With one of the top recruiting classes in the Big Ten and all of college football, Rutgers football is certainly trending in the right direction. Two national college football analysts who cover the Big Ten certainly see it that way.
Speaking on ‘Red Corner Blue Corner‘ on the Stadium streaming network, former Ohio State linebacker Joshua Perry and Michigan tight end Jake Butt discussed the Rutgers incoming class.
Asked if he is surprised that Rutgers head coach [autotag]Greg Schiano[/autotag] has pulled in one of the top recruiting classes in the nation, Butt said he wasn’t.
Also an analyst with the Big Ten Network, Butt sees this recruiting class as momentum for Rutgers, saying that “this is an extremely dangerous team.” Rutgers finished last year 7-6 (3-6 Big Ten) and with a win over Miami in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl.
“Rutgers is a low-hanging fruit and a punching bag for those that may not follow college football as a whole. But when you watch the tape, they – especially last year – were and are a good football team, and they are tough and they are disciplined,” Butt said on Stadium.
“And you’d be surprised. You cannot say that about everyone across the conference or across college football as a whole. You look at their toughest two opponents, they’re in that game, fourth-and-2 versus Michigan in the fourth quarter. There were a few missed opportunities versus Ohio State, where had they hit those, that game might be completely different.
“JP, they finished 7-6 and after the bowl game. ESPN, had them with the fourth hardest scheduled nationally, OK? Eight of their opponents finished with a bowl record. That’s pretty damn good. Okay, that’s good for a lot of teams, but that’s good for what Schiano is up against at Rutgers. I think he’s a great coach. I think he’s extremely honest with his players, and he’s shared that with us in some of our coaching meetings.”
In the updated rankings on Saturday, On3 has Rutgers with a top 10 class in the nation. Rivals and 247Sports also have Rutgers in the top 10 nationally.
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To watch the entire segment on Stadium, click here. Red Corner, Blue Corner also has a platform on YouTube that is loaded with Big Ten content and some really solid college football talk.