Coming off the first winning season of head coach Greg Schiano's second tenure at Rutgers – and the team's first winning season since 2014 – the Scarlet Knights have no plans to back down in 2024. With last season's Big Ten Conference rushing champion in Kyle Monangai and a roster with plenty of experience on both offense and defense, the Scarlet Knights are poised to prove their days of being a punching bag are long gone.
Let’s take a closer look at the 2024 Rutgers Scarlet Knights.
Basics
Game info: For the first time since 2013, Rutgers will not play Michigan this season.
2023 Record: 7-6 (3-6)
Projected wins in 2024: 6 (DraftKings Sportsbook)
Roster Changes
key NFL Draft loss: CB Max Melton (Arizona Cardinals)
UDFA Contracts: WR JaQue Jackson (Atlanta Falcons), WR Isaiah Washington (Baltimore Ravens), TE Shane Bowman (Jacksonville Jaguars), OL Ireland Brown (Miami Dolphins), DT Isaiah Itton (Tennessee Titans), LB Deion Jennings (Baltimore Ravens), K Jude McAtamney (New York Giants)
Key returning players: RB Kyle Monangai, LT Hollin Pierce, CB Robert Longerbeam
Key hires in 2024: WR Antonio White, RB Gabriel Winowich, LB Sam Robinson
Major transfer portal additions: QB Ahsan Kaliakmanis (Minnesota), DT Malcolm Ray (Florida State), T Dimere Miller (Monmouth)
Major transfer portal deductions: QB Gavin Wimsatt (Kentucky), DL Rene Konga (Louisville), RB Aaron Young (Old Dominion)
For a complete list of transfer portal additions and subtractions, click here.
Program Status
Despite Gavin Wimsatt's below-average play at quarterback, Rutgers finished last season as the Big Ten's most offensively improved team (by total offense) under first-year coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca. With Wimsatt gone and Ciarrocca back, the Scarlet Knights should be even better offensively.
Ciarrocca's power running scheme unlocked Kyle Monangai last season, and with Monangai and four returning offensive linemen, the tailback should be even more effective this year. With three talented receivers on the outside, the ceiling for this offense will again rest on the quarterback.
Minnesota transfer Ahsan “The Greek Rifle” Kaliakmanis will replace Wimsatt, but he'll only be average enough to help this offense improve. If Rifle can take the occasional play-action shot and protect the ball, this offense could resemble a poorer version of the 2021 Michigan offense.
Defensively, the unit exceeded expectations last season, ranking 33rd in points defense and 16th in total defense. The defense lost leading tackler Dion Jennings and talented cornerback Max Melton, but returns key playmakers at all levels that should help maintain the standard set in 2023.
On the defensive line, both starting edges (Wesley Bailey and Aaron Lewis) return, and the front office will add former Florida State Seminole Malcolm Ray to help fill the absence of Isaiah Ayton.
At linebacker, they're missing Jennings but will have back the prolific Mohamed Toure, who was second on the team in tackles (two behind Jennings) and led the team in tackles for loss (9.5) and sacks (4.5).
In the secondary, cornerback Robert Longerbeam proved to be a star player last season, blocking 10 passes, and the team returns three safeties who finished third, fourth and fifth on the team in total tackles last year.
The Big Ten is boosted by the additions of Oregon, Washington, USC and UCLA, but despite the crowded conference, Rutgers may have the easiest schedule of anyone, as the Scarlet Knights avoid playing Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon and Penn State, the top four teams in the Big Ten in the preseason.
Of course, there are still some tough games remaining (at USC and a home game against Washington), but this is Rutgers' easiest schedule since joining the Big Ten in 2014. If the Greek riflers can deliver at the quarterback position, the Scarlet Knights could be one of the Big Ten's favorites. At the very least, this is physically A team that no one enjoys playing on.
