Gator Bowl Fill in Rutgers’Let It Hang Out’ vs. Wake

Jacksonville, Florida-For Rutgers University, accepting the Gator Bowl spot was easy. It was even harder to get there.

Scarlet Knights, who replaced Texas A & M in a match against 20th-placed Wake Forest on Friday, spent a few days landing a charter flight and eventually took two days to take everyone to Jacksonville. ..

In the meantime, it was flooded with suggestions: get on the train. Rent a cruise ship.

Even after the flights were together, the player and several coaches waited two and a half hours at the tarmac in Newark, NJ, and finally took off.

“Literally, when the wheels were off the ground, I said.” Okay, this is official. We’re doing that, “Greg Schiano recalled Thursday. “I promised these people that we would come down, and we let them hang out.”

Winning the game may be the biggest challenge.

Demon Deacons (10-3) is one of the most powerful crimes in the country. They average a school record of 41.9 points, second at the Atlantic Coast Conference and fifth across the country.

Led by quarterback Sam Hartman and Jacques Roberson and AT Perry’s dynamic receive duo, they scored at least 21 points against all opponents this season, “more than 40 times and eight times,” currently averaging. We are playing against the Rutgers team in the 20.5 game.

“Explosiveness in every play is probably the biggest challenge to defend,” Hartman said.

The task became even more difficult when the bowl game (a month-long incident, usually with three weeks of practice) became a quick turnaround.

Texas A & M has withdrawn due to a shortage of available players due to injuries, opt-outs, transfers and COVID-19 issues. The NCAA gave Rutgers the first shot to fill the void because it had the highest academic progress rate score of all five to seven teams in the country.

Skiano hurriedly gathered the players from the Christmas holidays and practiced two things in the hot bubbles before heading south. They joined two more this week at nearby Pontevedra Beach.

“I didn’t win enough games to get into the bowl,” Schiano said. “We own it, but what we need to know is that the work they did in the classroom allowed them to stand up first when the opportunity was opened. I always tell them, “There is no coincidence.” You reap what you sow. “

This is the appearance of Rutgers’ first bowl since 2014.

Meanwhile, Wake Forest aims to win 11 games for the second time in the program’s 114-year history. It helps Demon Deacon achieve its 2021 goal of “from good to great.” “

“It was a really aggressive motto,” said linebacker Luke Masterson. We would have looked pretty stupid if we hadn’t achieved a transition from good to great when we published it and the entire ACC considered it. “

Aussie adventure

Rutgers panther Adam Corsak has traveled the farthest to reach the bowl game. Australians returned to Sydney when they passed customs, turned on their cell phones, and began to be blown up with a text urging them to “come back, come back.”

“Well, it’s not that easy, everyone,” he thought.

He booked a return flight to the United States, was forced to quarantine for three days, and showed evidence of two negative COVID-19 tests performed every other day before heading to Jacksonville.

“It’s a lot of flights, but obviously it’s worth it,” said Corsac, a Reigai Award finalist.

Korsak Bonus: Rutgers is staying at Sawgrass Marriott, home of The Players Championship. He is a big golf fan and started walking on the famous 17th island green.

“I’m still noisy with that,” he said.

Coaching relationship

Schiano and Wake Forest’s Dave Clawson formed a friendship decades ago and are close enough to call each other for advice during the off-season.

Born a year away and raised in the northeast, Clawson asked Schiano to assess all aspects of Wake Forest in 2014, the year after Schiano was fired by the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I requested.

“I think we’re both grinders,” Clawson said. “I think he’s one of the best coaches in all college football. He’s one of the smartest and brightest coaches I’ve ever met and I have a lot of respect for him.”

Hartman’s hair

Hartman is known for his hair. His dark brown lock often looks perfect when viewed from under the helmet. When asked how his long lock held up in the humidity of Florida, he replied:

‘do not know. You tell me, “he said with a smile.

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Gator Bowl Fill in Rutgers’Let It Hang Out’ vs. Wake

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