We've reached the final day of Big Ten report card week. Conference teams have been receiving their marks for their 2014 season performance, along with individual grades for offense, defense, special teams and coaching.
Let's turn now to the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.
Offense:B-minus
The offense carried this team at times, like in the opening shootout win at Washington State and the huge rally to beat Maryland in the season finale. New offensive coordinator Ralph Friedgen coaxed mostly positive attributes out of senior quarterback Gary Nova, who threw 22 touchdowns and just 12 interceptions. Receiver Leonte Carroo was one of the best in the league at his position and had a 1,000-yard season. The Scarlet Knights overcame several injuries at the running back spot. The offense did struggle, however, against the best competition on the schedule. Rutgers managed just 20 points total vs. Ohio State, Wisconsin and Michigan State in blowout losses.
Defense: D-plus
The numbers weren't pretty, as Rutgers finished 13th in the Big Ten in total defense and allowed more than 30 points per game. But put that in perspective, as the defense faced some of the top offenses in the league in Ohio State, Michigan State and Wisconsin, not to mention pass-crazy Washington State. Still, the secondary was again a weak spot, and the defensive front had trouble stopping the bigger offensive lines in the conference -- only Illinois allowed more rushing yards per game in the Big Ten than the Scarlet Knights, who gave up 212.3. It's no wonder Kyle Flood has made adding some size a priority.
Special teams: B-minus
Rutgers wasn't very good on punts or kickoff coverage (ranking 11th in the league in both categories). But Janarion Grant was one of the better Big Ten return men, and kicker Kyle Federico was a solid 16-of-21 on his field goal tries. The team also had six blocked kicks, tied for the most in the nation. The most memorable one, of course, came in the win against Michigan.
Coaching: B-plus
Flood was presumed to be on the hot seat entering the season but earned a contract extension early on and did a really nice job maximizing his talent. Despite some injuries and obvious personnel disadvantages versus the league bullies, Rutgers won eight games including a bowl. Friedgen was an excellent addition to the staff, as expected.
Overall: B-plus
Many preseason prognosticators pegged the Scarlet Knights for only three or four wins and forecast major trouble in Big Ten play. Sure, Rutgers was mightily outclassed against the cream of the conference crop -- Ohio State, Wisconsin, Michigan State and Nebraska walloped Flood's team by a combined score of 180-44 -- but hardly anybody thought the Scarlet Knights would find success in that schedule gauntlet, anyway. Remarkably, though, they went 8-1 in their other games and came within one late Penn State rally of sweeping all of them. An eight-win debut season in the Big Ten was a terrific showing and made Rutgers one of the top overachievers in the country.