Posted by ESPN.com's Brian Bennett

	Jim O'Connor/US Presswire
	Quarterback Tom Savage has taken control at Rutgers faster than many anticipated.

Most people figured that Tom Savage would be the quarterback of the future for Rutgers. They probably didn't think the future would come so soon.

But the true freshman took over control of the team in the second half of the opener against Cincinnati and has been the starter ever since, except for missing the Maryland game with a concussion. Savage will get his first Big East start on Friday against Pitt, and he talked about that game and other things in our weekly Friday Q&A:

You guys have won four in a row since that opening loss, though admittedly not against very strong competition. Do those wins, though, give you a confidence boost?

Tom Savage: I think it does, and it gives us a lot more experience all over the place. We're a lot more comfortable, so we're looking forward to it and we can't wait to go out there and play against Pitt.

It's your first conference start. What's going through your mind about that?

TS: I'm really looking forward to it. It's going to be a rush out there on Friday night on ESPN and everything. I'm looking forward to it, but it's just a football game and you've still got to go out there and go through your progressions and make your throws.

How important was it for you to play last week against Texas Southern after missing the previous week with your concussion?

TS: It was important just to get my confidence back up because I hadn't played in two weeks. I mean I'm not really full of experience anyway, so every game I can get under my belt is definitely a benefit for me. I think it was a huge help for me last week.

You had a moment where you scrambled and lowered your shoulder into the defender instead of sliding. Did you hear from coach Greg Schiano about that one?

TS: Yeah, I heard it from everybody that I needed to slide. I definitely need to work on that. I wanted to get the extra yards, so I guess I put my shoulder down and went for it.

Is that just how you've always played?

TS: Yeah, and I definitely need to play a little smarter, because these guys are bigger, faster and stronger than most high school guys. So I just need to get out of my old habits.

What was it like going through that concussion against Florida International? Head injuries can be scary. Were you nervous?

TS: When I first got hurt, I was more surprised than anything, because I've never had that feeling before in my life, so I got a little nervous. But I realized it's just football and you're going to take some hits once in a while, especially at quarterback so you've just got to get back up and keep playing.

Did you expect to be starting as soon as the second game of your career?

TS: When I came in here, I just wanted to compete, and that's what I did. It was basically up to the coaches and so I just competed and whatever they said went.

You drove up from high school to attend most of spring practice. How much did that help in getting ahead of the curve?

TS: From the football standpoint, it helped me just getting all the plays down and everything. From the chemistry standpoint, it helped building the whole family relationship with the rest of the team. So when I came in here, I didn't get thrown in cold turkey. I knew everyone and I knew a lot of the coaches and I felt more comfortable and I actually knew how the practices went. So I think it was a huge help for me.

You haven't thrown an interception yet, which is remarkable for a young quarterback. How much of an emphasis is that for you?

TS: Especially as a young quarterback and with all the talent we have, your number one job is just not to lose the game. We have all the talent in the world, so you just go through your progressions, don't force anything and prevent any turnovers you possibly can.

Despite the disappointing opener, do you feel like this team can still get back into the Big East race?

TS: Yeah, absolutely. With the leadership we have, we've turned it around. And this game will be a huge measuring stick to see where we're at, and I think we're looking forward to it. Everything is a one-game season around here. We're focusing on Pitt and not looking forward to anything else.

How much better are you now than when you first got thrown into the Cincinnati game?

TS: I think I took some pretty big strides, but I definitely have a lot to work on. You can always get better and always watch a lot more film. I just have to stay focused and keep working, and that's what I'm going to do.