[EmpireWF]

"With 13 returning starters -- including star tailback Ray Rice -- and eight home games, the Scarlet Knights' are positioned to again make a run at the Big East title."

-- Ralph Russo of the AP

That certainly sounds like a recipe for success, but can Rutgers piece it all together for a second consecutive season and make a run for the Big East Championship?

Looking at their schedule, if all goes well they could realistically win at least 9 games.

I doubt that would be good enough to challenge the Mountaineers or Cardinals for the championship but hey, you never know.

[Lefty Noob]

They still have Ray Rice, which is a definite positive. But I wonder how much they'll miss Brian Leonard.

[bears9]

Rutgers will finish 3rd West Virginia 2nd Louisville wins the Big East

[EmpireWF]

Not much of a reach there Bears. Why no sense of surprise/shock/whatever...Rutgers can do it IMO. Of course they do need to beat WVU or Louisville and get some help along the way.

[Lefty Noob]

Originally Posted by EmpireWF

Not much of a reach there Bears. Why no sense of surprise/shock/whatever...Rutgers can do it IMO. Of course they do need to beat WVU or Louisville and get some help along the way.

I wasn't real high on their QB last year. They need better play out of that position to take pressure off the running game.

[jwoisznies]

Teel gets to much grief, the kid is 13-3 as a starter and looked the the real deal in the last three games of the season. In his defense the recievers were banged up and young. When the wideouts stopped dropping every third pass his numbers went up dramatically in the last three games of the year.
Leonard's loss will hurt but Corcoran will fill in well and mature into a very solid fullback.
The biggest issue is the linebacking corp. Replacing the 2 backers who graduated is coach Schianos biggest task before the start of the season.
All in all RU has a decent shot of taking the Big East, with a favorable schedule, solid ground game and quality D and O lines as well as a standout out secondary. It might all boil down to the last game of the year, a very difficult trip out to Louisville.