Rutgers increases prep for unique Army offense

With a trip up to West Point approaching and Saturday's noon kickoff less than three days away, Kyle Flood is doing everything he can to have the Rutgers football team ready for battle against Army. 

Outside of a four-game losing streak where the Scarlet Knights (3-7, 1-6) have been outscored by an average margin of 48.7-11, the fourth-year head coach is tasked with multiple unique challenges despite the Black Knights' 2-8 overall record on the season.

To remain ready for second-year Army head coach Jeff Monken's triple-option, Flood conducted what he called a "unique" full-padded practice for Wednesday.

"It'll be the only one we do this week, but we thought it was important with the option that we're trying to get used to playing that we had a day out here where the scout team would cut us and we'd have a chance to try to simulate what we're gonna have to simulate on Saturday," Flood said. "It's very tough to do. Those first couple drives are always a learning experience, but we felt like today was a good day of work for us."

Sophomore safety Andre Hunt broke down the advantages of suiting up in full pads for the midweek mark of preparation for Army's run heavy look in the triple option.

"It's good that we do that because we get to practice out the cut blocks," Hunt said. "But it's gonna be a very physical game because these guys, Army guys, they're very tough guys. This is something they almost do as a hobby. So it's their fun. We gotta come out just as hard."

At No. 125 out of 127 Football Bowl Subdivision teams in pass offense with 78 yards per game, the Black Knights appear to give the Scarlet Knights' thinning secondary a break. 

Rutgers took a step in the right direction last week, keeping Tommy Armstrong to under 200 pass yards and racking up a season-high three interceptions despite the 31-14 loss to Nebraska. 

True freshman cornerback Blessuan Austin agreed that the Scarlet Knights' defensive backfield had positives to build off in allowing the least amount of yardage through the air since Sept. 19 when Chris Hackenberg threw for 141 yards and had a pick at Penn State. 

"I mean, definitely," he said. "But at the same time, every week is different. Every week is a new challenge. So what we're trying to do, or what we're doing now, is focusing on this week."

Flood said the focus is on Army's triple-option and a rush offense that ranks ninth in the country with 253.3 yards per game, but he doesn't believe the change in schemes necessarily brings his pass defense any time off.

"I don't think it's a break at all," Flood said. "They're gonna have to be involved in the run fits and they're gonna have to be really disciplined, because when Army does throw it, they get chunks."

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The state of the offensive line has been a focal point for Rutgers ever since it was beaten and bruised for six sacks against Nebraska. 

Even more so, the level of concern rose Monday when Flood place 4 of 5 starters in the trenches on the injury report as questionable or probable. Junior right tackle JJ Denman is the lone exception. 

Flood mentioned that, as of Wednesday, junior right guard Chris Muller (probable, lower body) was taking the bulk of the snaps at center with junior Derrick Nelson (upper body) still questionable.

Anticipating the potential switch — not to mention the statuses of sophomore left guard Dorian Miller (questionable, upper body) and senior left tackle Keith Lumpkin (probable, upper body) — Flood noted the activity of his redshirt freshmen in Marcus Applefield, Tariq Cole and Zach Heeman working in at the guard position.

"I think they're working hard. We've got confidence in (Applefield, Cole and Heeman). We've got a lot invested in them this year and then we're trying to make sure we put them in good situations going into this week," he said. "The one thing about playing young guys — it certainly raises the urgency level in practice when they know they're gonna be out there the first snap."

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