GAME BREAKDOWN
KEY MATCHUP: It still comes down, to a degree, Rutgers against itself. Sure, RU plays teams that are on a much-higher level than the Scarlet Knights, but neither Indiana nor Illinois fits into that category. Mental mistakes and penalties were at the core of the 24-17 loss to Indiana and coach Chris Ash notes that has to improve against Illinois this week.
DRAFT SLANT
–LB Trevor Morris has shaken off a dislocated elbow suffered in camp and is off to a strong start for what would be a third straight 100-tackle season. Last season, his 118 tackles were second in the Big Ten. He had 11 tackles against Buffalo, his 12th career double-digit tackling game, and eight last week. He is tied for 65th in the nation with 8.4 tackles per game, under the 9.8 he registered last year.
ROSTER REPORT:
–WR Shameen Jones scored his first college touchdown and had a season-high three catches in the loss to Indiana.
–K Justin Davidovicz kicked a 52-yard field goal last week, tied for the fourth-longest in RU history. His 4-for-4 field start is the first perfect start at Rutgers since Ryan Sands opened the 2001 season by going 6-for-6.
–CB Damon Hayes had 10 tackles and his fourth career interception — second in as many weeks, last week.
–LB Deonte Roberts and DL Kevin Williams led Rutgers with 13 tackles apiece against Indiana.
–OL Zack Heeman has been named a semifinalist for the 2018 William V. Campbell Trophy, the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame announced Wednesday. The award recognizes an individual as the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation.
