Tag: Kirk Ciarrocca

What’s the plan for Rutgers football coaches this weekend?

Rutgers football’s coaching staff will be out at some of the top games in New Jersey this weekend.

Even without a game scheduled for this week, Rutgers football’s coaching staff will be busy. In fact, it might be the busiest weekend of the season for the staff as they hit the recruiting trail and check in with members of the 2024 class.

And…continue relationships with the important 2025 class.

The plan is for every Rutgers football commit who hasn’t been visited by a coach this year to get a visit this weekend. Schedules don’t always align but that is the plan from Rutgers. Here are a few of the games that Rutgers Wire has learned will have members of the coaching staff in attendance:

  • Bergen Catholic at Paramus Catholic (a number of Rutgers football targets will be at this game and four-star commit Kaj Sanders is having an outstanding season for Bergen Catholic).
  • Notre Dame Prep @ St. Frances Academy (Rutgers offensive coordinator Krik Ciarrocca will be in attendance to watch two commits in quarterback A.J. Surace, running back Gabriel Winowich).
  • Norland at North Miami Beach (offensive tackle Raynor Andrews, and the twins, defensive ends Tycoolhill Luman and Tyclean Luman – all Rutgers football commits – all attend Norland).
  • All told, Rutgers coaches will be at games in Florida, New York and New Jersey.

On Tuesday, head coach [autotag]Greg Schiano[/autotag] was asked about his schedule for the week. His answer pointed towards this weekend.

“You know, actually you go recruiting. So we’ll practice Thursday and then everyone will hit the road,” Schiano said following practice on Tuesday.

“But I want to make sure that our staff gets a little time so they’ll get they’ll get a day, a whole day. How about that? But yeah, they work really hard. And we all do. It’s part of the business.”

Mike Teel: You can see Kirk Ciarrocca’s impact on the Rutgers offense and Gavin Wimsatt

Mike Teel sees significant improvement from the Rutgers offense this season.

It is a season for Rutgers football that not many on the outside envisioned. But with bowl eligibility clinched, it is obvious that Rutgers is obviously building and trending in the right direction.

And count Mike Teel among those who see the maturation and development of the program, in particular on the offensive side of the ball.

A season ago, Rutgers was squarely bottom two in the Big Ten in nearly every significant offensive category. Now, Rutgers is middle of the pack in those same categories.

And a 6-2 start to the season is a testament to offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca’s work on the offensive side of the ball. A unit that remains largely unchanged from a year ago in terms of personnel has looked very much changed in becoming a competent and functioning group.

“Rutgers has been able to play complementary football so far this year. As far as the offense goes, I think that they’ve made huge strides from where they were last year,” Teel told Rutgers Wire this week.

“They obviously still have a long way to go, but for the first time in a while, they have an identity. They are going to run the football. Teams have filled the box to stop the run, but they stick to it and have eventually worn teams down. The passing game is a work in progress. There have been some bright spots and as a lot of these young players continue to play, I think it’ll only get better.”

Teel now serves as a radio analyst for Rutgers football. He certainly knows a thing or two about what a good offense looks like at Rutgers.

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The best quarterback in the history of the program, Teel was the quarterback of a Scarlet Knights offense in 2007 that featured dual 1,000-yard wide receivers in Kenny Britt and Tiquan Underwood.

During that season, Teel completed 58 percent of his passes for 3,147 yards with 20 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.

As for this current quarterback, Gavin Wimsatt has steadily grown and progressed.

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The Rutgers quarterback is completing 50.2 percent of his passes and has seven touchdowns. Both are on pace for career-bests.

He only has four interceptions on the season after seven last year (and just five touchdowns). He has 362 rushing yards, nearly triple his first two years combined.

And Wimsatt’s seven rushing touchdowns account for all the rushing touchdowns of his college career. Impressive uptick from Wimsatt this season to say the least.

“He obviously has a game plan in his mind and for the most part has taken care of the football. He’s done a nice job of when to either throw it away or tuck it and run it,” Teel said.

“At times, it looks like the game is moving really fast for him and then other times, it looks like it’s slowed down. That’s kind of expected from any young player. The influence of Kirk is obvious though and he’s definitely made strides to be a better player this year.”

Knight and Day: Rutgers is leading the Big Ten in an impressive offensive stat

Rutgers football is making bank on their opening drive of each game.

The transformation of the Rutgers football is night and day. But such has been the impact of offensive coordinator on the Rutgers offense that the Scarlet Knights are leading the Big Ten in an important category.

It was unthinkable last year that Rutgers would lead the Big Ten in any offensive category…or at least a positive one. Yet the transformation undertaken under Ciarrocca in his first year with the program is beyond staggering.

Rutgers is the Big Ten’s best team in scoring points on their opening drive. It is an impressive stat, considering that the second and third-best teams in the conference on the list are No. 2 Michigan and No. 3 Ohio State.

That is pretty, pretty good.

It is certainly an impressive turn of form and competency from a Rutgers offense that was offensive last year in the worst meaning of the word.

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Consistently, the Rutgers offense in 2022 was among the bottom performers in the Big Ten. This year, they are a functioning and competent unit that has moved the ball well in nearly every game.

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Rutgers is currently on a bye week. On Nov. 4, they host Ohio State at SHI Stadium.

With Saturday’s 31-14 win at Indiana, Rutgers is bowl-eligible for the first time since 2014.

Rutgers football: Is Greg Schiano concerned that Joe Harasymiak might leave to be a head coach somewhere?

Joe Harasymiak has done a tremendous job as defensive coordinator for Rutgers.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. — With a defense that is among the best in the Big Ten and a Rutgers football team that is already bowl-eligible, it isn’t far-fetched to think that Joe Harasymiak could be in demand. The Rutgers defensive coordinator certainly has impressed this season and is building quite the resume for whatever the next step is.

Harasymiak is now in his second year as the Rutgers defensive coordinator. He spent the previous three years at Minnesota, working his way up from safeties coach to the Big Ten program’s defensive coordinator.

Prior to that, he spent eight years at Maine, the last four of which were as the program’s head coach. In 2018, his final season at Maine, he took the FCS program to the national semifinals.

On Tuesday, head coach Greg Schiano was asked about his concerns about Harasymiak potentially leaving the program to once again become a head coach. With the success of the program as a whole and the defense’s significant role in this season, it is certainly conceivable that Harasymiak would attract head coaching interest and offers.

“Well, I’m always concerned about that, but I’m also hopeful for them,” Schiano said.

“I know that that’s ultimately their goal, but you know, when you have good staff, people, you try to take care of them, take care of their families, make sure it’s a good work environment for them. But my hope is that they will become head coaches, if that’s what they want. But we’ll make sure that it’s going to have to be a great job for Joe to leave.”

Rutgers (6-2, 3-2 Big Ten) is fourth in the Big Ten in total defense and fifth in scoring defense.

Prior to joining Rutgers, both Harasymiak and offensive coordinator [autotag]Kirk Ciarrocca[/autotag] were coordinators at Minnesota.

Greg Schiano sees growth from Gavin Wimsatt: ‘He’s getting better’

Rutgers football quarterback Gavin Wimsatt has been dedicated in his pursuit of understanding the offense.

Enough can’t be said about how Gavin Wimsatt has grown over the past 10 months. The Rutgers football quarterback is certainly showing a refinement and nuance to his game in his third year of college football.

The process wasn’t overnight, however. It took a serious level of dedication from Wimsatt to take this next step and truly run the offense efficiently.

Rutgers (4-1, 1-1 Big Ten) plays at Wisconsin (3-1, 1-0) on Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 12:00 PM ET and the Big Ten contest will stream on Peacock.

And for [autotag]Greg Schiano[/autotag], the hiring of offensive coordinator [autotag]Kirk Ciarrocca[/autotag] has played a huge role in helping Wimsatt take a big developmental leap this offseason.

A veteran offensive coordinator, Ciarrocca is a bit of a miracle worker, going into programs and helping to elevate stagnant offenses. At Rutgers, Schiano said that he Ciarrocca found a willing and eager pupil in Wimsatt.

“He’s getting better. When we hired Kirk Ciarrocca…Gavin truly just committed,” Schiano told Bruce Beck this week.

“OK,  I’m going to do everything he tells me to do. I think he was ready for that. And his growth has been excellent – literally been glued to Kirk’s hip for six months, eight months now.”

Wimsat has just one turnover through the season’s first five games. He has 733 passing yards with a 54.8 completion percentage and five touchdowns with one interception.

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Understanding the offense, paired with a scheme that complements his skill set, has worked wonders for Wimsatt this year.

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Schiano credits this to seeing the field better and a growing understanding of how to read the game.

“He’s seeing more, he’s still 19-years old,” Schiano said.

“He’s seeing more, he’s understanding better and I think the system we run helps.”

For Rutgers football, the growth of Gavin Wimsatt has more than just one layer this season

Gavin Wimsatt has grown this year. But the answer why is varied and complex for the Rutgers football quarterback.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. — There are plenty of reasons for Rutgers football’s more consistent play on offense this season, ranging from some significant development from Gavin Wimsatt to the immediate impact of new offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca. But the play of what last year was a much-maligned offensive line certainly is a major reason why Rutgers is moving the ball well and limiting mistakes.

All told, the line has given up just two sacks, a strong number no matter the opposition faced. But when considering that Rutgers has faced three Power Five opponents, including two from the Big Ten, it is an especially strong showing.

And the addition of Ciarrocca has been the perfect tonic for this offense’s ailments over the past three years.

No one has benefitted more from this improved offensive line than Wimsatt, who has just one turnover through the season’s first five games. He has 733 passing yards with a 54.8 completion percentage and five touchdowns with one interception.

“It all starts up front I think they’ve done a great job all season just protecting me and just giving me enough time to throw the ball,” Wimsatt said on Wednesday.

Sixth in scoring offense, Rutgers has the tenth-best total offense in the Big Ten this year. Both numbers are significant upgrades for where this program has been in the past.

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Last year, Rutgers finished the season second from the bottom in both statistical categories.

Credit has to be given to Ciarrocca, a veteran offensive coordinator who was most recently with Minnesota. He has come in and steadied the ship, with Rutgers looking competent and capable against their peers.

That is seen in the play of Wimsatt, who has a confidence this year that is playing out in his pocket poise and decision-making.

“I think it’s all one and the same. Other than the play calls what Kirk does as a coach and what Gavin does as a player, that’s how they mesh together and that’s why this works so well right now,” head coach Greg Schiano said on Monday.

“It’s a continual effort; you’re as good as your last outing. So we’ve just got to keep working at it and he’ll keep getting better. You know, Kirk calls the game and he calls it the way he sees fit.”

Wimsatt has been joined at the hip to Ciarrocca since the offensive coordinator was hired in January. Schiano’s search for a new offensive coordinator took excruciatingly long but he insisted that in Ciarrocca, he had targeted the perfect mentor to bring along his young quarterback.

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So far, Wimsatt has passing grades for Ciarrocca.

“Of course, I think coach Ciarrocca is a great playcaller and a great coach,” Wimsatt said.

“His energy and what he does for the quarterbacks – it’s a great job and not only the quarterbacks but the offense. So I think he always puts us in the best position possible.”

Born to run: Rutgers football quarterback Gavin Wimsatt is learning when is the right time to run

Rutgers football quarterback Gavin Wimsatt is running more effectively this season.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. — At some point during a commercial break on Saturday afternoon, the sound system at SHI Stadium will blast out the crowd favorite that is Bruce Springsteen’s Born to Run. A song about escapism, it also sums up a part of Rutgers football quarterback Gavin Wimsatt’s development as an offensive weapon.

While an uptick in his passing numbers are certainly impressive, perhaps the biggest area of growth for Wimsatt is his taking off down the field. The Rutgers quarterback is running more this season, and he is doing so with greater effectiveness.

In fact, through the first four games of this season, Wimsatt has doubled his output from his first two seasons of college football, combined.

Wimsatt has 172 rushing yards on 34 carries for Rutgers (3-1, 1-1 Big Ten), representing 5.05 yards per carry. His first two seasons, representing a total of 12 games played, Wimsatt ran the ball a combined 49 times for 131 yards (2.67 yards per carry)

Now, Wimsatt played limited snaps in several of those games, but the yards per carry stat tell a compelling story. Wimsatt is running more effectively, and choosing a better time to take off when he does.

“I don’t know I had many but I would say just a little bit all the above,” Wimsatt said on Tuesday after being told the improvement of his running numbers.

“Confidence in my running ability. You know, the schemes that coach Ciarrocca (offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca) has put up and just would say that’s really mostly it. My confidence in the schemes, my confidence in my running ability has grown, especially since coming off the ankle injury. And I would say that coach Ciarrocca puts me in great positions to where I’m able to run and use my running ability.”

The Rutgers quarterback also has the first two rushing touchdowns of his college career this season.

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Wimsatt also has shown some rather significant growth as a passer this season. His completion percentage on the season stands at 51.7 percent, up from last year when he was 44.8 percent.

He has flipped the script on his struggles with turnovers with four passing touchdowns and an interception this season (he had five touchdowns and seven interceptions in 2022).

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“I think what Gavin is doing is he’s getting a better and better understanding of exactly what we want to do on offense, what his job is, and he’s trusting his training. He’s trained very hard,” head coach Greg Schiano told reporters on Monday.

“All off-season, I’ve told you guys that with coach Ciarrocca, he’s trusting that training under the fire, and he just needs to continue to do that. He’s got the ability for sure. He’s done a nice job not only running the ball — not only throwing the ball but running the ball and being a complete quarterback.

“So we just need to keep building on that.”

Sean Ashenfelder breaks down his Rutgers football commitment: ‘I am 100 percent locked in’

Rutgers football class of 2025 commit Sean Ashenfelder breaks down his weekend decision.

On Sunday morning, Rutgers football received a commitment from Sean Ashenfelder. The Florida quarterback is the first player committed to Rutgers from the 2025 recruiting class.

He gave his verbal while on an unofficial visit this past weekend to Rutgers. In moving to 3-0 on the season, Rutgers beat Virginia Tech 35-16.

At the time of his commitment, Ashenfelder held offers from Pittsburgh, UCF, Cincinnati, UConn, Liberty, Pittsburgh, USF, Virginia Tech and West Virginia among others. His offer from Rutgers came in early February.

He talked with Rutgers Wire about his commitment to the program and head coach Greg Schiano over the weekend.

“It felt right to make this decision. I love the culture that coach Schiano has built at Rutgers,” Ashenfelder said.

“Just seeing the atmosphere was great and seeing how passionate the fans are. I am 100 percent locked in.

“I know this is where I want to go so why wait? It just feels right.”

As a sophomore, Ashenfelder played in 11 games where he went 66-of-109 for 923 yards with nine touchdowns and three interceptions.

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This season, his first as a starter, he is 25-of-54 for 333 passing yards with four touchdowns and four interceptions. He also has 16 carries for 153 yards and four rushing touchdowns.

Part of the reason for his weekend decision was the staff in place at Rutgers. Ashenfelder said that his relationship with Schiano and offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca played a role in his commitment.

“The culture. The culture at Rutgers is different. It really is a family. And the coaching staff and the connectivity of the people there,” Ashenfelder said.

“All the coaches and players seemed connected and part of the family and I want to be a part of that.”

His communication with the staff is constant, he said.

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Saturday’s win over Virginia Tech was an opportunity for the junior to see the Rutgers offense up close and in person. He saw a unit that ran the ball effectively, controlled the line well and didn’t turn the ball over.

“I feel I fit into the offense with my athleticism and ability to make off-platform throws and stay accurate on the run,” Ashenfelder said.

“And my ability to run the football.”

Virginia Tech head coach praises Rutgers offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca: ‘Great preparation’

Virginia Tech head coach Brent Pry praises the Rutgers fooball staff.

Brent Pry has tremendous respect for the Rutgers football coaching staff. It is an opinion developed by the Virginia Tech head coach from his own experience in the coaching ranks.

In his second year at Virginia Tech (1-1), Pry faces a rebuilding job that’s not as drastic as that being undertaken by head coach Greg Schiano at Rutgers (2-0, 1-0 Big Ten). But it is still long overdue in Blacksburg and likely won’t be overnight.

Saturday’s game could be a potential statement for either rebuilding program (3:30 PM ET, Big Ten Network)

Pry knows the Rutgers coaching staff quite well, with some deep ties to several members of the coaching staff. Rutgers has had a solid start to the season, something that isn’t much of a surprise to Pry.

In particular the impact of Rutgers offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca, in his first year back with the Scarlet Knights, is something that Pry sees on tape.

Pry, who was the defensive coordinator at Penn State prior to taking the Virginia Tech job, overlapped on staff with Ciarrocca at Happy Valley.

“Just knowing Kirk Ciarrocca, very methodical. Great preparation. When I coached against him, coached with him. Being very diligent in his study. Being very good at what they do in staying on schedule. I think what you’re seeing right now out of their offense is a few things they do well that they hang their hat on,” Pry told reporters on Tuesday during his weekly press conference.

“They don’t ask too much of their quarterback. They have a good-sized front, both tackles are good-sized guys. I think they’re a good physical front, they got a back that runs hard. Tight end’s a veteran.  Their grad transfer tight end is big, he’s a veteran as well. He has a methodical approach, he’s diligent. I think there is a great preparation that Kirk puts into it. That’s what you’re seeing right now.”

A once dominant program that made bowl games an annual tradition, Virginia Tech has had four losing seasons in their last five years. That includes last year when they went 3-8 in what was Pry’s first season with the Hokies.

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Pry began his press conference on Tuesday by praising the Rutgers staff, including highlighting two offseason additions in Ciarrocca and offensive line coach Patt Flaherty.

“We got a great challenge in Rutgers. Tremendous respect for Greg Schiano. Coached against him at Penn State. Coached against Kirk Ciarrocca, coached with Kirk Ciarrocca. Tremendous respect for Pat Flaherty, their offensive line coach. Knows these guys well,” Pry said.

“They’ve always been stingy on defense. It’s no different this year, they’re a top 20 group right now.

 

 

Rutgers football: Where did Kirk Ciarrocca land among the Big Ten’s offensive coordinators?

Rutgers football Kirk Ciarrocca checks in pretty high among the Big Ten’s top offensive coordinators.

The hiring of Kirk Ciarrocca is a big deal for Rutgers football. One college football analyst slotted in Ciarrocca as one of the top offensive coordinators in the Big Ten.
Adam Breneman, who is in his first year as an analyst with the Big Ten Network, ranks Ciarrocca among the top five offensive coordinators in the conference. Ciarrocca checks in at No. 4 on Breneman’s ranking.
With Rutgers, he will have quite the task.
Last year, the Scarlet Knights were second-from-the-bottom in both total offense and scoring offense.

At 57-years old, Ciarrocca brings a wealth of experience in his return to Rutgers. Last season, he was the offensive coordinator for Minnesota. The Golden Gophers were solid offensively last year, taking a step forward from the season prior. In 2022, Minnesota was fourth in the conference with 28.2 points per game.

 

In 2021, Minnesota was sixth in the Big Ten with an average of 27.9 points per game.

Prior to his time at Minnesota, Ciarrocca was an analyst at West Virginia and he was on staff at Penn State in 2021 as their offensive coordinator.

This is a return to Rutgers for Ciarrocca, who was the offensive coordinator in 2009 and 2010 for the Scarlet Knights. In 2008, he was the wide receivers coach for Rutgers and helped develop Kenny Britt, who was a first-round pick in the 2009 NFL draft.

Breneman is a former Penn State tight end who transferred to UMass for his final season of college football.

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