Nov 28, 2015; Piscataway, NJ, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights quarterback Chris Laviano (5) calls a play during the first half of their game against the Maryland Terrapins at High Points Solutions Stadium. Photo Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports
Redshirt junior Chris Laviano was named Rutgers starting quarterback for its season opener against No. 14 Washington on Sept. 3.
First-year Scarlet Knights head coach Chris Ash announced the choice on Monday.
Laviano started 11 games last season in Kyle Flood’s final year as Rutgers coach. This year, he beat out TCU graduate transfer Zach Allen, redshirt junior Hayden Rettig and redshirt sophomore Giovanni Rescigno for the starting job.
Rettig started the first game last year after Laviano was suspended for using fake identification.
The competition for the starting job this season apparently came down to Laviano and Allen. Allen attempted just two passes while at TCU, and both came during the 2014 season. He completed both for 17 yards. Allen was moved to wide receiver by the Horned Frogs last year before graduating in the spring and committing to Rutgers in June.
Laviano completed 60.9 percent of his passes last season, with 16 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions. Rutgers finished 3-9 overall, 1-7 in the Big Ten in 2015.
“He has been the guy who has shown the most consistency throughout the first two weeks of practice and had a good understanding of our offense, and become a pretty good decision-maker with the ball, the best decision-maker in the group,” said Ash, Ohio State’s co-defensive coordinator last season. “Right now, he has earned the trust of the staff and the other players.”
Ash said that Laviano was better in fall camp than he had been in the spring.
“I think he has matured,” Ash said. “I think he has grown as a leader. I think he has done a lot to earn the trust of his teammates. I would assume he probably did not have that last year and he did not have a lot of that this spring, but through his work this summer, his determination and the way he has changed how he lives his life, he has definitely earned the trust of his coaches with the way he has performed and behaved this summer. I am excited to see what he does on game day.”
