tyreem powell

Previously: Rutgers Offense

We're back for the defense half of FFFF, focusing on the side of the ball that our opponents for this weekend specialize in. Rutgers has started the season 3-0 largely on the back of its offense so it's time to ask: how scared should we be of Sir Henry's finest defenders this weekend? 

The Film: We're going with Virginia Tech again for reasons previously stated in the offense piece, recency and the likelihood that the Hokies are indeed better than Northwestern and Temple (not assured, but likely). 

Personnel: Don't get mad, Seth is testing the powers of the Michigan Cyan Circle Positive Jinx [click for big]: 

Rutgers' EDGEs are familiar to those who read this column last season, or Michigan recruiting news dating back four years. Old Friend Aaron Lewis is still around, his chops against the run still up for debate (they seemed fine in the game I charted) but his overall importance to this Rutgers defense is not. The one-time Michigan commit is currently off to a blazing start to the season, PFF's 3rd-highest graded EDGE player to play at least 50% of his team's snaps. He gets the star for it. 

The other EDGE is still Wesley Bailey, the one who gets to drop into coverage from time to time. He's fine, but not the impact piece of Lewis. Bailey is the spot on the line that rotates out more frequently, where you can see the likes of Kenny Fletcher and Jordan Thompson get involved. Sometimes you'll see Rutgers go 3-3-5 with their passrushing SLB coming on in Bailey's place, who I'll get to in a moment. 

DT in my estimation is still the biggest weakness on the Rutgers defense. Mayan Ahanotu is starting after being in the rotation a year ago, while Isaiah Iton, a journeyman transfer joins him in the lineup. Both of these players were liable to being shoved around, Iton especially, earning the diagram's lone starter cyan circle. As most teams do, Rutgers rotates their tackles pretty heavily, Rene Konga, Kyonte Hamilton, and Troy Rainey all in the mix and all of them unspectacular. There is no Dude at this position. 

There is at LB though, MLB Tyreem Powell. A real good player, Powell earns the Dangerman designation this week and is the 12th-highest graded ILB in PFF's grading among players at the position to play at least 50% of his team's snaps. WLB Deion Jennings isn't as good but is still a solid starter and then their third LB is the aforementioned SAM, Mohamed Toure. Though Toure's main skill is his pass-rush ability, he is plenty capable of performing ILB duties and did so in the place of one of the MIKE/WILL starters in the VT game from time to time. 

Rutgers typically goes with five DBs, though sometimes they're in a 4-3 with the SLB out there. The nickel who gets lifted when they shift is Desmond Igbinosun, who seemed decent to me. Like a lot of team's nickels, he has responsibility in the blitzing department. The outside corners are longtime Scarlet Knight Max Melton and Robert Longerbeam, both of whom are familiar with the program and these roles. They are decent B1G starters but showed vulnerability to vertical passing in the VT game. At safety, Minnesota transfer Flip Dixon has had a tremendous start to the season and just missed star status. Shaquan Loyal starts as a ho-hum safety next to him. Eric Rogers is the first corner off the bench, Joe Lusardi the first safety. 

[AFTER THE JUMP: clips]