Rutgers Scarlet Knights received some tough news as two of their players won't be in action for the rest of the season.
Safety Kaj Sanders and cornerback Zahmir Dawud worked so hard to be on the field for the whole season, and their season was cut short due to injuries. It's a big hit for their secondary. Head coach Greg Schiano announced this at the press conference.
The Rutgers secondary looks weak for the season. They have some talent, but at this point, it's all about trying to make the secondary not look worse than it already is. The Scarlet Knights are looking at the next man up to see who can fill the void.
Sanders is currently in his third season with the Scarlet Knights. He has a total of 13 tackles this season. In his first season, he had 42 tackles. In his sophomore season, he raised it to 64 tackles. Sanders still hasn't recorded an interception throughout his three-year tenure with Rutgers. He's 20 years old, and for his senior year, he will do everything he can to go all out for the Scarlet Knights and deliver the best season of his collegiate career.
Dawud's season ending is devastating because he's a senior. Will he come back for a fifth season? A true competitive player does not want to go out in that fashion. His senior year was his moment to make the best of his season playing football. Although he only has 3 tackles, he wanted to get more playing time. Dawud has only played in two games this season, which were against the Howard Bison and the Indiana Hoosiers.
Dawud was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey. He lives and bleeds New Jersey. Granted, he's a New Jersey kid, so he might return and try to write a much better script for the 2027 season. It's not going to be simple. He'll have to work for it because there will be competition for the secondary spot next season. He'll need to show strong resilience and determination.
As for the team overall, their task doesn't get easier. Rutgers will face off against Big Ten opponent Northwestern Wildcats, who have surprised people this season with their offense and defense. They only have one loss on their record, and that was against the Hoosiers. The Scarlet Knights' offense and defense will have their work cut out for them because this Northwestern team is very tough, and they don't quit easily.
Rutgers and Northwestern will battle in a noon game on Saturday. The Scarlet Knights will try to pull an upset and win their third game of the season.
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