Knights’ template reveals cloudy?WR?picture

With two capable running backs and a quarterback with six career starts, the Rutgers football team could rely on its ground game for the early part of the season.

The Scarlet Knights ran the ball 35 times Saturday against Tulane, while sophomore Gary Nova threw only 20 passes. Two of those designed pass plays turned into Nova scrambles.

The question, then, remains where the Knights’ bevy of receivers fit in.

“It might give or take,” said sophomore wide receiver Brandon Coleman. “It might flip one game here, one game there. I don’t see that as a bad ratio. If we’re running the ball extremely well, then we’re going to run the ball.”

Senior wideout Tim Wright led the Knights with only three receptions. Coleman and sophomore running back Jawan Jamison tied for the most receiving yards with 41.

Part of it has to do with the Knights’ high-percentage passes — a combination of screens, wheel-outs and check-downs likely designed to ease Nova’s progression.

But it could point to an increased reliability on the run game. Former head coach Greg Schiano primarily employed a run-first attitude with his offensive coordinators in Piscataway.

But for the first time recent memory, the Knights have a pair of backs equipped to do so.

Still, the number of wideouts employed — a familiar task — remains to be seen.

“Since I’ve been at Rutgers, there’s always been a big package of guys that have been rotating,” Wright said yesterday. “It’s regular for us, it’s normal for us to do that.”

Head coach Kyle Flood said the receiver rotation changes week to week based on Rutgers’ opponent. With at least six players vying for time, it could involve creativity.

Junior Jeremy Deering and sophomore Miles Shuler appear on special teams return units. Deering could still appear in a hybrid receiver-safety role, as well.

“I think everybody on offense has a role, according to whatever defense we’re seeing and what the gameplan is,” Flood said. “We don’t ever send out a pass play other than a goal line fade where the play is designed to throw to one guy.”

Whatever the plan, the Knights’ 10 first-half points Saturday likely will not sit well with anyone if it continues.

“You know that’s not acceptable to start slow,” said Coleman, who scored in the fourth quarter at Tulane. “If we want to be the explosive offense that we say we want to be, we have to prove it by our actions.”

Flood said he has no immediate plans for distributing playing time Saturday against Howard should the game get out of hand.

Thirteen Knights contributed on offense a year ago in a season-opening 48-0 win against Norfolk State.

“If the game presents itself like that, then you have the opportunity to do it,” Flood said. “We don’t think in those terms as a coaching staff. We’re going to go out there on the first play and fire all the bullets in the gun, so to speak, and see how well we can play.”

Rutgers faces South Florida five days later in Tampa.

The Bulls, meanwhile, take on Nevada on the road Saturday before returning home for the short week.

“Anything above and beyond [playing well], I don’t think about,” Flood said. “If opportunities present themselves during the game, then I think that’s a positive.”

Senior defensive end Marvin Booker remains out with a bone bruise, Flood said. He could return after the Knights’ Sept. 29 bye before a matchup Oct. 6 against Connecticut.

The Piscataway,  N.J., native injured his lower body against Tulane, where he recorded one tackle in the 24-12 win.

Booker appeared in only four games last season because of a knee injury in the team’s season opener. He saw action in only two contests in 2010 and only one in 2009 because of injury.

Senior punter Justin Doerner drew praise from Flood for his three punts inside the 20-yard line against Tulane. His five punts are the most in the Big East after only one game.

“We have high expectations for him,” Flood said. “He was an all-league punter for us last year. A big reason why he was an all-league punter was his ability to stop the ball inside the opponent’s 20. It’s something he has a good knack for, and hopefully he can continue to do that.”