Few other coaches in the Big Ten will be feeling the heat like Rutgers’ Kyle Flood this upcoming football season.
With games against Ohio State, Michigan State, and Michigan in the first half of the season, the Scarlet Knights have little room for error. The rest of the conference along with their respective fans will be watching this team to see whether they possess the talent or roster depth to be competitive in the Big Ten.
Although Flood was voted conference coach of the year in 2012, the reality is that this season will make or break his tenure at Rutgers. The team ended their 2013 season at a less-than-stellar 6-7 in the Big East, leaving many to wonder whether he can produce championships or winning seasons especially now in a far better football conference. Hopefully, having a new offensive coordinator for this season can help his case.
Ralph Friedgen, former offensive coordinator for Georgia Tech, Maryland, and the San Diego Chargers has come out of retirement to aid Rutgers in their quest to disprove the doubters. Friedgen was asked to join Flood’s staff in 2012, but declined due to his daughter’s wedding, something he “invested a lot into”.
His straight-forward approach and ability to spot weaknesses and work to correct them is partly why Flood chose him to lead the offense, calling Friedgen “one of the premier offensive minds of the last 20 to 25 years”. Despite being held in high regard, Friedgen doesn’t want to be seen as the messiah who will turn things around for Rutgers.
“Trust me, that is not me,” he said. “I can only deal with what we’ve got. They’ve got to play. It’s my job to put them in position to make the plays and they’ve got to make them.”
Keeping this in mind, Rutgers can be strong this season if quarterback Gary Nova brings down his turnovers. After starting for 23 games straight, Nova was benched for senior Chas Dodd for the last three games of the 2013 season. In 28 games, he has thrown for 6,407 yards and 51 touchdowns, but with 39 interceptions, a number that is too high to fly smoothly in the Big Ten where defensive juggernauts like Michigan State are waiting. If Nova makes smarter, more calculated passes rather than rely on his confidence and athleticism, Rutgers will have one less thing to worry about on the field.
Despite the odds being stacked against him, coach Flood doesn’t seem to be worried about the weight of Rutgers’ first year schedule in the Big Ten.
“I don’t know how big-picture talk is productive for a football team,” he said regarding the team’s schedule. “When you are involved in the day-to-day operation of a football team, we’re not thinking that way.”
If Rutgers can make these key adjustments in their day-to-day translate onto the football field, they may surprise skeptics who doubt their potential to compete in the Big Ten.
