Rutgers Scarlet Knights Offensive Players To Watch vs. Ohio State
The second-worst offense the Ohio State Buckeyes will face next season — ahead of Division III Youngstown State's — belongs to the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.
Rutgers' total and scoring defense were 38th and 95th, respectively, in the Football Bowl Subdivision, which both blew its offensive numbers out of the water.
The Scarlet Knights offense only scored 30 points once — a 66-7 thrashing of Wagner — and was shut out twice. Their 17.4 points per game was 124th and 282.1 yards per contest was 127th last season.
Head coach Greg Schiano didn't make too many upgrades on the offense either, rolling with a majority of the starters from a season ago.
QB Gavin Wimsatt
Quarterback Gavin Wimsatt was limited to just seven games last season dealing with a leg injury, but he has come back and been named the Scarlet Knights' 2023 starter.
In limited action, he completed 44.8 percent of his passes for 757 yards and five touchdowns. However, he threw seven interceptions to boot — a common theme for Rutgers' quarterbacks combined for 11 touchdowns to 14 picks.
The 6-3, 225-pound gunslinger can also get it done on the ground, rushing 40 times in 2022.
Quarterback play for Rutgers last season was abysmal against Ohio State as Evan Simon completed 10 of 19 for 74 yards, a touchdown and an interception.
WR Naseim Brantley
The Scarlet Knights will severely miss wide receiver Aron Cruikshank's Swiss Army knife services next season.
However, Schiano and Co. dipped into the transfer portal to get Wimsatt some weapons, starting with wide receiver Naseim Brantley.
At Western Illinois in 2022, Brantley caught 53 passes for 893 yards and nine touchdowns, including a six-catch, 171-yard, three-score performance in last year's season-opener against UT Martin.
Brantley stands 6-4 and weighs 200 pounds, presenting a matchup issue in one-on-one, 50-50 ball situations.
TE Johnny Langan
Tight end Johnny Langan, oddly enough, had the highest efficiency of any Scarlet Knights to throw a pass last season and by a wide margin, too.
However, on three pass attempts, Langan completed two for 43 yards and a touchdown, but that's not what he gets paid to do.
Like Cruikshank, Langan double-dipped between the passing and ground game. He caught 31 passes for 296 yards and a touchdown, while adding in 139 yards and a score on 31 rushing attempts.
It is most likely with Rutgers' lack of weapons that defensive coordinator Jim Knowles might use a safety in coverage on Langan.
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