PISCATAWAY, N.J. — By any standard, making the SportsCenter Top 10 is a big deal. For Rutgers football wide receiver Ian Strong, it goes deeper than that.
Strong didn’t just have a Top 10 play, he had the top play in the nation for his tremendous leaping touchdown catch in Sunday’s season-opening win for Rutgers. A true freshman, it was Strong’s first-ever touchdown catch.
In fact, it was his first-ever reception.
It can all make for a minefield for Rutgers, given that it is so much attention coming quickly to Srong. But head coach [autotag]Greg Schiano[/autotag] believes that the moment and all the media interest that came with it won’t be too much for Srong.
“Every guy is different. So how do you handle – like everybody’s personality is different so I deal with them on an individual basis,” Schiano said on Tuesday.
“Ian is kind of a cool customer, doesn’t really show a lot of emotion kind of chill. Works really hard. As long he keeps working really hard. I don’t worry about now if I see him not working really hard, he’ll know it.”
Strong had two catches for 24 yards with that first-quarter touchdown.
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How low-key is Strong? His social media profile still reads “DB @RFootball,” indicating that he hasn’t even updated his position switch to wide receiver this spring.
It’s been a Week 1 full of impressive get-the-foot-down @bigten TDs.
The latest: @RFootball‘s @IanStrong23 😲
📺: CBS pic.twitter.com/oGtbr7hYVu
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) September 3, 2023
He never tweeted or posted anything about the touchdown catch, which saw him leap high and come down in the back of the end zone with one foot in bounds.
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Quarterback Gavin Wimsatt, who threw the touchdown pass to Strong (and put it in a spot where only his wide receiver could make a play on it), said that Strong has the potential to make an impact for Rutgers.
“I’d say it’s definitely growing and it’s it’s going to keep growing out,” Wimsatt said
“He’s a great kid. He’s also fun to be around. He’s very talented. His work ethic is really good. And you know, he’s going to continue to grow and be and he’s going to be a great player.”
Wimsatt finished Sunday’s win with 163 passing yards and a 59 percent completion percentage. He had a passing touchdown and his first career rushing touchdown.
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The offense did not have a turnover in the win.