BRONX, N.Y. — The offensive line played a huge part a week ago for Rutgers football, opening holes and providing good protection in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl win over Miami.
The Rutgers offense, against a very strong Miami front, played as a cohesive unit in what might have been their best performance of the season. They were the more physical unit in the trenches, paving the way for Kyle Monangai’s 163 rushing yards.
The offense ran for 208 yards and an impressive 4.6 yards per carry in what would be a 31-24 win for Rutgers. And it was the play of the line that made the offense click against Miami.
Not enough credit has gone to Pat Flaherty this season for the job he has done in the overhaul of the offense. In his first season as the offensive line coach at Rutgers, Flaherty turned a unit that was among the very worst in all of the FBS into a solid and dependable Big Ten unit.
“Flats, as you know, I go way back with Flats. He is an excellent line coach. I think the kids — I know the kids love him. I mean, he is a quintessential line coach. He lives in that room with them. Everything he does is for them,” Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano said after the Pinstripe Bowl.
“His wife, Lynn, they’re a football family, and they really, really have been a super addition to our staff.”
Rutgers did not turn the ball over in their bowl win.
Flaherty came to Rutgers after two decades in the NFL. He is best known for his long tenure with the New York Giants, where he won two Super Bowls with the franchise.
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That Rutgers not only held their own against a talented Miami front that is physical and fast, but actually dominated for long stretches of the game, is really a testament to Flaherty.
After the game, quarterback Gavin Wimsatt praised the performance of Flaherty’s unit against Miami. He said that the ability to run the ball can balance the offense as a whole.
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“Today I would say credit to my O-line. It all starts up front,” Wimsatt said.
“You know, Kyle, the run game, it opens up the pass game.”