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Needing one win from their final two regular season games to become bowl eligible, there is plenty on the line for Rutgers football this weekend at Penn State and next Saturday’s home game with Maryland.
On Thursday, Gerry DiNardo spoke about his own experience building up a program, saying that “one of the most motivated teams you’ll ever see is a team trying to get number six.” Rutgers (5-5, 2-5 Big Ten) is looking to be bowl eligible for the first time since 2014.
After former Ohio State defensive linebacker Joshua Perry talked about the impact of Saturday’s game at Penn State on recruiting for Rutgers, DiNardo weighed in on the big picture for the rebuilding Scarlet Knights. Rutgers has won two of their last three games, with both wins coming on the road.
(Does winning on Saturday help Penn State or Rutgers in recruiting battles?)
“But at the end of the day, I do think this game has been set up and next week’s game against Maryland has been set up because of the non-conference schedule. Pat Hobbs, the athletic director gave Greg a chance to 3-0,” DiNardo said on the Big Ten Network.
“And then he won two conference games, and now he’s at five and we’re talking about motivation- and all the things you said were true – whether recruiting would be impacted or not- the Rutgers team thinks they have to more chances to be bowl eligible. And I don’t know that for a team that’s being built, a program being built – there is no bigger motivator than going to a bowl game.”
Penn State comes into this game having lost a tough and physical game at home to Michigan last Saturday. The Nittany Lions dropped out of the top 25 with the loss but are still receiving votes in the latest USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll.
DiNardo was quick to provide context for what Rutgers is trying to do in the Big Ten and what might well be the toughest conference in all of college football. DiNardo, a former head coach at LSU and Indiana, drew upon his own experience as an assistant at Colorado under Bill McCartney in providing some context for what a bowl berth would mean to Rutgers.
(Paul Finebaum weighs in on Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano…and Tennessee)
“You know, Ohio State has to win the national championship right? The Rose Bowl doesn’t mean that. This is the opposite end of the spectrum. These are guys that have never been to a bowl game and they will appreciate the watch or the ring or whatever they get. And I gotta tell you, I’ve been in that situation,” DiNardo said.
“We were in Colorado and we were building a program and we were at five [wins] and Bill McCartney told all the staff to bring in all of your bowl paraphernalia. And a lot of us had some stuff as players and coaches, and we put it in the backroom and without the players seeing and Bill was talking to the team. And then he made everybody walk by the tables that had all these rings on it. And I’ll tell you, our guys were fired up.”