How Rutgers football is addressing OL questions in spring practice

PISCATAWAY – Rutgers football has spots to fill on its offensive line, and the coaching staff this spring is evaluating every possibility to identify who will earn those roles.

In coach Greg Schiano’s words, it’s been a lot of “mixing and matching.”

“Then I think we’ll kind of set it, how we want it to work in training camp,” Schiano said following his team’s practice on Saturday, April 18. “Now you’ve got to get a little lucky and stay healthy and then you can keep progressing that way.”

That’s the goal as the Scarlet Knights need to find the right combination for the offensive line that will start their season opener against UMass on Sept. 3.

Rutgers needs to replace right tackle Taj White, who transferred to Colorado this offseason, as well as center Gus Zilinskas and left guard Bryan Felter, both of whom graduated following last season.

Rutgers football offensive lineman Kobe Asamoah returns in 2026 to help anchor a unit that's looking to make strides under new coach Jim Turner.

Kobe Asamoah, who started all 12 games at right guard and has developed into one of the better offensive linemen in the Big Ten, chose to return to Rutgers for 2026 in a major boon for the unit.

For Asamoah, there was never much doubt.

“It really just boils down to how I was raised,” Asamoah said. “I started it so I’m going to finish it here. I just love New Jersey, love Rutgers, love playing for Coach Schiano. That’s why I came back.”

Asamoah’s now an anchor for the line, along with Tyler Needham, who started 10 games (nine at left tackle, one at right tackle) last season.

They’ve become leaders in a room that’s now under Jim Turner, a veteran coach who replaced Pat Flaherty as offensive line coach.