PISCATAWAY, N.J.—After a four-and-a-half game hiatus from meaningful game time, Rutgers quarterback Tom Savage finally got significant snaps. While the move was an improvement over freshman Chas Dodd, it wasn’t enough for a fourth-quarter comeback.
Following a San San Te missed 45-yard field goal, Syracuse methodically drove downfield, and Ross Krautman hit a 24-yard field goal—the eventual game-winner to put Syracuse up 13–10.
With 1:07 left to play, Savage and co. got the ball at their own 30. Savage hit Jeremy Deering on a 10-yard pass to get things started, but that would be the only positive play of the drive.
Keith Stroud hauled in a two-yard pass off a tipped ball, then had a deep pass thrown in his direction, but way out of bounds before Savage was sacked by Syracuse linebacker Brandon Sharpe on 3rd-and-8.
“I saw Jeremy [Deering] running across the field,” Savage said. “It was going to be a scary throw going across the middle like that but I was going to try and set up my feet and throw it across, but I obviously didn’t feel the guy coming from behind and he [Sharpe] just got me.”
Savage would have nowhere to throw on 4th-and-17 and just got a pass off before he was sacked, turning the ball over on downs.
Struggling throughout the first half, Dodd was yanked after going 3-of-11 for 30 yards.
“Sometimes you just got to do what you believe is best. Sometimes it’s right, sometimes it’s wrong. You got to do what you think at the moment,” Schiano said. “That’s what we, as a staff, felt gave us the best chance to win the game today.”
When called, the sophomore signal Savage caller was ready.
“Being a backup, you’re only a play away from getting in there, so you just got to be prepared. So I wasn’t really too nervous,” Savage said. “I been out there before obviously so it was fun getting back out there.”
A season removed from setting the Big East all-time passing yards and touchdowns marks for a freshman, Savage didn’t make a strong enough case to take back his job. The Springfield, Penn. native finished 6-of-12 for 76 yards.
Following a San San Te missed 45-yard field goal, Syracuse methodically drove downfield, and Ross Krautman hit a 24-yard field goal—the eventual game-winner to put Syracuse up 13–10.
With 1:07 left to play, Savage and co. got the ball at their own 30. Savage hit Jeremy Deering on a 10-yard pass to get things started, but that would be the only positive play of the drive.
Keith Stroud hauled in a two-yard pass off a tipped ball, then had a deep pass thrown in his direction, but way out of bounds before Savage was sacked by Syracuse linebacker Brandon Sharpe on 3rd-and-8.
“I saw Jeremy [Deering] running across the field,” Savage said. “It was going to be a scary throw going across the middle like that but I was going to try and set up my feet and throw it across, but I obviously didn’t feel the guy coming from behind and he [Sharpe] just got me.”
Savage would have nowhere to throw on 4th-and-17 and just got a pass off before he was sacked, turning the ball over on downs.
Struggling throughout the first half, Dodd was yanked after going 3-of-11 for 30 yards.
“Sometimes you just got to do what you believe is best. Sometimes it’s right, sometimes it’s wrong. You got to do what you think at the moment,” Schiano said. “That’s what we, as a staff, felt gave us the best chance to win the game today.”
When called, the sophomore signal Savage caller was ready.
“Being a backup, you’re only a play away from getting in there, so you just got to be prepared. So I wasn’t really too nervous,” Savage said. “I been out there before obviously so it was fun getting back out there.”
A season removed from setting the Big East all-time passing yards and touchdowns marks for a freshman, Savage didn’t make a strong enough case to take back his job. The Springfield, Penn. native finished 6-of-12 for 76 yards.
