Ash preaching patience for rebuilding Knights
Where does Rutgers go from here?
Well, for starters, to College Park, Maryland, where they are 23-point underdogs against the Terrapins this Saturday.
After an opening win over Texas State, Chris Ash’s team has dropped five in a row by a combined 211-64.
Last week, at home against an OK team, the Knights lost, to Illinois, 38-17.
What happens now?
“I’ve been asked this several times … ‘Where does the program go from here?” … and it is year three of a rebuild,” Ash told his regular Monday media gathering. “We’re 1-5 and it’s not where we want to be. It’s not where we’re going to be. But there was a lot of work that needs to be done — a lot.
“We’ve done a lot of work, and there continues to be a lot of work to build the program to the level that we want it to be. We were hoping we would be further along than we are right now after six games, but we’re not, and that’s where we’re at.”
The numbers are downright ugly, with Rutgers ranking down near the bottom in so many stat categories — like No. 125 (of 130) in total offense and 104th in defense. They are 105th in rushing, 113th in passing, 117th in rush defense, 109th in scoring defense 128th in scoring offense.
On and on it goes.
“A lot of people think that when you’re 1-5, the sky is falling,” Ash said. “I know on the outside when people are not here every single day, that’s the perception and that’s the thought. But that’s not reality.
“This is a group of outstanding young men that work extremely hard, and they really want to represent this football team, themselves and this university in a first-class manner. We’re building up the roster, trying to get it deeper and there are some things that we have to overcome as we do that.”
The Terps are 3-2 (1-1 in the conference) under interim coach Matt Canada but are offensively challenged — 100th in the country in total offense and 123rd in passing. Maryland lost 42-21 at home to No. 12 Michigan last week and both losses have come at home.
Rutgers freshman quarterback Artur Sitkowski threw for 267 yards and a touchdown in the loss to the Illini but was also picked off three times, twice in the first half with the game still alive.
“We didn’t win the game. Not good,” he said. “Any time you throw three interceptions and you don’t give your team the opportunity to win, it’s not good. I didn’t do my part as far as starting fast like coach has been preaching all week, so that’s on me. The first play was a pick I threw right at the guy. I have to throw the ball right out in front.
“We didn’t win. So we have to get better from here.”