Here's what we learned about Rutgers football during Big Ten Media Days

INDIANAPOLIS – With training camp just a week away, Rutgers coach Greg Schiano and three of his players spoke about the 2023 Scarlet Knights during Big Ten Media Days on Wednesday at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Schiano, defensive end Aaron Lewis, tight end Johnny Langan and linebacker Deion Jennings represented Rutgers as the conference’s event to unofficially kick off the season.
Here are five things we learned about Rutgers:
Gavin Wimsatt is the starting quarterback
There won’t be a quarterback competition this year.
Wimsatt is the starter.
Schiano made that announcement, ending any further speculation. With Wimsatt is the starter, Evan Simon will be his backup while true freshman Ajani Sheppard will be third on the depth chart.
“I could see it in spring practice,” Schiano said. “I think a lot of it has to do with how Kirk has developed the whole room. Gavin is very comfortable with the way he's being developed. I just saw him getting better and better and better. Until the game's live, it's not, but you have to do that first. I'm excited to see his progress when we get into a game. We've got a lot of time between now and then, which is great."
Nov 5, 2022; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights head coach Greg Schiano reacts after a defensive stop during the first half against the Michigan Wolverines at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
How NIL can threat Rutgers as a ‘developmental program’
Schiano has often said his program is a “developmental program,” meaning it brings players in who may not be ready to play right away in the Big Ten, but develops them strength and conditioning-wise and football-wise to make them ready.
That continued process begins what Schiano calls a “pipeline,” where it’s always filled with players who can help the Scarlet Knights compete at a high level.
NIL can threaten that.
Schiano, who has long supported the idea that players should be paid for their likeness, doesn’t want to be in a position where Rutgers is developing players, only to see them leave for higher offers elsewhere.
“That is the ultimate recipe for disaster for Rutgers,” Schiano said. “Really for anybody, but especially for Rutgers.”
Northwestern preparation not changing much
Rutgers will open its season at SHI Stadium on Sept. 3 against Northwestern, a team that’s currently embroiled in turmoil because of the hazing scandal that forced the firing of head coach Pat Fitzgerald.
Despite the change, Schiano doesn’t believe his team needs to change much to be ready for what the Wildcats will bring.
“I think the preparation is going to be quite similar because the offensive coordinator is still the same offensive coordinator, and Coach Braun was brought in to be the defensive coordinator so all the preparation work we’ve done, I don’t suppose he’d run a defense other than his own. That’s what he was brought there to do. He just now has additional responsibilities.”
Schiano said the bigger focuses is on the Scarlet Knights themselves.
“My job is to make sure our team is ready,” Schiano said. “That’s really what I’m focused on.”
Defense has high expectations
While Rutgers’ offensive capabilities still remains an unknown under Ciarrocca, the defense is far less of a mystery.
The Scarlet Knights were solid on that side of the ball most of last season – there was some drop off the second half of the season, although the offense’s inability to put together sustained drives likely played a considerable part in that.
Rutgers returns a lot of experience on that side of the ball, and it also has a fully healthy linebacker corps.
One of those linebackers, Deion Jennings, the team’s leading tackler in 2022, believes there’s more in store for the defense this season, the second under coordinator Joe Harasymiak.
“A lot better,” Jennings said. “Guys who have had experience like Aaron, like Tyreem, just everybody communicating and being on the same page. I feel like it’s going to make us half a click faster. That’s what we’re going to need.”
Offensive line progressing, but still a work in progress
Wimsatt as the starter can only do so much. He’s going to need his offensive line to provide protection.
It’s a position group that’s been inconsistent in recent seasons, failing to play at the level it’s needed to for Rutgers’ offense to be successful.
Schiano brought in experienced offensive line coach Pat Flaherty, who won two Super Bowls with the Giants, during the offseason to replace Augie Hoffmann.
Rutgers returns three starts in Hollin Pierce, Ireland Brown and Curtis Dunlap.
Schiano said the unit has gotten better, but there’s still room for growth.
“I think our O-line is getting better by the day,” Schiano said. “But we need to. We weren’t good enough. We were improved. Better than we had been. But still not where we needed to be. I think we’re gaining experience. We’ll have guys that have played a couple years in our system, have played a couple years in the Big Ten. Which is going to be important. This is an upfront league, great defensive lines that we face in this league. We’re going to have to be able to be better than we’ve been.”