Redshirt freshman running back Al-Shadee Salaam saw his first collegiate action in Rutgers’ victory over Boston College on Saturday and he made his time count.
Prior to the game, starting running back Aaron Young was ruled out for the contest, which opened the door for younger backs like Salaam to see more field time.
With the Scarlet Knights down late in the fourth quarter and pinned at their own four-yard line, they chopped the Golden Eagles defense with run after run. Salaam capped off a 12-play, 96-yard drive of all runs with an electric 22-yard run for a touchdown with just 2:43 left to play in the game to tie the game for the first time since the score was 0-0. Rutgers hit the PAT to take their first lead of the game, 22-21, and the score would remain as such when the clock ran out.
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RUTGERS IS IN THE LEAD🪓🪓 pic.twitter.com/RSAq4SlJ2G
— TP Poll (@TPTop25) September 3, 2022
Salaam bounced to the outside once with good spacing and bounced outside one more time following a key block from wide receiver Shameen Jones downfield. Salaam finished second on the team in rushing with 53 yards on five carries. That’s an average of 10.6 yards per carry on a day where the rushing game dominated to the tune of 212 total yards.
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With Salaam showing some explosiveness and Young’s status uncertain, don’t be surprised to see him get more and more action in the coming weeks.
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