The Rutgers Scarlet Knights may have fired Chris Ash but their miserable 2019 season is far from over. There are a lot of low points to choose from, but Saturday’s 35-0 loss to the Indiana Hoosiers might be right up there (or down there).
Indiana (4-2) isn’t exactly a worldbeater but you don’t have to be when you play Rutgers these days. The Scarlet Knights came into the game with one win over lowly UMass and a collection of butt-whopping losses that include 30-0 to Iowa, 52-0 to Michigan, and 48-7 to Maryland. Adding today’s loss to Indiana, Rutgers is now 165-7 against Big Ten opponents on the season.
Since Rutgers joined the Big Ten in 2014 there have been 19 Big Ten conference games in which a team was shutout. Rutgers has been the team shutout in 9 of them.
— Tom Fornelli (@TomFornelli) September 28, 2019
Really driving home how bad things are would be the passing numbers for Rutgers. Quarterback Johnny Langan has a really, really, really bad day.
Rutgers quarterback Johnny Langan finishes the game 5/13 for 1 yard passing. This is the most completions for fewest yards since 2000. The next lowest total yardage for 5 completions was 46 yards.
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) October 12, 2019
Rutgers has one (1) yard passing. If it finishes with under 50, it will be the ninth time in 42 games it has done so since 2016.
— James Kratch (@JamesKratch) October 12, 2019
How does a quarterback garner one yard on five completions? Aaron Young led the team with four yards on three receptions but two other Rutgers wideouts had negative yards on their completions, -2 and -1, respectively.
Don’t just take out word for it that Rutgers is one of the worst teams in the nation. Take it from the people who follow them for a living.
I say this without a hint of exaggeration or hyperbole: Rutgers might be the worst team in Big Ten history. Five observations: https://t.co/nIgszUpyLK
— Steve Politi (@StevePoliti) October 12, 2019
Step 1 to Rutgers being a quality Big Ten program? Being better than Indiana. Which is why this 35-0 loss to the Hoosiers is rock bottom. https://t.co/YzxMGiwk74
— James Kratch (@JamesKratch) October 12, 2019
Things do not get any easier from here for interim coach Nunzio Campanile as he still has to send his team out there against the likes of Ohio State, Penn State, and undefeated Minnesota. Honestly, if they can at least put 50 passing yards on the stat sheet in either of those games, Rutgers should just consider that their win.
[NJ.com]
