Tag: Dark Side

Mo Toure believes that next year, Rutgers can have ‘the best defense in the country’

Rutgers linebacker Mo Toure believes in the direction of the defense.

Mo Toure believes that a Rutgers football defense that was among the best in the Big Ten this past year can be even better next year. The standout linebacker believes the defense can be among the best in all of college football.

Already, the likes of defensive linemen Aaron Lewis and Wesley Bailey along with linebacker Tyreem Powell have all signalled that they will return to Rutgers for another season.

Were safety Flip Dixon and cornerback Robert Longerbeam to return in 2024, then nearly the entirety of the defense would be back for Rutgers.

It would make Rutgers a tough unit, for sure. One that is talented and experienced.

And while Rutgers still has one game left to play in 2023 (the Pinstripe Bowl against Miami), Toure can’t help but look ahead and see the potential for this defense next year. The unit nicknamed ‘The Dark Side’ has the potential to be the among the brightest defenses in the country.

“My opinion we can be the best defense in the country. With who we have coming back and the pieces that we could add – this is going to be an elite defense,” Toure said on Thursday following practice.

“We played good this year but like I said, we’re family you know, we all talk on our own as players without coaches. And we tell each other every day like… watching film…’ You could have done this better. I could have done this better.’ A lot of things we could have improved on to play way faster and play just more cleaner football.”

Playing the second-toughest schedule in the nation, Rutgers had the sixth-best total defense in the Big Ten. It is a pretty solid accomplishment given that the offense is still very much of a rebuild.

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Last season, in his first full year at linebacker, Toure had 84 total tackles with 3.5 sacks and an interception.

The force (and volume) is with them: The Dark Side likes it when Rutgers football fans get loud

Rutgers football fans are making things tough on opponents.

PISCTAWAY, N.J. – The ‘Dark Side’ likes it when SHI Stadium and the Rutgers football fan base gets loud.

On Saturday night, Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano singled out the fans and the student section. In particular, Schiano showed his appreciation for the students for their role in not just creating a strong atmosphere in a 36-7 win over Temple, but in making it difficult for the opposing offense to communicate their snap count.

Rutgers defensive back Shaquan Loyal agreed with that assessment, saying that the energy from the stands was felt on the field.

In two games this season, the defense has allowed just 14 points.

“I felt like every play there’s a lot of energy out here, I hear the crowd roaring,” Loyal said.

“I like it. It brings energy to the whole defense.”

There is a definite energy inside the stadium, though, when the defense is on the field. From the piped-in music to the response of all the fans, not just the students, on third down.

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It is noticeable, something that the players are not just hearing but also feeling.

“It’s definitely crazy like hearing that here and the volume of it. And just seeing the passion from the fans and everything. It was it was great to hear,” each other’s back when it comes to getting the calls and everything,” defensive lineman Mayan Ahanotu said.

“It wasn’t really difficult to communicate with each other because we work together so well. We trust each other.”

The impact of the students was felt so deeply by Schiano that on Monday during his press conference, he once again brought up the crowd noise. He wasn’t asked about it, but his thoughts were unsolicited.

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“I’m really proud of our student section. I think we are starting to get a little reputation of a student section that is a factor,” Schiano said.

“Now that they have set the bar, we need them. I know our guys just appreciate the heck out of it so I want to thank them again and call to duty, what time is the game, 3:30 game, love to have them there again.”