Tag: Shaquan Loyal

Watch: Mayan Ahanotu recovers a fumble for Rutgers football

Rutgers football got a big first half play from Mayan Ahanotu.

Rutgers was able to do a solid job in the first half at Penn State, limiting the Nittany Lions and even creating a turnover. Late in the second quarter, Rutgers got a big turnover when Mayan Ahanotu fell on a forced fumble.

The play was a big one for Rutgers. The fumble by running back Nicholas Singleton came at a time when Penn State was seizing the momentum of the game.

With 4:45 left in the second quarter, defensive back [autotag]Shaquan Loyal[/autotag] stepped in and ripped the ball out of Singleton’s hands. Ahanotu recovered the football on the Rutgers 36-yard line.

For Ahanotu, it was his first fumble recovery of the season and his collegiate career.

 

Rutgers was unable to capitalize on the turnover as they went three-and-out on the ensuing possession.

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It was still a very solid first half for Rutgers football, as they went into halftime down 10-6.  Since joining the Big Ten, Rutgers has not beaten Penn State.

Check it out: Shaquan Loyal dishes out crushing hit in Rutgers win

Shaquan Loyal produced a highlight reel hit on Sunday for Rutgers football.

For Rutgers, Sunday afternoon was full of highlights. The Scarlet Knights started their season with an impressive 24-7 win, shutting out Northwestern until the game’s final drive. While the Rutgers offense was efficient, their defense was borderline dominant.

Defensive back Shaquan Loyal summed up the day with his physical approach.

In the fourth quarter, Loyal dished out one of the hardest hits of the afternoon. With Northwestern trying to convert and third and eight, Ben Bryant thought he had a man open down the sideline. Loyal had other plans as he broke up the pass with a massive hit on a Wildcats receiver, forcing Bryant’s pass to fall incomplete.

The hit was one of the many ways Loyal made an impact on Sunday afternoon. The Newark native finished tied for fourth on the team in total tackles with four. He also had one sack and two passes defended. As Northwestern struggled to get anything going offensively, Loyal was a big reason why.

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While Loyal’s hit was the talk of social media, his play on Sunday was a preview of what Rutgers can expect for the rest of the season. During the 2022 campaign, he recorded a career-high 27 total tackles as his playing time increased. If Loyal continues to produce hits as he did in the fourth quarter on Sunday, he should get plenty of opportunities to surpass his stats from last year.

 

Five things we learned as Rutgers claws its way to 3-0 with a win at Temple

Rutgers football won a scrappy (and ugly) game at Temple.

PHILADELPHIA, PA — A 16-14 win by Rutgers football is not what many projected from Saturday’s game against Temple. But this win – and yes it was ugly – moves Rutgers to 3-0.

And ahead of the start of the Big Ten schedule next week, perhaps that it is all that is needed for Rutgers football. Simply, win and get out of Philadelphia.

That’s it, plain and simple.

It was a rough and sloppy effort from Rutgers football, who started slow but somehow plowed through. A second quarter Pick-6 by Shaquan Loyal proving to be the pivotal play in a game that never really felt like the Scarlet Knights were clicking.

Five things we learned as Rutgers escapes Philadelphia with a 3-0 record.

Tennessee offers 2021 cornerback

Tennessee offers 2021 cornerback.

Jeremy Pruitt is widely regarded as a defensive backs guru, having built his career on coaching that position group during his path to being Tennessee’s head coach. Pruitt still spends plenty of time with that unit during Tennessee’s practices, and is heavily involved in its development.

Clearly, Pruitt and defensive coordinator Derrick Ansley have seen something they like in New Jersey cornerback Shaquan Loyal, as the Vols are only the fourth Division I school to offer the 2021 prospect.

The 6-foot, 175-pound junior at West Side High School only had offers from Kent State, Syracuse and Rutgers before Tennessee got on the board. Loyal still does not have a star rating on the 247Sports Composite.