Scarlet Knights need leaders to pull team together

[ThomasTomasz]

PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) -- If Rutgers needs something to get over the letdown of being upset by Maryland and slipping 11 spots in the poll to No. 21, all it has to do is look at the upcoming schedule.

The Big East Conference schedule is going to be tough for the next month.

The Scarlet Knights have No. 20 Cincinnati at home this week, Syracuse on the road the following week and then home games against No. 6 South Florida and No. 13 West Virginia.

"We have to learn from this game," cornerback Jason McCourty said after then-No. 10 Rutgers was stunned 34-24 by Maryland on Saturday. "The Big East is wide open. Every game is a hard game and you have to be prepared."

Rest of Article: http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/news?s...v=ap&type=lgns

[Whit Prowdy]

Two things need to happen in order for Rutgers to turn it around.

1) Take the ball out of Mike Teel's hands, and give it to Rice. Sure it seems like hypocrisy, now that Teel's maturing and has a few reliable recievers in Underwood, Britt, and Brown. But last week against Maryland he threw 45 times...a drastic turnaround from his prior workload (23 attempts against Buffalo, 19 against Navy, 15 against Norfolk State). When you become that one-dimensional, you're not going very far. Mess with the O-line (Anthony Davis anyone?) a little bit, create some holes, and let Rice run wild. The man hasn't lost any speed or agility...let him prove it.

2) The defense has no leader. Some can point to Eric Foster, the senior linebacker whom everyone knows for shouting in the locker room...but otherwise they've got no one. And I'm generally displeased with the defense this year...INT's are down, and Maryland exposed their rushing D. Heck, the only reason we defeated Navy was because of a few lucky end-zone INT's that capped off long, LOOOONG Navy drives.

Amazing isn't it. In 11 months we've gone from Pandemonium in Piscataway to nearly Panic in Piscataway.