residence sellouts because the first three convention video games of the Large Ten period in 2014.” The introduced crowd of 53,752 was the second largest in class historical past.

b. That is what SHI Stadium seemed like at kickoff:

c. The stadium did to be accomplished later within the first quarter. Nonetheless, Rutgers has achieved a degree of skepticism with regards to the gang. Overheard a number of instances within the car parking zone whereas tailgating: “Is the sport actually out of inventory?”

d. Rutgers was not stunned that its ultimate try and win a ultimate 12 months of eligibility for linebacker Drew Singleton failed final week. Singleton had deliberate to earn his grasp’s diploma whereas enjoying one ultimate season with the Scarlet Knights. The underside line: Followers ought to bear in mind this the following time a participant decides — fairly correctly — to sit down out a bowl recreation. And don’t blame them one bit once they do.

e. If both fan base wanted a psychotherapist earlier than this recreation — and let’s face it, they each have lately — TV’s most interesting was out there (and sells his personal beer).

f. A primary-quarter damage to proper deal with Willie Tyler pressured an virtually wholesale overhaul of the offensive line. JD DiRenzo switched from left guard to left deal with, Curtis Dunlap Jr. moved from proper guard to left guard and Mike Ciaffoni got here off the bench at proper guard. It’s a reminder of how depth stays a problem for the rebuilt offensive line. Tyler would return later within the quarter and the shuffle continued.

g. Travis Vokolek caught the third quarter Nebraska landing move. It was the primary landing for the previous Rutgers tight finish since transferring after the 2019 season.

h. Final week in faculty soccer stadium enhancements, it was Northwestern. This week: Kansas. Bear in mind, it’s not simply the giants who’re taking part within the facility arms race.

I. The primary quarter was 48 minutes.

j. The second quarter, nonetheless, was a breezy 47.

okay. Sophomore working again Kyle Monangai has misplaced a few of his carries to Sam Brown within the final two weeks, however he nonetheless discovered a approach to make an affect. He completely flattened a Nebraska move rusher on a third-down move to maintain Vedral upright.

l. A touchback to Adam Korsak? It occurred within the fourth quarter after 150 factors in a row with out one. Unthinkable. Dangerous timing too.

MORE FROM STEVE POLITI:

How a former Rutgers athlete ended up charged with homicide in Tijuana

I used to be a bird-threatening Little League menace—and it’s time to come back clear

The hunt for Luther Wright, as soon as NJ’s best hoops expertise

I performed Augusta Nationwide and had my very own Masters meltdown

Rating the 99 best athletes in New Jersey historical past

Thanks for trusting us to ship the journalism you may belief. Take into account supporting us with a subscription.

Steve Politi could be contacted at spoliti@njadvancemedia.com.