 "Photo: Andrew Howard / Photography Editor")
Take away a series of blunders in the Pittsburgh game and junior safety Joe Lefeged is having an impressive season as a kick returner for the Rutgers football team.
Lefeged had about the worst possible game returning kicks against the Panthers. He bobbled two kickoffs, forcing him to take a knee on one and get a slow start on another. And on top of that, he bent down to catch a third kick and his knee touched the ground, trapping the Scarlet Knights at their own 1-yard line to start a drive.
Lefeged has not broken one for a touchdown, but neither has anyone else since 2005 with the exception of senior cornerback Devin McCourty. The Germantown, Md., native does, however, lead Rutgers with a 28.6 yard-per return clip this season.
“I take the special teams part of my game very seriously because field position is such a huge part of the game,” Lefeged said. “Scoring on a return is just the best result.”
In his first year as a returner, he has a long of 36 yards against Maryland, but also broke two for more than 30 yards each against Army.
He averaged 2.6 yards more per return than McCourty even though the latter has a 98-yard touchdown to his name.
Lefeged said that score just adds to the friendly competition.
“He didn’t have to let me know [he beat me to it],” Lefeged said. “It was the first kickoff return since Willie Foster. He beat me to it. Hopefully more [scores] come. That’s the plan.”
Injured South Florida quarterback Matt Grothe is 0-3 against Rutgers in his career with just three touchdowns and six interceptions so perhaps a change of scenery at the position is best for the Bulls.
After Grothe, now a senior and NFL prospect, tore his ACL, and freshman B.J. Daniels stepped in for USF and led the Bulls to a 3-2 record with wins over ranked Florida State and West Virginia.
“It’s not going to be that much of a difference,” Lefeged said on not having Grothe. “B.J. Daniels is a great quarterback and, in the weeks before, he’s been making plays throwing the ball and running the ball just like Matt Grothe did last year. The weapons that he has around him make him even more of a threat.”
Daniels leads the team in rushing with 519 yards and four touchdowns to go along with 1,096 passing yards, 10 touchdowns and four interceptions.
“He’s a phenomenal quarterback,” said senior linebacker and team captain Ryan D’Imperio. “He reminds me of [Miami Dolphins quarterback] Pat White because he’s so elusive and can throw it too. It’s something we definitely have to focus on.”
RU has eight days until a Thursday night kickoff against South Florida on ESPN. With the way the schedule works out, the Knights had a full bye in the fourth week of the season and now, in week eight, get a partial bye because of a Thursday night contest.
“There’s always ups and downs of a bye week,” D’Imperio said. “When you’re in a rhythm or you’re flowing, you want to keep going and keep on playing. But it’s also good to take a chance and step back and make adjustments when you have to.”
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