Gavin Wimsatt flips the script, leads Rutgers with his legs in win over Virginia Tech

Rutgers football got a big contribution on Saturday from Gavin Wimsatt from his running game.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. — After two very solid games throwing the ball, Rutgers football quarterback Gavin Wimsatt

In the season’s first two games, it was Wimsatt in the pocket that proved the most dangerous. Completing 54 percent of his passes, Wimsatt threw for 361 yards and two touchdowns to start the season.

On Saturday afternoon, Wimsatt struggled with accuracy issues in the first half. Compounding the struggles at times was the fact that Virginia Tech was the best front four and secondary that Rutgers has faced all season.

Wimsatt went 7-of-16 for 46 yards with a touchdown. It is a third-straight game from Wimsatt where he didn’t turn over the ball.

But what really stood out was how Wimsatt was able to tuck and use his legs as an offensive threat. He had 11 carries for 87 yards, including a second-quarter touchdown run of 34 yards.

“Just whatever we have to do to win.” Wimsatt said after the game.

“It was a tough, tough Virginia Tech defense and they’re very aggressive and I think whatever w need to do to win. I’m fine with it. We came out with a win.”

The 87 yards rushing against Virginia Tech was more than Wimsatt had all of last season in eight games played (Wimsatt had 63 yards rushing in 2022).

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“I thought he did a good job in the first two games. Some days it’s just not there, and you don’t force it. You take what the defense gives you and that’s what we did,” head coach Greg Schiano said following the game.

“We got improve. It’s not just Gavin. We got to improve in every area. There was a couple plays where we ran the wrong route so it looked like we were out of sync. Well, we were out of sync.

“There is a lot that goes into each play. I was so proud of him the way he took care of the football, the way he ran the ball. That’s what — we know he can do that. The passing game will pick up.”