Football is a team sport, but sometimes one player can have a game-changing impact on their team. As much as redshirt senior wide receiver Alex Erickson has carried the Wisconsin (3-1 Big Ten, 6-2 overall) passing game, Rutgers’ (1-3, 3-4) offense has really lived and died through the hands of their senior wide receiver, when he’s been able to play.
Leonte Carroo missed two games for the Scarlet Knights, as he was suspended for his involvement in an assault case that occurred after his team’s Week 2 loss to Washington State. He missed just under a month, but the team was fortunate to have its bye week while he was gone.
Rutgers’ offense averaged only 15 points a game without him and 44 points with him, up until last week when they put up seven on Ohio State. Carroo only played the first half against the Buckeyes, and he’s questionable for Saturday’s game against Wisconsin after re-aggravating an ankle injury.
“We’re going to have to plan for him to play because he’s that big of a weapon and that much of a weapon,” Wisconsin defensive coordinator Dave Aranda said. “He’s someone where you definitely need to know where he’s at and what his split is, and then you play him accordingly.”
Not very many defenses have found a way to cover him. He’s averaging more than 20 yards per reception, among the best in the nation, and he’s had three separate games with three touchdowns each.
Carroo does an excellent job of taking the top off of defenses. He’s able to attack anywhere on the field, but he’s reeled in a number of deep balls for some big plays, including six of his nine touchdowns. He also hasn’t dropped a pass all season.
“He’s a man that deserves attention,” defensive backs coach Daronte’ Jones said. “He’s their go-to guy, so you have to have some awareness no matter what coverage you’re in, and kind of know that when they’re in a tough bind, that’s what they’re going to go to.”
The problem for the Scarlet Knights is they have been in tough binds quite a bit. They gave up late leads to both Washington State and Michigan State, and it took four unanswered touchdowns and a last-second field goal to amass 55 points to edge out Indiana two weeks ago.
That being said, it says a lot about a team when it refuses to give up. They don’t get too down about their losses, and despite their 3-4 record, they’re still a tough matchup for any Big Ten team.
“They didn’t struggle against Michigan State, they didn’t struggle against Indiana, and games can go either way,” Jones said. “ I think they’re a dangerous team, and naturally, they can put up points. They’re going to keep fighting tooth and nail. It’s going to be a dogfight.”
Whether or not Carroo plays, Rutgers’ offense will still be able to move the ball. They certainly aren’t as dynamic without him, and they don’t score nearly as effectively, but they’re far from inept. Their bread and butter is the running game, and that only makes the rest of the offense better.
“I think everything starts with the run game for them because that opens up that play action pass game,” Aranda said. “You load the box so you get single coverage, and that opens up the three-step game, and so on and so forth.”
Play action and quick passes have made things that much easier for Carroo to get the ball from redshirt sophomore quarterback Chris Laviano. Laviano has ranked among the top in the country in completion percentage for much of the season, and combined with the run game, is why their offense has been able to put up so many points.
Between the handoffs and the rhythm passing, opposing defenses get tired, and that’s when Laviano and Carroo take advantage and hit them with the deep ball. Even the great Spartan defense of Michigan State struggled with them, and it will be a big task for the Badgers.
It starts with the running game, flows through the quick game and into Carroo’s arms. The receiver has been a game changer for Rutgers, and he is definitely the player to watch if he’s healthy for Saturday.
Kickoff is 11 a.m. Saturday at Camp Randall Stadium.
