newjerseynewsroom.com

BY MATT SUGAM

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

PISCATAWAY - Rutgers has been waiting all season for the offense to do its part. The unit has relied on the defense to bail them out, set up scores or even score for them.

In a narrow 21-20 win over Navy, the Scarlet Knights finally had that break through game that head coach Greg Schiano has felt they’ve been on the verge of.

But it was the special teams that came through when it mattered most.

After Gary Nova threw his second interception of the game, Navy set up shop at Rutgers 29-yard line.

The defense would force the Midshipmen to go three and out, but they were still set up with a 34-yard field goal with 4:43 left in the game. Rather than give the 21-20 lead and rely on the offense to forge a comeback, Brandon Jones iced the game for Rutgers coming off the edge with a block.

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“The one before that I had felt that I was real close. Logan [Ryan] had told me I was real close and I felt like I was close. I said when we were coming off ‘I’m going to get the next one if we get another opportunity,’” Jones said. “I took a better angle and just dove out and gave everything I have and it hit my hands and I’m just thankful.”

Offensively, the run game finally hit their stride as Jawan Jamison recorded the first 100-yard game of the season — and first of his career — with 101 yards.

“Our mentality coming into the game was that we were going to punish them up front and break them down. They were fighting, but we just kept it going and kept pounding.”

The defense still did their part as the nation's number one team in turnovers caused. While it looked like it would be an issue heading into a game against a run heavy offense, Rutgers was able to get two key interceptions.

They also held the top-ranked rushing team in the country to 166 yards after Navy had averaged 366 yards through their first five game.

“That’s 80 percent of the offense — rushing the ball,” defensive tackle Scott Vallone said. “If we played up to our potential it could have been 66-yards. We just got to keep with our eye discipline and keep playing hard and those results will come.”

The Knights started the day scoring with a 1-yard touchdown run by Jamison early in the second quarter. He set up the touchdown himself with 13-yard and 11-yard runs on the two previous plays.

After holding Navy on a fourth on goal from the 1-yard line, Rutgers would give the ball back to the Midshipmen two plays later. Nova had his pass tipped and intercepted and returned by Chris Ferguson for the touchdown to knot the game up at 7.

On a fourth and three from Navy’s 32-yard line with just under five minutes left in the first half, Rutgers decided to forgo the field goal and go for the first down. Nova rolled out to his right side on play-action and had his pass sail through the hands of Mark Harrison. Two plays later, Navy quarterback Kriss Proctor scampered 54-yards to give Navy the 14-7 lead.

After surrendering a field goal early in the third quarter, Rutgers would score the next two touchdowns to rally from a 10-point deficit.

The first was a 10-yard pitch and catch from Nova to wide receiver Quaron Pratt with 3:07 left in the third quarter. The second was a 20-yard pass to the back of the end zone to Tim Wright with 2:57 left in the game. It was a play that caused the true freshman quarterback to even wow his head coach.

“That dig into Tim Wright in the back of the end zone – that is an NFL throw,” Schiano said. “That is a third guy down and he just nails that thing.”

Navy would hit a field goal five minutes later before their kick to take the lead was blocked.

“We’re fighting until the end. We’re not just doing it when it’s easy. When it gets tough that’s when we thrive and that’s when we really see the opportunities and we keep fighting until the end on every play,” Vallone said. “On the goal line, fourth and one, we know we can stop them. That field goal, we know we can block them. We believe it.”

For more Rutgers football coverage follow Matt Sugam on Twitter @MattSugam and on Facebook