Coming off a 44-7 season-opening win over FCS opponent Howard, Rutgers coach Greg Schiano was asked what specific aspect his team can work on in Week 2.
“That list is a long, long list,” Schiano said. “We have a laundry list of things we have to improve on.”
The Scarlet Knights hope to tighten all phases of their game when they host Akron on Saturday afternoon in Piscataway, N.J.
Rutgers (1-0) led Howard just 17-7 at halftime last week before running away in the second half. The Scarlet Knights have no question marks at running back, where last year’s leading rusher in the Big Ten, Kyle Monangai, kicked off his season with a career-high-tying 165 rushing yards and a touchdown.
In his Rutgers debut after transferring from Minnesota, quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis completed 15 of 24 passes for 147 yards and three touchdowns and added 43 rushing yards. Schiano said he’s confident Kaliakmanis will be able to throw downfield when called upon after averaging just 6.1 yards per attempt in the opener.
“We’ll push the ball down the field. Athan is very good at that,” Schiano said. “I’m not concerned. But you’re right, we’ve got to hit (downfield passes). Until you hit them, they are not a threat.”
Schiano added he was “certainly concerned” that his defense only generated one sack against Howard.
The Scarlet Knights were against a mobile quarterback in Howard’s Ja’Shawn Scroggins and will face a similar test against dual-threat Akron quarterback Tahj Bullock, who led his team with 42 rushing yards on 14 attempts in a season-opening 52-6 loss to Ohio State.
The Zips (0-1) kept their deficit to 7-3 early in the second quarter, forcing a three-and-out and a turnover on downs on two of Ohio State’s first three possessions. The score was 17-3 at halftime before the Buckeyes pulled away.
Akron coach Joe Moorhead — who rotated Bullock and Ben Finley at quarterback in that game — coached against Schiano from his time as offensive coordinator at UConn during the Big East days.
“(Schiano’s) teams are always well-prepared,” Moorhead said. “They play with great competitiveness and energy and physicality. They look to establish the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, and that’s apparent on the film.”
