Almost seven years to the day that Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast area, the city of New Orleans is bracing for another tropical storm that is expected to hit the region later this week.
Rutgers coach Kyle Flood, however, doesn't anticipate that Tropical Storm Isaac will affect the Scarlet Knights' travel plans for Saturday's game vs. Tulane at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The National Hurricane Center projects Isaac to be much weaker than the Category 3 hurricane that hit the gulf coast in 2005. Forecasters anticipate that the storm will reach the area early on Wednesday.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the people down there,” Flood said. “It comes at a time that is ominously close to the time of Katrina a couple of years ago. So we're hoping for the safety of everybody down there in New Orleans, first and foremost.”
The Rutgers operation staff has been in contact with Tulane and is monitoring the situation, Flood added.
The Scarlet Knights are familiar with playing in professional venues. Over the last several years, Rutgers has played at Heinz Field (Pittsburgh), Raymond James Stadium (South Florida) and Yankee Stadium for the 2011 Pinstripe Bowl.
“I don't think there will be any effect on the older players, but I do think there will for the true freshmen who haven't been in that environment,” Flood said. “You want to get them out there early in pregame, let them look around a little bit so they get it out of their system.”
Flood looking for consistency from RBs: One area for concern for Rutgers in the offseason was its running game, after the Scarlet Knights averaged just 2.8 yards per carry last season. Such concerns may have been ameliorated in Rutgers' final scrimmage of the preseason when running backs Jawan Jamison and Savon Huggins combined for 127 rushing yards.
Jamison, a 5-8, 200 pound sophomore, is deceptively quickly and can be elusive at times. Huggins, a 6-0, 200 pound sophomore, is regarded for his explosive burst, vision and ability to break tackles.
“My expectation out of that position is that we're going to get consistency,” Flood said. “I think Javon and Savon are going to carry the ball quite a bit for us this year. They have both done a nice job of being more consistent football players through the spring and our training camp.”
Three reserves out vs. Tulane: Freshman linebacker Quanzell Lambert, sophomore defensive lineman Kenneth Kirksey and freshman running back Paul James will miss the opener with lower body injuries, Flood announced Monday.
Lambert is sidelined with a high-ankle sprain, while Kirksey has dealt with a foot injury that resurfaced over the past several days. James is expected to miss two to five weeks with a high-ankle sprain.
The Scarlet Knights will also be without defensive end Michael Larrow, who is suspended four games for violating team rules. Larrow was arrested for an altercation with a female on July 28 in New Brunswick, N.J. The female in the alleged incident declined to press charges for assault and the charges were subsequently dropped, the Newark Star-Ledger reported.
Larrow spent the majority of preseason camp with the third-team defensive line. The fourth-year junior started five games in 2011.
“Any time there's an injury or something that would keep a player from being in a game, you always have to take that into account, as you do your depth chart to make sure the guys that are going to play are going to get the right reps,” Flood said.
For more up-to-the-minute news and analysis on the Big East, follow bloggers Evan Hilbert and Matt Rybaltowski @CBSBigEast.
