The Rutgers Scarlet Knights mascot, Sir Henry - Vincent Carchietta/USA TODAY Sports
The 2024 Rutgers football season kicked off with a win against Howard. Now the Scarlet Knights will look to keep up their win streak against the Akron Zips. The Zips are currently 0-1 following a loss against the Ohio State Buckeyes. Here are some key things to watch this weekend during the Rutgers football game.
Offense Stepping Up Early
Getting onto the scoreboard early will be the key to success this week. This means the Rutgers offense will need to step up early this weekend. The Scarlet Knights picked up the pace in week one after a couple of drives, but they need to try to get into the endzone earlier this week. Ohio State struggled early against Akron but picked it up big time. In week one it is bound to happen, but now they have a game under their belt. Rutgers will want to start off early to knock Akron down.
In order for the offense to get it going early on, there needs to be consistency. One thing to watch for is how early the run game can get going. Running back, Kyle Monangai did well in week one, but it would be beneficial if he could get big runs earlier. in the game. The Scarlet Knights also have a healthy Samuel Brown V, which helps take the pressure off Monangai. The team just needs to get a rhythm going running the ball.
This could help open up the passing game, which will need to improve a bit. There were passes that quarterback, Athan Kaliakmanis was accurate on but the receivers could not make the catch. There were other times when the receivers were open just missed. Kaliakmanis also needs to make his decisions quicker. Whether it be the RPOs or throwing the ball away, he has to be quicker with it this weekend.
Playing in the Weather
The weather forecast for Saturday is not the best. It is a part of the game of football, but the Scarlet Knights will be playing in rain and wind. This makes it even more important to get the run game going early on. If the weather is as expected, it will be difficult to throw the ball for both teams. The wind will make passes less accurate and the rain makes it harder to grip the ball. Fortunately, Rutgers has a strong run game. No matter what the play call is, ball security is a must.
Defense Forcing Turnovers and Getting Pressure
The poor weather is something to watch on both sides of the ball. Yes, the Rutgers offense needs to be careful with ball security, but so do the Akron Zips. This is where the Scarlet Knights’ defense comes in. When an Akron receiver goes to catch the ball, Rutgers should use the weather to their advantage and not let them get a grip. During the run game, the Scarlet Knights should, while making the tackle, try to knock the ball out. Both teams have to play with the weather, watch for Rutgers to take advantage of that on defense.
Now, in the case, the weather does clear up, there are still a couple of things to watch on this Rutgers defense. The Scarlet Knights did well with turnovers against Howard, forcing one interception. One thing that the defense needs to do this week is to put more pressure on the quarterback. The Scarlet Knights only had one sack last weekend against Howard. They need to try to beat that this week. According to ESPN, the Ohio State defense had five sacks against Akron. The Scarlet Knights defense should aim for the same or better.
Rutger Football Dominating the ScoreBoard
No matter the weather, another thing to watch for is that this Rutgers football team dominating the scoreboard. If the Scarlet Knights are up on the scoreboard, they should not take the foot off the pedal. Of course, subbing players is fair and understandable. But keep pushing for more points. It is one thing to win in college football, and as important as that is, scores do matter. If the Rutgers Scarlet Knights want to look like a dominant team, they have to be dominant.
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights will face the Akron Zips on Saturday, September 7th at Noon Eastern.
