Rutgers Football: Previewing Army Matchup, Black Knights No Pushover

Rutgers is coming off a clutch 27-24 win against divisional foe UConn, largely due to the stellar play of true freshman quarterback Chas Dodd.

Without going too in depth, Dodd was fantastic.  He went 18-of-29 for 322 yards and two touchdowns, with no turnovers.

He also made fans remember that Mohamed Sanu is not the only receiver on the team, as both Mark Harrison and Jeremy Deering had over 100 yards.

The UConn secondary sold out on covering Sanu, holding him to just two catches for 11 yards, so Dodd took advantage of the receivers they left open.

Furthermore, those worried about Dodd’s lack of size (6’0", 197 pounds) can put those qualms to rest.

Dodd was sacked seven times by UConn, and yet he still did not hesitate to scramble for yardage or move outside the pocket to make a throw.  He also did not lose a fumble despite all the punishment he was taking.

Wasn't there a Bleacher Report columnist clamoring for Dodd to start for a couple of weeks prior to this…who was that again?

Anyway, this matchup has trap game written all over it for the Scarlet Knights.  Heading into the season, few could have expected much out of this Army squad, but they head into this game with a solid 4-2 record. 

Not to mention that Army is coming off a 41-23 spanking of Tulane, the same squad that pulled off a huge 17-14 upset against Rutgers at the Scarlet Knights' Homecoming.

Quarterback Trent Steelman has not been too flashy throwing the ball this year, going 29-for-52 for 388 yards and four touchdowns.  However, he also is yet to throw an interception, so he has been efficient for the Black Knights.  

Nevertheless, the passing attack is not what really concerns Rutgers in this one.  It is the Army rushing attack that has been so dangerous. 

Steelman has almost matched his yardage through the air with his yardage on the ground, with 355 rushing yards so far in 2010.  He has found a nose for the end zone after tucking the ball and running, with seven touchdowns on the season.

Army is ninth in the nation with a whopping 274.3 rushing yards per game, with four players on their roster with at least 200 rushing yards.

While their starting running back Jared Hassin has been very good with 393 yards and six touchdowns on the season, it is Steelman who has been giving defensive coordinators the most intense headaches. 

RU also needs to watch out for running backs Patrick Mealy, Brian Cobbs and Malcolm Brown as well, who should combine for at least 10-to-12 carries in this one. 

This is a classic example of when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object, as this Rutgers defense is ranked ninth in the nation, allowing just 14.4 points per game to opponents.

Whichever team lives up to their billing should win this game decisively. 

Expect Rutgers to bring the blitz, stack the box and put a spy on the quarterback regularly, challenging Army to beat them through the air.

RU will probably rely quite a bit on defensive end Alex Silvestro to do the heavy lifting up front.

This would be a tall order for the Black Knights, as they rank just 120th in the nation passing the ball and their leading receiver, Austin Barr, has just nine catches for 137 yards and two touchdowns on the season.

Additionally, cornerback Brandon Bing and strong safety Joe Lefeged continue to play at a high level for RU, so Steelman would really have his work cut out for him in this scenario.

This is not to say that Army is going to get blown out here, as RU looked a little soft against the run in Week 5 with UConn’s workhorse Jordan Todman finding some holes, proving this defensive line is not impenetrable. 

Special teams could be the deciding factor at the Meadowlands.  Will this be the Rutgers unit that blocks two punts, or the one that lets up a 105-yard kick return touchdown?

This is another must-win scenario for RU, as it cannot afford more than another loss, maybe two, on the season to keep its Big East conference title dreams alive.

Therefore, a loss to Army could easily signal curtains for a RU squad that still has to go through the likes of Syracuse, Cincinnati, and West Virginia.

This will be a big motivational tool for Rutgers heading into this matchup.

Regardless of the outcome, expect a fun and exciting game at the Meadowlands on Saturday at 2 p.m.