 "Photo: Andrew Howard / Photography Editor")
 "Photo: Nicholas Brasowski / Staff Photographer")
The annual — and recently lopsided — matchup between New York’s two Football Bowl Subdivision teams is about to get more interesting.
The Rutgers football team and Army play the first FBS college football game at the New Meadowlands Stadium next season, Athletic Director Tim Pernetti announced yesterday.
“I think Army-Rutgers has always been New York’s two teams,” said head coach Greg Schiano. “It’s good for tri-state football.”
The Scarlet Knights enter the Oct. 16, 2010 game with a six-game winning streak against the Black Knights, outscoring the West Point team 185-55 in those meetings.
The following season, when Army is slated to host the Nov. 12, 2011 matchup, the teams will play at Yankee Stadium.
“We love playing at Rutgers Stadium, but when there are special opportunities that make sense financially and from a unique opportunity standpoint, then we are going to take advantage of it,” Schiano said. “This [opportunity] certainly did. So the next two years our Army games will be on ‘non-home sites.’”
RU also played the first college football game at the Meadowlands, beating Columbia 47-0 in 1976.
After freshman tailback De’Antwan “Rocket” Williams earned three second-quarter carries against Connecticut Saturday, Schiano said the tape would present a great learning opportunity. The only time Williams saw the ball prior to that game was in mop-up duty against Howard and Texas Southern.
Although the Woodbridge, Va., native rushed for just seven yards on the three attempts against the Huskies, Schiano liked what he saw.
“He is doing a nice job,” Schiano said. “Like a lot of young backs he is a little too quick. When I say that, I mean you want him to be quick when he needs to be quick. You want to let it develop and then you use those burst skills.
“He is going to be fine. He is a good running back. He has good strength, power and vision. We just have to bring him along.”
If Williams continues to earn touches, it complicates an already crowded RU backfield.
Junior Kordell Young settled into his role as a third-down, pass-catching back nicely, while sophomore Joe Martinek is dominating the carries as the traditional tailback.
Both Williams and sophomore Jourdan Brooks have 100-yard rushing games this year but have not received significant touches.
While RU is using its bye week to rest some injured players, another bug is going around.
Although it is not a significant percentage, a number of the Knights are sick this week.
“On injuries, we have a little bug going through the team, which may keep a few guys from practicing today — it did yesterday,” Schiano said. “With all the stuff going around, anytime a guy is sick you get worried. We are trying very hard to wash our hands and do the right things. We always do but we are just reemphasizing it again.”
Senior safety Zaire Kitchen remains out of practice and will not return until Saturday, giving him an opportunity to rest his knees, Schiano said.
The Knights had their best kick return last weekend against UConn, but they also had their worst coverage. Senior captain Devin McCourty returned the opening kickoff 98 yards before RU allowed 50 and 100-yard UConn returns.
Finding consistency in their special teams play is a point of emphasis during the bye week.
“I feel like we are going in a much better direction from an understanding and execution [standpoint],” Schiano said. “Do they have a better understanding? Without a doubt. That will play dividends moving forward because there are a lot of young people playing on those teams.”
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