What, it's too late to pick to Ralph David Abernathy IV? I swear, I was going to pick him anyway …
Limited to this weekend's games, my choice for who transforms tomorrow is Rutgers quarterback Gary Nova.
Coach Kyle Flood's Rutgers debut was a 24-12 victory at Tulane, a tight game that was broken up by a fourth-quarter pick-six. Strong rushing and defense were the hallmarks of the game, a familiar theme in Jersey. But the Scarlet Knights were unable to generate much of a passing attack, and Saturday presents the perfect opportunity for that to change.
Nova was 11 of 20 for 158 yards Saturday, with a touchdown and an interception. He is facing an FCS team in Howard, which, while can't be overlooked (everyone in the Big East should know why by now), is certainly a team that can be passed on. The Bison gave up 238 yards to Donnay Ragland last week in a one-point win over Morehouse, and let's just say that Rutgers boasts a better offense than Morehouse.
Nova had some big passing games last season, but he also had the benefit of Mohamed Sanu, an eventual third-round NFL draft pick. It's unlikely that someone can fill Sanu's shoes this season, but establishing a No. 1 threat would be a nice development for an offense that probably won't get to find out too much about itself before its Week 3 test against South Florida. And the Bulls' defense will be far less forgiving of mistakes than Howard's will be tomorrow.
Look for Nova to find Brandon Coleman early and often after the receiver's game-sealing 43-yard touchdown grab last week.
Limited to this weekend's games, my choice for who transforms tomorrow is Rutgers quarterback Gary Nova.
Coach Kyle Flood's Rutgers debut was a 24-12 victory at Tulane, a tight game that was broken up by a fourth-quarter pick-six. Strong rushing and defense were the hallmarks of the game, a familiar theme in Jersey. But the Scarlet Knights were unable to generate much of a passing attack, and Saturday presents the perfect opportunity for that to change.
Nova was 11 of 20 for 158 yards Saturday, with a touchdown and an interception. He is facing an FCS team in Howard, which, while can't be overlooked (everyone in the Big East should know why by now), is certainly a team that can be passed on. The Bison gave up 238 yards to Donnay Ragland last week in a one-point win over Morehouse, and let's just say that Rutgers boasts a better offense than Morehouse.
Nova had some big passing games last season, but he also had the benefit of Mohamed Sanu, an eventual third-round NFL draft pick. It's unlikely that someone can fill Sanu's shoes this season, but establishing a No. 1 threat would be a nice development for an offense that probably won't get to find out too much about itself before its Week 3 test against South Florida. And the Bulls' defense will be far less forgiving of mistakes than Howard's will be tomorrow.
Look for Nova to find Brandon Coleman early and often after the receiver's game-sealing 43-yard touchdown grab last week.
Matt Fortuna | email
College Football- ESPN.com Notre Dame blogger
- Joined ESPN.com in 2011
- Wrote for Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Andrea Adelson
Adelson joined ESPN.com in 2010 after spending time as a college football columnist at The Orlando Sentinel. She has covered college football since her days as a University of Florida student, and lives in Orlando, Fla.
Matt Fortuna
Fortuna joined ESPN.com in 2011 after working for MLB.com and the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, where he covered college sports. He grew up in New York and is a Penn State graduate.
You must be signed in to post a comment