Rutgers needs to take Eric Foster's advice and get back to "Choppin"....

So how good/bad is Rutgers really?  We're six weeks into the season and the Scarlet Knights sit at 4-2 overall, and in the cellar of the Big East with an 0-2 record.  Is all hope lost?  Is this one of the worst FBS teams in the nation?

Not a chance.  Though their play might not say it, I still think that this Rutgers team is pretty darn good.  Why do I say this?  Because I believe in Cincinnati and Pittsburgh.  And if you believe in Cincinnati and Pitt, like CNNSI's Stewart Mandel does, then you have to give Rutgers a little vote of confidence.  With losses to a top 5 and a top 25 team, Rutgers thus far has 0 bad losses (the Cincinnati loss isn't bad, just the nature of it), which is a lot more than some other top 25 teams can say (see Houston's loss to UTEP). 

But then again, Rutgers 4 wins have come against the dredges of society.  Florida International played Alabama tough, but besides a late 4th quarter run was out-classed by Rutgers.  Maryland is a 2-5 team who boasts a win over Clemson, but losses to Viriginia and Middle Tennessee State.  And Howard and Texas Southern are the lower end of the FCS. 

So how good or bad is this Rutgers team?  I don't think we'll find out much more this Friday against Army (though they are a much improved Black Knights squad), but I feel like Rutgers is a team that can hang with anyone in the Big East (except Cincinnati), and teams in the middle of the conference in the other BCS league.  I'd lump RU right now in with the likes of Minnesota, Washington, and Nebraska; teams that are good enough at some point to be in the Top 25, but are far too inconsistent to stay there for long. 

I think we've seen the worst that we can see so far from Rutgers and things will slowly build from here.  If Rutgers can beat Army on Friday, and steal a win from an emotional UConn team on Halloween, that will leave them at 6-2 going into a Thursday night showdown against South Florida.  Win that and you're 7-2 and 2-2 in the conference, and right back in the middle of the Big East pack. 

Going forward I hope Coach Schiano gets this team back to basics.  Last week there were far too many penalites and undisciplined plays.  If Rutgers can just "keep choppin" they might be able to somehow sneak their way back to respectability.