Is there any separation in Rutgers QB battle midway through spring? 4 takeaways from Greg Schiano

Rutgers coach Greg Schiano and his offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca each indicated this offseason the quarterback battle playing out in Piscataway would figure itself out eventually.

Midway through spring camp, there does not seem to be any separation just yet.

It is “way too early” to say who is leading the competition between returning redshirt sophomore AJ Surace and Boston College transfer Dylan Lonergan, Schiano said Saturday.

“Maybe it wouldn’t be way too early if somebody did poorly and somebody did well, but they’ve both done well,” Schiano said. “I have total confidence in Coach Ciarrocca. Certainly, he and I discuss it all the time. As (we’ve said), you’ll know it when you know it, and you can’t rush it. You can make it happen, but that’s not a good thing to do. The best way to do that is just over time, it plays itself out and it becomes evident. And that has not happened yet.”

Both quarterbacks are “working hard” and “doing a good job,” Schiano said. Both have “made some mistakes, which you’re gonna make when you haven’t been in that role,” but they will run out of mistakes to make if you just keep playing through them and understanding and learning, and that’s what they’re doing right now."

“I’m encouraged by both of them, and I think (redshirt freshman) Sean Ashenfelder has done a good job as well,” Schiano said. “It’s been fun to watch.”

Here are three other takeaways from Schiano’s meeting with the media on Saturday:

How is wide receiver depth developing behind star KJ Duff

The Scarlet Knights’ top returner, who projects to be one of the best players in the Big Ten next fall, has had “a real good spring.”

There is less certainty about who will fill the spots behind him, “a young and talented group” featuring veterans Ben Black and Famah Toure and a quartet of second-year players like Jourdin Houston and Vernon Allen.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE RUTGERS RANT ON YOUTUBE: Watch our weekly podcast, live postgame reactions and more

Collectively, they have “all done well,” Schiano said, but he did not point anyone out in particular.

“I would be remiss if I said this guy and not that guy because they’re all doing well, they’re all practicing well,” Schiano said. “The quarterbacks are getting them the football, so they’re having opportunities to make the plays. The competition is really fierce. ... We got to just keep accelerating, and (wide receivers coach Dave Brock) has been doing a great job of doing just that.”

Promising redshirt freshman could see playing time this fall

Wydeek Collier-Johnson arrived at Rutgers a 17-year-old filled with potential last summer, and less than a year later, the former four-star prospect has been flashing enough of it to potentially earn a spot on the field as a redshirt freshman.

Schiano said he sees a role for the defensive end, who is “a tremendous athlete,” this fall.

“He’s a big athlete, and certainly two years from now, he’s going to be a much bigger athlete,” Schiano said. “He’s put on probably 25, 30 pounds and is a really physical, violent player. He’s got really strong hands and can knock things back and then as he just gets more (pounds) behind him, that knock back will even get more significant. He’s an incredible athlete for a man his size. He can help us.”

Rush ends coach Joe Woodley echoed Schiano’s praise for Collier-Johnson earlier this week.

“It’s day-by-day right now,” Woodley said. “Of course, Wydeek is extremely talented. I don’t think that’s a secret to anybody with his length and his athleticism. I just see a kid that continues to improve each and every day. He wants to get better, he asks the right questions, he’s a sharp young guy and I’m excited about his future.”

New defensive faces are all gelling

The new-look defensive coaching staff led by coordinator Travis Johansen is in the early stages of almost entirely revamping the entire unit on the field, but the process is “going well” so far, Schiano said.

JOIN OUR RUTGERS RANT DISCORD:Talk Rutgers with Steve Politi, Brian Fonseca.

“Travis has done a great job, not only with the players introducing it, but getting the staff together,” Schiano said. “They’re working really hard to become a unit, and I think that’s going to be critical, but they’re enjoying each other’s company. It’s fun to watch. The chemistry is building every day, and that’s what it’s about when you have good units, they have great chemistry. When you have a great team, the whole team has that chemistry and that’s a step by step process that we’re very, very persistent in working at that. But I think that’ll happen.”

Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here.