“We have an opportunity to be a lot more consistent than we were last year. Obviously, we are a little more explosive, which is probably the most noticeable thing. Once everyone is healthy and have everybody on the field at the same time, I think we will have a solid unit.”

Not surprisingly, the first player Williams was asked about was dynamic playmaker, Janarion Grant. When asked what he hopes he can bring to the team this season, Williams was blunt in his expectations for Grant:

“Everything, I hope (laugh). We’re planning on him being the guy he was and even better than he was before he got hurt. He’s been looking good on the field. He’s knocking off a little bit of rust and we’ve had to monitor his reps a little bit throughout camp to make sure we can get him to gameday and make sure he is healthy.”

Williams was asked how Grant is progressing through camp and whether or not he is on schedule:

“That’s the plan, to gradually get him through practice to get him game ready. With Janarion, he is the type of guy you have to hold back, because he wants to do more. But we have to be smart with him and the training staff does a great job.”

The 2017 recruiting class included five receivers and many of them are making a very positive impression on Williams and the team.

“I’m impressed with all of those guys, to be honest. You look at Hunter (Hayek), he just goes out there and makes a lot of plays. The mental part of the game he has been able to grasp pretty well and that is unusual for a freshman. You look at a guy like (Everett) Wormley, who physically came in from day one and is able to compete. Then obviously, Bo (Melton) has a really good feel for the position and is making plays. Really those three guys stand out, but I’m happy with all of our freshmen.”

He spoke about the importance of the freshmen getting reps during training camp in helping to translate what they see and discuss in the team meeting room.:

“With all of our freshmen, if you aren’t taking a lot of reps, it makes it hard to go out there and execute your assignment. With freshmen a lot of times, you can go over stuff in the meeting room, but they need to go out there and get the reps.

Williams was asked if Melton, Hayek, and Wormley could potentially see the field at the same time during a game and he stressed that class year is irrelevant”

“Right now we are planning on whoever the best players are, then we will put them on the field and whether that is freshmen, seniors, or sophomores, it doesn’t matter. Throughout camp I wanted to put them on the field with the one group, because guess what, when we line up against Washington, we need them to play and they’ve got to play against their best players. And I think the room of our corners and secondary is pretty good, so if they can play and compete against those guys, we can do it when it is game day.”

On the status of Ahmir Mitchell, the former 4-star recruit and Michigan transfer, nothing new regarding his timeline for return was mentioned. However, Williams gave good insight on how Mitchell is doing in learning the offense and mentally preparing during his recovering from injury:

“I don’t know when he is expected back, it’s really for the training staff to decide. He’s been great. Ahmir is an energetic and very passionate person. He is passionate about the game of football. The good news is that he is in our meetings and paying attention. He’s engaged. I want to get him back and make sure he’ll be ready to go.”

And as you already knew, mother’s always know best, as Williams confirmed about Mitchell’s mom’s prediction after the injury:

“His mother said something about that when he got hurt, she said “my boy is a fast healer” and she was right. A couple months after surgery, they said he was out there, trying to run around. Yeah, he has come back pretty fast, so hopefully we can get him back early in the season.”

A major issue last season, despite having two former receivers on NFL rosters right now, Andre Patton and Carlton Agudosi, was that the Rutgers wideouts struggled in gaining separation from their defenders. Williams praised the newcomers and stressed that the group as a whole has a chance to be more explosive this season:

“Good and I think a lot of that is just natural talent. Especially for the young guys right now. When those guys during the summer, they got all of these numbers back from the strength staff and it basically said they were more explosive than guys we’ve had in the past. They were good players, but we have a lot more explosive players and that was the focus in that recruiting class, which was that we need to bring some more guys in here with a little bit more speed and quickness. That helps that part. The technique part of it is going to take time.”

Williams was asked the benefits for his players in now knowing that Kyle Bolin will be the starting quarterback:

“Yes, I do think so. I said before it doesn’t matter who the quarterback is, but right now, as you get closer to games, you do want to have some type of relationship with the receivers and quarterbacks. Some type of consistency, rotation, I think that helps. They are hearing it from one guy, they get used to how he throws the ball, where he throws them open, those things.”

One big takeaway is the positive influence that new offensive coordinator Jerry Kill is having on the offensive assistants. Williams praised Kill for his experience and past success. He explained that it’s helped more than just the head coach as well:

“Coach Ash is always hard on us (laugh), but it’s a good thing because he likes to work. If you asked a difference, it’s probably I’m sure he can lean on Jerry and his experience. That’s the biggest benefit for us as an offensive staff is we really have a head coach in our room. I think that is great for us and obviously I’ve learned a lot from Jerry. We can all learn a lot from Jerry. He’s done it at a high level and he’s done it multiple times. I’m sure coach Ash can lean on him and doesn’t feel like he has to do everything.”

The wide receivers this season give real hope that the Rutgers offense will be much improved in 2017. For a breakdown on each receiver, click here for our positional preview on this group. With Janarion Grant returning, the arrival of Arkansas grad transfer Damon Mitchell, and the potential impact of the true freshmen, there is a chance that the pass offense could be a real strength this season. If Ahmir Mitchell does return before too long and Jawuan Harris can get going, the options seem almost endless for Kill and Bolin to utilize on the field in the passing game. That is certainly an exciting prospect for Rutgers fans heading into this season.

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In Thursday’s action, Derrick Nelson of the Ravens traveled to the home of old friend Leonte Carroo in Miami. The Ravens were dominant again in a 31-7 win, not allowing a sack. Carroo coming off a 33 yard touchdown in week 1 did not record a catch, but the entire Dolphin offense struggled. Jeremy Zuttah returned to the Ravens but not in time to play in the game.

Also in the Sunshine state, George Johnson of the Buccaneers crossed the state over to Jacksonville. It was a defensive slugfest with Tampa Bay prevailing 12-8. Johnson registered no tackles, but did have one quarterback hit in the win.

Saturday, Logan Ryan got his first home game in a Titans uniform against geographic “rival” Carolina. Ryan added one tackle and the Titans offense looked like a completely different group, winning 34-27.

Bengals Clark Harris and Tyler Kroft looked to stay hot, hosting Kansas City. Cincinnati instead got walloped 30-12, but not because of their kicking game with Harris snapping. Bengal kickers went 4-4 on field goals and did well in the field position battle. Kroft recorded no stats but played 20 snaps on offense at tight end and fullback. He was lauded in the offseason for the work he put in to make himself stronger.

Steve Longa played some snaps with Detroit’s starters who completely suffocated the Jets. He finished second on the team with four tackles, having played more snaps than any other Lion ‘backer. Tim Wright did not play again in the 16-6 triumph.

Devin McCourty and Jon Freeny enjoyed Houston as each registered three tackles, but the Patriots lost 27-23. Duron Harmon did not register any stats.

For the Bears, Michael Burton and Marcus Cooper (2 tackles) got the better of Carlton Agudosi and Kaleb Johnson of the Cardinals in the valley of the sun, 24-23. The first team offensive line for the Cardinals was not nearly as good as their backups so big changes might be in store for the unit. Agudosi returned to practice Thursday but I don’t believe he played. Unfortunately, the top 5 receivers seem to be locked in so he will have to really show something the last two preseason games. Burton finds himself in a similar position for Chicago who might not keep a fullback on their roster.

Kevin Snyder and Quentin Gause headed to the Bay Area to play San Francisco, in Santa Clara of course. Denver demolished the 49ers 33-14. Gause bounced back with two tackles, while Snyder added one.

Quentin also posted a nice photo from last week’s action on twitter with Kevin Snyder and Michael Burton ...

Anthony Cioffi’s Raiders hosted their former L.A city rival, the Rams. The Super Bowl or bust Oakland fans left disappointed as they fell 24-21 at the Coliseum. The starting defense was unimpressive which may shake things up this week in Oakland. Cioffi helped his case with two tackles.

Sunday, Mohamed Sanu (Falcons) traveled to the Steel City to take on Pittsburgh. Sanu caught both his targets for 25 yards but Atlanta fell 17-13.

Brandon Coleman got another matchup with a former Knights receiver, this time Andre Patton. Coleman caught one ball for 8 yards in the Saints 13-7 win. Patton didn’t register stats, but expect some changes with the Chargers offensive struggles yet again.

Monday in Cleveland, Jason McCourty and Kenny Britt hosted the New York football Giants Andrew Turzilli. The Browns pulled out a Monday Night Football victory, 10-6. Turzilli did not record a reception but Britt caught his one target for 8 yards in the win. Jason McCourty did his share with 4 tackles for the victors.

Other local NFL scores: Eagles 20, Bills 16.

The jersey may be different but McCourty got the better of Beckham this time. Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images

Now comes the hard part, in terms of determining who will backup Bolin this season. Ash spoke after practice Monday night about the position and had this to say:

“All three guys have done a great job through training camp. The backup right now is still undecided. Both Gio and Johnathan will potentially have an opportunity to play, depending on the situation. Right now, moving forward, Kyle will be our starting quarterback.”

While it has to be tough for Rescigno, who performed admirably as the starter the second half of last season, after entering training camp in 2016 as the fourth quarterback, Ash confirmed that he is taking the news as best he can:

“Gio has been great. Gio is a team guy. He’s a competitor. He’s battling. He knows how many quarterbacks we used last year, for whatever reason. And Gio is going to do everything he can to support Kyle. He’s going to do whatever he can to get better. He’s going to be ready if his number is called.”

Between Gio and Johnathan Lewis, the intriguing freshman who is a true dual threat, it’s Rescigno that offers stability in having game experience and being more seasoned entering his fourth year of college football. However, the upside of Lewis and his potential as the future leader of the program is undeniable. Ash spoke about what type of role Lewis may have this season:

“Yeah, right now that is yet to be determined. We’re having those conversations about what Johnathan Lewis’ role will be in our offense. Johnathan is going to be an outstanding quarterback here. He’s done a lot of great things in training camp. He is still learning, he got here on campus in July. It’s really hard for a quarterback to learn everything he is going to need to know to play major college football in basically a month and a half like Johnathan has tried to do. He has done some great things and here over the next couple of weeks we will decide what type of role that will be.”

Ash was asked how he will determine who will be the backup for Bolin and was straightforward in his response:

“It’s between those two guys. We talked about the same thing about what separates a starter and a backup. Same thing, who understands the offense, who is dependable, who will go out there and execute, take care of the ball, make good decisions. That will decide who the #2 is.”

The truth is while Bolin is the clear choice to lead the program this season and gives the team the best chance to win right now, how Ash and Kill handle the backup situation with Gio and Lewis is critical as well, both in the short term and long term. As is the reality with college football, as Ash said in his presser, often times multiple quarterbacks are needed throughout the season. In fact, for Rutgers, other than Gary Nova’s impressive 2014 season, the program hasn’t experienced true stability at the most important position since the days of Mike Teel a decade ago.

Ash and Kill are weighing their contingency plans now, while also keeping an eye on the future. It’s an interesting situation and here are some aspects to consider.

Gio is a more reliable option right now, based on his experience, in regards to replacing Bolin during game action for an extended period of time. Lewis offers potential for the offense to throw a curve ball at opposing defenses and give a different look within games right away, with Bolin still in the role of starting quarterback. It’s been hinted that Gio could be that change up option as well, as he did flash his ability to run well at times last season.

The other aspect that Ash and Kill must consider is the long term development of Lewis. He is physically ready and seems very mature for a true freshman. What he needs most now is polish, which should come with time. It’s obvious that Lewis has the higher ceiling long term and he has two more seasons of eligibility than Rescigno does. With Bolin in his last year of eligibility, the job will be between Lewis and Rescigno next season. The handling of these two quarterbacks will be of major importance, both this season and beyond.

In my opinion, here is what makes the most sense this season. Gio demonstrated he could make difficult throws at times and proved how tough he is after taking a beating behind the offensive line in 2016. In the short term, he seems to be the best option as the true backup to Bolin. However, it would be great to see Lewis given some opportunity to get his feet wet and be used as a running option right away this season, potentially giving the offense another weapon.

Another thing to consider is that Rutgers has a bye in the first week of October. They’ll have five games behind them at that point and will be gearing up for the stretch run of the season. Perhaps Lewis will have shown enough at that point that during the bye week, the staff will shift gears and Lewis would be the first option moving forward if a backup quarterback is needed for an extended period. Heck, that might be their decision anyway before the season even starts. Gio is certainly going to fight for playing time and the competition between the two is beneficial for both their own development, as well as for the depth at the position.

Either way, there are a lot of reasons to feel good about the quarterback position for Rutgers football. Bolin makes the most sense to start and whoever the staff chooses to back him up, whether it be Gio or Lewis, both would bring positives with them on the field. How Ash and Kill handle all three quarterbacks this season will be an interesting storyline to watch and will be vital to the success of the team. And to eliminate any doubt of the idea of a week to week competition, this is how Ash responded directly to that question:

“Kyle is our starting quarterback, that’s it.”

Who ultimately backs up Bolin is the real question. How it is answered remains to be seen. The good news is for the first time in recent history, Rutgers seems to have three legitimate options at the most important position on the team.

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The dismissal of Tylin Oden is a sign of Ash’s high standards and expectations.

Rutgers football had its worst record last season at 2-10 since the beginning of the Greg Schiano era in 2001 & 2002. There were a lot of contributing factors to the struggles on the field, including trying to fit personnel not suited for the rigid spread offense that was newly implemented, a buzz saw of a schedule in the first half of the season, a lack of depth and talent on the roster overall, as well as some young coaches learning on the job. It resulted in some brutal losses on the field. However, the most encouraging part of the changes that head coach Chris Ash made within the program were happening outside of what fans were seeing on Saturdays.

One of the main priorities of any new head coach in any sport and something they all address early on in their tenures is the culture of the program. At Rutgers, the strong foundation built under Schiano in the early 2000’s had since suffered far too many cracks to ever recover under his predecessor, Kyle Flood. I don’t need to rehash the many incidents that occurred off the field in 2015 that not only sabotaged the season, but made Rutgers football the laughingstock of the Big Ten. It was clear the success of the past decade was long gone and it was time to start anew.

Ash made no secret of the fact that many things needed to change within the program upon his arrival. His experience working at two Big Ten powers in Ohio State and Wisconsin enabled him to bring a vision to Rutgers that was sorely needed. While we have seen an uptick in recruiting with the 2017 class, the biggest improvement under Ash so far has been the culture change under his leadership. Structure, expectations, and accountability have be the core of that change and it’s bred competition in everything the players do.

These type of internal changes are less visible for fans, but this week’s dismissal of quarterback Tylin Oden highlighted the difference in how Ash is running the program. A few days later and there haven’t been any reports of an ugly off the field incident. Instead, it appears from a real world perspective, Oden wasn’t holding up his end of the bargain while on scholarship, so the program parted ways with him. Oden said as much himself to Keith Sargeant of NJ Advance Media this week in this article:

"Coach Ash tried many, many, many times to help me and get me on the right track,'' Oden told NJ Advance Media in his first interview since his dismissal. "There was only so many times he could try. So no hard feelings. I respect his decision and wish the best of luck to him for what he's trying to do at Rutgers.''

Sadly, it seems as if Oden had shown the type of maturity in his response during his time with the program, he likely would be on the field today. However, the greater point is that this highlights how much higher the standards and expectations are for the players under Ash. Players were dismissed during the 2015 season with Flood as head coach due to some ugly off the field incidents. In 2017, a 3-star quarterback at a position lacking depth was dismissed for what appears to be not much more than a lack of commitment to the program. As unfortunate as it is to see Oden leave, it marks a significant positive step forward for the culture of Rutgers football. Ash took the high road in discussing Oden’s departure this week:

“I wish Tylin nothing but the best of luck. We have standards and a culture that we expect out of our players. We have to make tough decisions at times. I like Tylin and we will do anything we can to help him down the road.”

In terms of the current culture of the program, Ash seemed genuinely pleased with how things have progressed in the early stages of year two of his tenure:

“I really like the brotherhood that we have on this football team right now. The chemistry is really strong. Guys are hanging out together, working out together, and practicing really hard for each other. I’m really happy where we are at from that standpoint right now.”

In terms of tangible changes within the culture, Ash has implemented the Champions Club, which rewards players who handle all of their responsibilities and perform at a high standard in all that they do. There is a banquet to celebrate those players and reinforces competition in every aspect of the players lives. Another positive change has been a continuing speaker series the program terms “Life Beyond The Game”. On a regular basis, speakers with all types of backgrounds present to the team about important aspects of life after college and football.

This reinforces Ash’s emphasis on the complete development of his players. These type of programs are so valuable for the players, but is also an important factor in keeping the culture strong. Another is what seems to be regular activities between the players and their position coaches, such as movie and golf outings, which the program has documented on social media. A far better support system exists.

Rutgers has a long way to go on the field and Ash talks about the lack of depth at positions such as quarterback, wide receiver, and linebacker in his below presser with the media from Thursday. More talent needs to be infused into the program through recruiting. The current players need to continue to develop and improve. Another positive is that Ash made an important change this offseason by upgrading the coaching staff with the hires of Jerry Kill, Lester Erb, and Henry Baker.

Patience is needed from fans heading into next season, but there have been a lot of positive signs that Ash has the program moving in the right direction. He has a plan and it has helped to form a new, solid foundation for the program to continue building on. Losing Oden is disappointing, but it also sends a clear message to players and recruits that the demands for greatness are extremely high. Without a leader like Ash ensuring that the culture being built is rock solid within it’s foundation, a house of cards results. He showed this week that making tough decisions is necessary in protecting that foundation and that there are no shortcuts to turning the program around. It will take time, but the culture being built is one of a winner.

#BeatPennState

It is senior week here in Piscataway as Rutgers prepares for their final home battle of the season. Coming to town for this one is Penn State. Everybody hates Penn State. Rutgers is 0-2 against Penn State, although should be 1-1. Christian Hackenberg still should not have won that game.

Coach Chris Ash spoke to the media today about Penn State, but really talked about his seniors. Coach and the players want this game for the seniors. This is their last home game, and, for some, the last game of their careers.

Coach started off his press conference by saying this week’s motivational speaker compared this team and program to a Bamboo Tree. Basically, the analogy was that you can take care and water a Chinese Bamboo Tree everyday for years and the roots will thicken and grow stronger but the tree looks the same. After five years, the tree itself will start to grow. This is not Ash saying it will take five years to build this program, he is just preaching patience.

Coach Ash knows of the ‘rivalry’ Rutgers and Penn State have as well as the fact that a lot of the players on these teams know each other and have played against each other in the past. Ash brushes it off as every game is a big game no matter who the opponent. I do not buy that because he was a part of Ohio State and Michigan the past two years and those are not just ‘normal’ games.

Ash straight up tells the media that this game on Saturday is for the seniors. They are preparing for the seniors and they want to win for the seniors. Playing spoiler for Penn State’s Big Ten championship aspirations is not as significant or as important to him as playing and winning this game for his seniors.

One of his more influential seniors, Darius Hamilton, is someone who deserves a lot of credit. Ash says that without Hamilton, a lot of what he has done and tried to do this season would not have happened. Hamilton may not be the most vocal of athletes, but, when he does speak up, everybody listens. Having Hamilton’s support throughout the year has been imperative and highly appreciated by Ash.

Ash got asked a question about the attendance in the stadium but he brushed it off as something he cannot control. He did make it a point to kind of ask everyone to come out to this game for the seniors. It is a natural ‘rivalry’ and it is senior night. Ash is hoping for the Banks to be rocking Saturday night to help support this team en route to a Nittany Lion beat down.

Speaking of seniors, Janarion Grant got brought up. Grant’s rehab is going great and a decision as to whether or not he will be announced with the seniors on Saturday is still unclear. Whether he is announced or not has no influence as to whether or not he will be going to the NFL or not. That decision will not be made until December Ash says. Either way, Grant has been around and is in good spirits with rehabilitation going well, which is all good news.

If Rutgers can pull off this monstrous upset of Penn State, their year will feel complete. They came so close their first year in Piscataway, and not so close last year. The third time is the charm, right?

#BeatPennState

Although Rutgers is only three practices into Fall camp, some players are already emerging as huge pieces in the team. One of those players is strongside linebacker Najee Clayton.

Clayton is a true sophomore from Paramus Catholic who played on special teams in 2015 and transitioned from safety to linebacker when Chris Ash became head coach. In Ash’s presser after practice yesterday, he said that Clayton was the most game-ready linebacker on the roster. That is very impressive considering he is joined by Trevor Morris and Deonte Roberts who both had significant playing time at linebacker last year.

This Spring Clayton had to learn a completely new position and drastically change his body. He bulked up from 205 pounds last year to around 228 pounds. Ash said he is “practicing into shape” and actually looks like a linebacker.

He has dedicated himself to becoming a student of the game as well, tirelessly studying tape of guys like 1st-round pick Darron Lee to better understand his new hybrid position. Clayton also has the luxury of being coached by Chris Ash, the man who perfected the hybrid linebacker position.

Additionally, if you doubted Clayton’s ability to tackle and make big hits, check out this clip of him destroying Jarrett Guarantano in high school:

With the defensive line being the strength of the team and the secondary having experience, Clayton will be key in proving that the linebackers aren’t a weakness of this team.

With many team switching to spread offenses, Clayton’s position is becoming more common. He will have to cover speedy slot receivers and h-backs while also being responsible for a 6-6 tight end. If teams try to stretch the field against Rutgers, he will be key in preventing that. However, against a traditional team like Michigan State, he is still big enough to come up and make solid and reliable tackles.

Clayton will be a full-time starter for at least two more years and his potential is limitless. I think he can become an All-B1G linebacker and be a better linebacker than his high school teammate Jabrill Peppers.

The 6'2" 216 lb. OLB is the second 4 star player to commit to Rutgers from the Class of 2017.  Prior to Fogg's announcement, Rutgers had a recruiting class in the top 30 schools nationally.  This will certainly propel the Scarlet Knights into yet a higher ranking.

Fogg is the second commit this weekend, as yesterday saw the commitment of wide receiver Tyler Hayek, also a NJ recruit.  Coach Ash and his team continue to live up to their determination to keep NJ recruits home and commit to their home-state school.

Rutgers won out with Tyshon from over 25 other offers, including Penn State, Stanford, Missouri, Michigan State, and Pitt.

Fog is ranked as high as #3 in the East by Scout Recruiting.  His strengths are considered to be his ability to make open field plays and pursue the ball.

Of the 15 recruits so far for the Class of 2017, all but three are NJ natives.  Kudos to the staff for their hard work and staying on track!

— Tyshon Fogg (@shonisland9) June 26, 2016

For example, Rutgers has played an FCS school every season since 2004, winning all but one game, the very first one 12 years ago against New Hampshire. This was one week after Rutgers stunned Michigan State at home, an upset victory that marked the beginning of the modern era for the program. Rutgers has now won 11 games in a row against FCS opponents.  They already had an FCS opponent scheduled for the following two seasons, with games against Howard in 2016 and Morgan State in 2017.

Tom Dienhart from BTN ranked the Big Ten East's non-conference schedules for the 2016 season and he pinned Rutgers in the middle at #4. Starting the season against Washington on the road will make for an extremely difficult debut for new Rutgers head coach Chris Ash.  In addition, Rutgers hosts New Mexico in week 3, a team that played in a bowl game last season. Ohio State was ranked with the toughest schedule due to a road game at fellow national championship contender Oklahoma.  Maryland was ranked as having the easiest schedule with a home game against Howard, followed by road games at FIU and UCF.

Non-conference basketball schedules change often and contracts aren't usually made too far in advance, with sometimes just one game agreed upon. Other than the Gavitt Games and Big Ten-ACC Challenge, no other non-conference basketball games have been announced yet for Rutgers next season. Football non-conference scheduling is far different, with schools coming to home and home agreements years in advance.

Let's take a look at a grid detailing each Big Ten East school's non-conference schedule for the next 10 years. All of the information was sourced from FBSschedules.com. Believe it or not, I could have extended it past the 10 year mark, because Maryland has a 4 year home and home deal with Virginia Tech between 2026-2029. They aren't the only Big Ten East team that has scheduled that far in advance. Michigan will play Oklahoma and Texas one game each during the 2026 and 2027 seasons. Michigan State has Notre Dame scheduled for 2026 and 2027. Still, there are multiple schools with open dates as early as 2018, so let's focus on the next decade. Here are the current non-conference schedules for each team for the next 10 seasons.

Here are a few interesting notes regarding the schedules:

• Indiana's non-conference schedule is confirmed for the next 8 seasons, Maryland is confirmed for the next 5 seasons, Ohio State for the next 4, and Penn State for the next 3. Michigan, Michigan State, and Rutgers are still looking for an opponent to add for 2018 and beyond.
• Games scheduled against power conference opponents: Ohio State (13); Michigan (12); Rutgers (8); Penn State (8); Maryland (6); Indiana (6); Michigan State (6)
• Big Ten East team's with games scheduled against Power Five conference opponents: ACC (24); PAC 12 (14); Big 12 (13); SEC (3)
• Big Ten East team's with games scheduled against non-power conference opponents:  AAC (19); MAC (17); Conference USA (12)
• A reminder that Notre Dame is now considered an ACC opponent in football.  They are scheduled to play Ohio State and Michigan State twice.  BYU is counted as an independent for now, but that could change with the constant threat of conference realignment.  The Cougars are scheduled to play Michigan State in 2016 & 2020.
• Regarding the service academy's, Army will play Michigan and Ohio State once each. Air Force is also scheduled to play Michigan once. Navy does not have any games scheduled against the division.
• Conference that each Big Ten East has the most games scheduled against: Indiana - Con USA (8); Ohio State - Big 12 (6); Maryland - MAC/Big 12/AAC (4 each); Michigan - PAC 12 (5); Michigan State - ACC (4); Penn State - ACC (5); Rutgers - PAC 12/AAC (4 each)

So what does this all mean? For the top teams in the East, which I'll count as Ohio State, Michigan, and Michigan State, it means they have scheduled games against top teams in other power five conferences. And in some future seasons, they have scheduled multiple games against power five conference opponents. Ohio State even scheduled three power five opponents in 2023, with Texas, Notre Dame, and Boston College. WOW! These schools need a big non-conference game scheduled every year to help their cause in making the college football playoff each season. Granted it's a risk playing a top opponent in addition to the Big Ten schedule, which has become a legitimate annual gauntlet for every school that plays in the East division. However, it helps ensure that if they can win, they will have a better chance of making the coveted college football playoff each year.

As for schools fighting to move up the food chain within the East, an entirely different strategy is playing out. Indiana has scheduled 8 games against opponents from Conference USA and just 6 games against power five schools, all from the ACC.  That number is more telling when factoring in that Indiana has more non-conference games scheduled than any other Big Ten East school so far, and by a margin of 6 games. You can't blame them for wanting to pave an easier road to bowl eligibility and that is certainly their intention. While Maryland has 4 games scheduled against the Big 12, they also have that many games scheduled against the MAC and AAC. Rutgers has 4 games scheduled against the PAC12, as well as the AAC. Of course, none of this is a perfect science as it's impossible to predict how strong a program certain schools will have 5+ years from now.

Conference affiliation also does not necessarily equal the strength of each opponent. Rutgers might have four games scheduled against the AAC, but they are all against Temple, who currently has a chance to win that conference every season. The fact that in three of those scheduled seasons Rutgers will also play a power five team (UCLA twice, Virginia Tech once) demonstrates that head coach Chris Ash is counting on the program playing at a higher level 5 years from now.

It is also interesting that the Big Ten East has scheduled the most games against two east coast based conferences in the ACC and the AAC. While midwestern based conferences like the Big 12 and the MAC have a lot of games scheduled as well, I would have that thought there would have been more.

It also would not be surprising if Ash dips into his past relationships. His longtime friend and former college teammate at Drake, Dave Doeren, coaches at N.C. State.  That could be an intriguing matchup against a power five opponent.  It would be a solid opponent, but not a daunting one either. Ash could also reach out to his former boss Bret Bielema and agree to another series against Arkansas. Although who knows if Bielema would be interested, considering Rutgers won both games in the series between 2012-2013.

As the college football landscape continues change, tracking how Big Ten East teams schedule their non-conference games in the future will be interesting to follow. There is a big divide in the division, with Penn State more or less in the middle between the division's upper class and those programs, like Rutgers, aspiring to be near the top one day. Playing in arguably the toughest division in college football, all the East schools need to maximize their non-conference opportunities to stack up wins heading into the conference season. At the same time, how the Big Ten overall performs against non-conference competition, specifically other power five opponents, is hugely important in determining the strength and reputation of the conference. It will be a balancing act for all Big Ten East schools moving forward to schedule winnable but attractive games in the years to come, while also preparing to succeed in their own brutal division.