Photo: NSU celebrating win over VSU.Scarlet Knights remember loss to I-AA New Hampshire
By KEITH SARGEANT, Courier News
PISCATAWAY -- If Greg Schiano is looking to warn his players not to letdown against Norfolk State this week, he won't use Appalachian State as proof that teams from the former Division I-AA ranks can upset major-league competition.
There's no need. The Rutgers University football coach has his own experience to draw back on, and it's right there in the memory banks of his veteran players as well.
"What was New Hampshire, three years ago?'' defensive tackle Eric Foster asked, not knowing exactly when the 35-24 setback to New Hampshire happened but remembering the details nonetheless.
"It's happened here before,'' the fifth-year senior added. "I was here for that. It was a tough loss. It didn't feel good at all, so I can imagine how those guys at Michigan feel.''
It's a feeling that Foster certainly doesn't want to experience again. That's why Rutgers' captain isn't shying away from reminding teammates of the New Hampshire defeat, even though it happened in the days when Rutgers wasn't far from Division I-AA caliber.
It's different now, of course, and Mike Teel believes one reason why is because the team's mind-set has changed.
"The biggest thing that's changed in this program is how we're competing against ourselves,'' Rutgers' quarterback said. "It doesn't matter if it's Norfolk State, if it's Louisville or if it's Maryland. We're playing our football team and we're trying to be the best that we can be.''
In Foster's mind, the Scarlet Knights are facing a Top 25 opponent this Saturday, one that hasn't lived up to its No.‚13 ranking despite decisively winning the past two weeks.
"It's Rutgers vs. Rutgers,'' he said. "We didn't play Buffalo, we didn't play Navy. We competed against ourselves. The ball is in our hands. We control our own fate. And we're not going to let overconfidence get in the way of Norfolk State because they're a I-AA team. We're competing against ourselves and we evaluate ourselves based on how we compete.''
Mistakes were evident in the form of a Big East-high 20 penalties through two games, several missed defensive assignments and a couple dropped passes for touchdowns, Schiano said.
"We haven't played to the level that we expect of ourselves,'' he offered. "So that's the challenge, but I don't think it's because we're playing a Division I-AA opponent. I think if we play our best, we can have the chance to beat any team in the country.
"The problem,'' he added, "is we haven't played our best, yet. Our task at hand is to play the best that we can be and see where that puts us.''
While he acknowleged a game plan exists for Norfolk State, one that includes tendencies of what the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference foe does well and what Rutgers will try to exploit, linebacker Brandon Renkart said it's how the Scarlet Knights compete that will determine their Homecoming success.
"It really doesn't matter what league a team is from because any team on any given day can win,'' Renkart said. "I mean, on paper everyone says, 'Yeah, they should blow them out,' but if you have an off day, anything can happen. We're really in competition with ourselves.''
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