Piscataway, NJ— Rutgers football closed out its spring practices on Saturday with the annual Scarlet-White Game at SHI Stadium.
The next time the Scarlet Knights take the field at SHI, it’ll be for real.
This spring was a critical stretch for Greg Schiano’s team. While the offense returned largely intact, the defense saw an influx of transfers to replace key contributors from last season.
The Scarlet-White Game — Rutgers’ 15th and final spring practice — ended in a 14-13 win for Team Scarlet. Several starters sat out, and starting quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis played just one series, completing 2-of-6 passes for 20 yards.
Still, the game gave younger players a chance to showcase their talents.
Five Takeaways from the Scarlet-White Game
1. AJ Surace Steps Up
The spring began with a competition between AJ Surace and Ajani Sheppard for the backup quarterback role. That battle ended when Sheppard entered the transfer portal last week, clearing the way for Surace to claim the QB2 spot.
Surace — the son of longtime Princeton head coach Bob Surace — made the most of his opportunity. He looked poised, confident, and, most importantly, accurate while leading Team Scarlet.
He finished 15-of-24 for 220 yards and a touchdown.
“AJ I thought controlled the offense pretty well,” Schiano said. “Made some good throws, some completions. That was good for him. Good to get him out there and playing in a game situation.”
Surace’s highlights included a 35-yard sideline strike to Ben Black and a 7-yard touchdown pass to tight end Mike Higgins. He also connected twice with Vernon Allen III on pinpoint 22-yard passes.
It was only a spring game, but it was a strong showing for Surace, who is in line to take over after Kaliakmanis’ final season.
2. Introducing Vernon Allen III
There’s been a lot of excitement around Rutgers’ young receivers, and Vernon Allen III is the latest name to watch.
The true freshman early enrollee had five catches for 98 yards on Saturday. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound Allen showed reliable hands and made several tough grabs.
With continued development, Allen could become a key piece in the Scarlet Knights’ offense.
3. Linebacker Sam Robinson Flashes Potential
Second-year linebacker Sam Robinson made his presence felt with six tackles to lead the Scarlet defense.
The 6-foot-3, 200-pound Robinson, a Lincoln High School (Tallahassee) product, looks ready to step into a bigger role, especially after veteran Mohamed Toure entered the transfer portal Friday night.
Robinson adds to Rutgers’ solid depth at linebacker.
4. Rutgers Sets Homecoming Game Against Oregon
Rutgers announced that its homecoming game will be Oct. 18 against Oregon at SHI Stadium. It will mark the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
5. Spring Awards Winners
During halftime, Rutgers handed out its annual spring awards:
- Mark Mills Second Effort Award (Most Improved Offensive Player): Wide receiver Famah Toure
- Douglas A. Smith Second Effort Award (Most Improved Defensive Player): Defensive lineman Zaire Angoy.
