Opponent View/Scouting Rutgers

Purdue has lost five in a row. Rutgers has dropped four in a row. The good news? One of these squads will end its losing streak.

The Boilermakers (2-5 overall; 0-4 Big Ten) are coming off a head-scatching 19-0 loss at Northwestern in which it looked non-competitive and uninterested. The Scarlet Knights (3-4; 0-4) were smothered at home by Oregon, 56-10.

Although Rutgers joined the Big Ten in 2014, this will mark just the third meeting between the programs. Rutgers won the only two encounters. Purdue out gained Rutgers, 474-217, in New Brunswick in 2017, but it couldn’t take advantage of scoring opportunities and lost, 14-12. RU took a 37-30 win in West Lafayette during the 2020 Covid season behind the running and throwing of QB Johnny Langan.

GoldandBlack.com talked to the voice of Rutgers, Chris Carlin, to learn more about the Scarlet Knights who come to West Lafayette for a noon ET tilt on BTN.

GoldandBlack.com: What should we know about the Rutgers’ offense?

Carlin: The Rutgers’ offense has been pretty productive this season, with the exception of this past week against just an exceptional Oregon defense. Rutgers has been more of a pass-to-set-up-the-run-type of team. QB Athan Kaliakmanis has been very effective, this week notwithstanding. If you look at his line this week versus every other week, he has been incredibly productive. Over the last 12 games going into this past week, he had thrown for over 3,000 yards and 19 touchdowns with four interceptions. So, he had been really, really good. He has really matured into a very good, solid quarterback, somebody who addressed his mechanics, got much better, and is just the unquestioned leader of this team.

You’ve got guys on offense who are very good receivers in Ian Strong, KJ Duff and DT Sheffield. And that has kind of opened it up a little bit more for the run game. Last year, it was certainly run-to-set-up-the-pass with Kyle Monangai. Now, Antwan Raymond has stepped into that role, and he has run the football pretty effectively.

So, offensively, putting up numbers has not been an issue for most of the season. They have been very good on third downs for most of the season, too. It’s just continuing to be consistent, especially up front. They had some injuries at tackle that hasve settled down a little bit. But, for the most part, they have been a very effective offensive team.

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GoldandBlack.com: What should we expect from the Scarlet Knights’ defense?

Carlin: They have struggled defensively this year. They just have probably not communicated as well as they needed to, and I think that’s something that they’ve been working toward. It’s also a younger group, especially in the secondary. They’ve got a lot of younger players who haven’t played as much.

Al-Shadee Salaam is converted (from running back) to corner. He made the move about a year and a half ago, and he’s he’s been good, but he’s still learning the position and getting better and better at the position. The safeties, Kaj Sanders and Jett Elad, have been pretty effective. But it’s just more of playing together and getting those younger guys who haven’t had a chance to play and a few other transfers that they just haven’t played together yet to kind of gel and solidify.

I have a lot of confidence that in the second half of the year, they’re going to be playing much more solid defense, just from a standpoint of getting the message across of what you’re supposed to do on every down. Maybe you have to try to simplify things. I don’t know exactly what they’re going to do, but one thing that Greg Schiano has always been good at is identifying the problems and fixing them as you go along and kind of making adjustments as the season goes.

GoldandBlack.com: How do you see this game unfolding?

Carlin: It’s hard to say, because you do have two teams that are so hungry to get a win. Certainly, that’s part of it. If Rutgers can get back to being more consistent offensively and throwing the football and you’re better in every aspect of just playing sound good defense, you’ll be in a decent position to win this game.

Rutgers was right there in losses to Iowa (38-28) and Minnesota (31-28), unlike the previous two against Washington (38-19) and Oregon (56-10). I think for Rutgers it’s more about being as fundamentally sound as possible. And I know that’s a boring thing, but when you have mistakes, it even can drive the point home more about how important that is.

MORE: First look: Rutgers | First and 10: Rutgers at Purdue | Barry Odom: Purdue QB Ryan Browne ‘doubtful’ for Rutgers game | Barry Odom vows to keep fighting, swinging as Purdue seeks to halt skid | The 3-2-1: Purdue searches for elusive win amid uncertainty at QB