American college football season
The 2017 Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team represented Rutgers University during the 2017 NCAA Division I FBS football season . The Scarlet Knights played their home games at High Point Solutions Stadium in Piscataway, New Jersey and competed as members of the East Division of the Big Ten Conference . They were led by second-year head coach Chris Ash . They finished the season 4–8, 3–6 in Big Ten play to finish in fifth place in the East Division.
Recruiting
Position key
Recruits
The Scarlet Knights signed a total of 26 recruits.
US college sports recruiting information for 2017 recruits
Name
Hometown
High school / college
Height
Weight
Commit date
Naijee Jones CB
Sicklerville, New Jersey
Timber Creek HS
6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
185 lb (84 kg)
Nov 23, 2015
Recruiting star ratings :Scout :Rivals :247Sports :ESPN :
Bo Melton WR
Egg Harbor City, New Jersey
Cedar Creek HS
6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
185 lb (84 kg)
Apr 15, 2016
Recruiting star ratings :Scout :Rivals :247Sports :ESPN :
Micah Clark OT
Holmdel, New Jersey
St. John Vianney HS
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
265 lb (120 kg)
Apr 19, 2016
Recruiting star ratings :Scout :Rivals :247Sports :ESPN :
Jamaal Beaty OG
Holmdel, New Jersey
St. John Vianney HS
6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
185 lb (84 kg)
Apr 19, 2016
Recruiting star ratings :Scout :Rivals :247Sports :ESPN :
Everett Wormley WR
Burlington Township, New Jersey
Burlington Township HS
6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
175 lb (79 kg)
Apr 22, 2016
Recruiting star ratings :Scout :Rivals :247Sports :ESPN :
Jonathan Lewis QB
Jersey City, New Jersey
St. Peter's Prep
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
210 lb (95 kg)
Apr 30, 2016
Recruiting star ratings :Scout :Rivals :247Sports :ESPN :
Tim Barrow CB
Staten Island, New York
Tottenville HS
5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
188 lb (85 kg)
May 5, 2016
Recruiting star ratings :Scout :Rivals :247Sports :ESPN :
Samuel Vrteman OT
Cheshire, Connecticut
Cheshire Academy
6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
295 lb (134 kg)
May 16, 2016
Recruiting star ratings :Scout :Rivals :247Sports :ESPN :
Edwin Lopez S
Camden, New Jersey
Woodrow Wilson HS
6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
185 lb (84 kg)
Jun 1, 2016
Recruiting star ratings :Scout :Rivals :247Sports :ESPN :
Owen Bowles OG
Egg Harbor City, New Jersey
Cedar Creek HS
6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
285 lb (129 kg)
Jun 12, 2016
Recruiting star ratings :Scout :Rivals :247Sports :ESPN :
C.J. Onyechi LB
West Orange, New Jersey
West Orange HS
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
220 lb (100 kg)
Jun 16, 2016
Recruiting star ratings :Scout :Rivals :247Sports :ESPN : N/A
Tyler Hayek S
Wayne, New Jersey
Wayne Hills HS
6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
185 lb (84 kg)
Jun 25, 2016
Recruiting star ratings :Scout :Rivals :247Sports :ESPN :
Tyshon Fogg LB
Towson, Maryland
Calvert Hall HS
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
216 lb (98 kg)
Jun 26, 2016
Recruiting star ratings :Scout :Rivals :247Sports :ESPN :
Olakunle Fatukasi LB
Brooklyn, New York
Grand Street HS
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
210 lb (95 kg)
Jun 28, 2016
Recruiting star ratings :Scout :Rivals :247Sports :ESPN :
Shameen Jones WR
The Bronx, New York
Cardinal Hayes HS
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
171 lb (78 kg)
Jun 28, 2016
Recruiting star ratings :Scout :Rivals :247Sports :ESPN :
Jaohne Duggan DE
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Liberty HS
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
275 lb (125 kg)
Jun 28, 2016
Recruiting star ratings :Scout :Rivals :247Sports :ESPN :
Mike Tverdov DE
Union, New Jersey
Union HS
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
235 lb (107 kg)
Jul 13, 2016
Recruiting star ratings :Scout :Rivals :247Sports :ESPN :
Brendan Bordner DE
Hilliard, Ohio
Hilliard Bradley HS
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
240 lb (110 kg)
Dec 14, 2016
Recruiting star ratings :Scout :Rivals :247Sports :ESPN :
Brendan Devera LB
Wayne, New Jersey
Wayne Hills HS
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
231 lb (105 kg)
Jan 23, 2017
Recruiting star ratings :Scout :Rivals :247Sports :ESPN : N/A
Tijaun Mason DE
Memphis, Tennessee
Trezevant HS
6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
220 lb (100 kg)
Jan 24, 2017
Recruiting star ratings :Scout :Rivals :247Sports :ESPN :
Travis Vokolek TE
Springfield, Missouri
Kickapoo HS
6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
215 lb (98 kg)
Jan 28, 2017
Recruiting star ratings :Scout : N/A Rivals :247Sports :ESPN : N/A
Hunter Hayek WR
Wayne, New Jersey
Wayne Hills HS
5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
175 lb (79 kg)
Jan 29, 2017
Recruiting star ratings :Scout :Rivals :247Sports :ESPN : N/A
Syhiem Simmons S
Montgomery, Alabama
Carver HS
6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
200 lb (91 kg)
Jan 29, 2017
Recruiting star ratings :Scout :Rivals :247Sports :ESPN : N/A
Elijah Barnwell RB
Piscataway, New Jersey
Piscataway Township HS
5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
200 lb (91 kg)
Jan 31, 2017
Recruiting star ratings :Scout :Rivals :247Sports :ESPN :
Eddie Lewis WR
Middletown, New Jersey
Mater Dei HS
6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
179 lb (81 kg)
Feb 1, 2017
Recruiting star ratings :Scout :Rivals :247Sports :ESPN :
Raheem Blackshear WR
Warminister, Pennsylvania
Archbishop Wood HS
5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
170 lb (77 kg)
Feb 1, 2017
Recruiting star ratings :Scout :Rivals :247Sports :ESPN :
Overall recruiting rankings:
Note : In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale. Sources:
Schedule
Rutgers announced its 2017 football schedule on July 11, 2013. The 2017 schedule consisted of 6 home, 5 away, and 1 neutral site game in the regular season. The Scarlet Knights hosted Big Ten foes Michigan State , Ohio State , and Purdue , and traveled to Illinois , Indiana , Michigan , Nebraska , and Penn State . Rutgers played against Maryland in Bronx, New York at Yankee Stadium .[1]
The Scarlet Knights hosted all three of the non-conference opponents, Eastern Michigan from the Mid-American Conference , Morgan State from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and Washington from the Pac-12 Conference .
Date Time Opponent Site TV Result Attendance 8:00 p.m. No. 8 Washington * FS1 L 14–3046,093 September 9 3:30 p.m. Eastern Michigan * High Point Solutions Stadium Piscataway, NJ BTN L 13–1637,661 September 16 3:30 p.m Morgan State * High Point Solutions Stadium Piscataway, NJ BTN W 65–039,892 September 23 3:30 p.m. at Nebraska BTN L 17–2789,775 September 30 7:30 p.m. No. 11 Ohio State High Point Solutions Stadium Piscataway, NJ BTN L 0–5646,328 October 14 12:00 p.m. at Illinois BTN W 35–2435,675 October 21 12:00 p.m. Purdue High Point Solutions Stadium Piscataway, NJ BTN W 14–1238,278 October 28 12:00 p.m. at Michigan BTN L 14–35111,213 November 4 3:30 p.m. Maryland High Point Solutions Stadium Piscataway, NJ BTN W 31–2435,221 November 11 12:00 p.m. at No. 16 Penn State BTN L 6–35107,531 November 18 12:00 p.m. at Indiana BTN L 0–4135,949 November 25 4:00 p.m. No. 21 Michigan State High Point Solutions Stadium Piscataway, NJ FOX L 7–4035,021 *Non-conference game Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game All times are in Eastern time
Schedule Source: [2]
Game summaries
Washington
1
2
3
4
Total
#8 Huskies
3
7
10
10
30
Scarlet Knights
7
0
0
7
14
The Scarlet Knights opened the season by welcoming No. 8-ranked Washington to New Jersey. Rutgers took the early lead on a three-yard touchdown pass from Kyle Bolin to Janarion Grant . Washington answered with a field goal in the first quarter and a 61-yard punt return for a touchdown with the 3:50 seconds left in the half to take a 10–7 halftime lead. Though trailing, the Knights played well and hung with the highly ranked Huskies in the first half. However, Washington QB Jake Browning threw two second-half touchdown passes as Washington pulled away from the Scarlet Knights to win the game 30–14.[3]
Eastern Michigan
1
2
3
4
Total
Eagles
0
13
0
3
16
Scarlet Knights
6
7
0
0
13
Morgan State
1
2
3
4
Total
Bears
0
0
0
0
0
Scarlet Knights
7
27
17
14
65
At Nebraska
1
2
3
4
Total
Scarlet Knights
7
3
7
0
17
Cornhuskers
7
7
7
6
27
Ohio State
1
2
3
4
Total
Buckeyes
7
28
7
14
56
Scarlet Knights
0
0
0
0
0
At Illinois
1
2
3
4
Total
Scarlet Knights
7
14
7
7
35
Fighting Illini
3
7
0
14
24
Purdue
1
2
3
4
Total
Boilermakers
0
3
3
6
12
Scarlet Knights
7
0
7
0
14
At Michigan
1
2
3
4
Total
Scarlet Knights
0
7
7
0
14
Wolverines
0
21
7
7
35
Maryland
1
2
3
4
Total
Terrapins
7
7
10
0
24
Scarlet Knights
0
17
0
14
31
At Penn State
1
2
3
4
Total
Scarlet Knights
3
3
0
0
6
Nittany Lions
0
14
14
7
35
At Indiana
1
2
3
4
Total
Scarlet Knights
0
0
0
0
0
Hoosiers
17
3
14
7
41
Michigan State
1
2
3
4
Total
Spartans
13
3
3
21
40
Scarlet Knights
0
7
0
0
7
