Rutgers Football Training Camp Kickoff: Chris Ash Press Conference
It's only fitting that Gio Rescigno started with the first
team and received the most first-team reps. Gio finished the spring as the
starter and he should start training camp as the incumbent regardless of there being an open competition. Kyle Bolin also received first-team reps, but both
Ash and offensive coordinator Jerry Kill have stated that at least four of the
quarterbacks (Johnathan Lewis and Zach Allen as well) will get chances with the
first team as they determine the starter.
Asked about the quarterback competition, and whether the
fact that Rutgers is opening against a very experienced and heavily favored
Washington team would factor into who gets the opening night start, Ash
responded by asserting that the opponent doesn't matter. On who will play Sept.
1, "It's who we feel gives us the best opportunity to go out and perform
to our best for the long term." The insinuation there is that if, for
example, Lewis proves to be the best QB in camp, Ash wouldn't hesitate to name
him the week one starter despite the fact that he is a true freshman and Washington would be a
stiff first opponent. That's as it should be. Freshman or not, the way that you
improve is to compete against those who are better than you.
Other questions about the quarterbacks revolved around the
type of player Kyle Bolin is and whether Gio had any reaction to Bolin
transferring in. Regarding Gio, Ash said, "He's a cool cat. He just goes
about his business as good as he can." And Ash mentioned that from what
he's seen of Bolin, Kyle is "intelligent...mature...loves the game of football."
My take is that obviously Bolin didn't transfer in thinking that he wasn't
fairly likely to play. And Gio proved last year that he's not the type to back
down from a challenge. Rescigno started the season as the fifth quarterback on
the depth chart and ended the year as the starter, holding onto the starting
job despite playing hurt.
Ash mentioned the large number of incoming true freshman as
well as the transfers and stated, "I really feel like we're a completely
different team right now." And it should feel that way. There has been
quite a bit of roster changeover, which I find exciting because it gave the
staff the opportunity of find more of their guys.
One question centered on the improvement and added depth of
the linebacker group. He mentioned that some of the true freshman will compete
to be on the two-deep. But Ash also proclaimed that, "the number one thing
I want to see out of our linebackers are just guys that will go play on special
teams. I want to see that happen in training camp more so than anything
else." I would imagine that a number of the incoming players will answer
that challenge. Rutgers finished last in the
country in field position last season and the special teams gave up far too
many big plays. And making plays on special teams will certainly impress the
coaches and get you in the game. Last season, freshman walk-on Lawrence Stevens
made some special teams plays early in the year, and quickly received some reps
on defense prior to his injury, leapfrogging scholarship players.
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