Greg Schiano has spent plenty of time selling Rutgers as a “developmental program,” a place that finds overlooked talent and pushes it to its ceiling. The formula has clearly worked in spots.
Three-stars like Antwan Raymond and Kwabena Asamoah have been turned into stars. But when it comes to quarterback, the picture looks a lot messier.
Since Schiano returned in 2020, Rutgers has opened four seasons with a transfer at quarterback. It probably would have been five if Noah Vedral’s injury problems in 2022 had not complicated things. The program’s three strongest quarterback seasons in that span also came from players who began their careers somewhere else.
That backdrop makes this week’s decision even more revealing. Former Boston College quarterback Dylan Lonergan has been named the starter, beating out AJ Surace, who had been viewed as the expected next man up.
For Rutgers, that is not exactly a clean advertisement for the developmental label. It points straight at the program’s ongoing trouble producing its own quarterbacks.
In the Schiano 2.0 era, homegrown passers like Gavin Wimsatt and Surace have both lost quarterback battles to players from other schools. Wimsatt’s loss was especially notable because he was beaten out by a Kirk Ciarrocca product from Minnesota.
There are two ways to read that pattern. One is simple: a run of quarterbacks just has not panned out the way Rutgers hoped.
The other is that there may be something deeper going on. Either way, it is worth noting that Schiano’s first stint at Rutgers produced a steady stream of solid homegrown quarterbacks that the program has not matched since his return.
Surace might also have helped his own case if he had seen more action last season during Rutgers’ blowout wins over Norfolk State and Miami (OH).
Still, the Lonergan decision is not without upside for Rutgers. The staff gets the best option from the two, or at least the one it believes gives the team the best chance to be functional at quarterback. It also gives Rutgers a starter with real game experience, which should make the leap from practice reps to live action a little smoother.
The bigger question remains whether this latest move says more about Lonergan’s readiness or about the limits of Rutgers’ quarterback development.
In Other News...
Michigan State Is Battling Early For A Fast-Rising Michigan Guard
Drew Cabana has quickly pushed his way onto the radar of several high-major programs, giving Rutgers another name to track in the Midwest recruiting market. The 6-foot-5 guard from Chelsea High School in Michigan already has scholarship offers from Rutgers, Creighton, Purdue, Ohio and Bowling Green, and his rise has been backed by a strong early rsum that includes a Top-20 nod at the CP3 camp and a freshman season in which he averaged 21.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and three assists.
Michigan State is also in the mix, and the Spartans are set to get an early look at Cabana with an unofficial visit on Sept. 4. Iowa, Indiana and Toledo have shown interest as well, which only underscores how quickly the Michigan native has moved from a local name to a regional recruiting target, with more programs likely to stay involved as his profile keeps climbing. [Read more 🡒]
Rutgers Faces Early Doubt In A Season Greg Schiano Must Answer
Before Rutgers even takes a snap in what will be Greg Schianos seventh season back in charge, the early national picture is already putting the Scarlet Knights on the outside looking in. Several preseason bowl projections do not list Rutgers as a likely postseason team for 2026, a reminder that even with a relatively favorable schedule, the path to December still looks narrow.
ESPNs Football Power Index is a little more forgiving, but only by so much, pegging Rutgers for a 5-7 finish and giving it a 40.6% chance to reach six wins. That leaves Schiano and his team with a clear standard to beat, and for a program trying to keep building momentum, the first test will be turning a manageable schedule into something the projections missed. [Read more 🡒]
Rutgers Is Building One Kind Of Game Day Fans Will Notice
Rutgers is turning its Homecoming & Family Weekend date with Indiana into more than just another Big Ten Saturday at SHI Stadium. The Oct. 3 game will come with a full slate of fan-facing touches, from pregamed fireworks and entertainment to a themed atmosphere built around school pride, with tickets already on sale and the university also rolling out new game-day services aimed at making the experience smoother for families and students alike.
The program is also leaning into the moment with recognitions planned for past Rutgers teams and an athletics Hall of Fame class that will be honored during the weekend. With the full 2026 schedule now out as well, the Scarlet Knights are giving fans plenty to circle on the calendar, but the real draw is the kind of home environment they are trying to create when the Hoosiers come to Piscataway. [Read more 🡒]