The college football season is over, and it's time to check in on how some former Rutgers players fared at their new schools. From record-breaking performances to unexpected setbacks, the journey of these athletes offers a fascinating glimpse into the ever-changing landscape of college football.
Let's start with Evan Simon, whose college career peaked in his final year. The former Rutgers quarterback had an outstanding season at Temple, showcasing his skills with 2,097 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, and only two interceptions. His impressive performance, with a 60.4% completion rate, put the Owls in contention for their first bowl game in six years. Unfortunately, they missed the postseason after losing their final four games. Despite the team's struggles, Simon's individual season was arguably the most impressive among former Rutgers players.
Here's a breakdown of how the rest of the players performed, with snap counts from Pro Football Focus:
Power Five
- Wesley Bailey (Louisville): The fifth-year senior had a career year, with personal bests in tackles (39), sacks (6), and quarterback pressures (43) across 520 snaps. He's set to potentially end his career in a bowl game.
- Rene Konga (Kentucky): His second season wasn't as productive as his first, despite playing nearly twice as many snaps (532). He had only one more quarterback pressure (25) and one less sack (1.5) than the previous season, but did achieve a career-high five passes defended.
- Mo Toure (Miami): The seventh-year senior recorded 10 quarterback pressures, one sack, and 22 tackles across 478 snaps for the Hurricanes, who were on the College Football Playoff bubble.
- Ja’elyn Matthews (Florida State): The true freshman did not make his college debut this season for the Seminoles, who had a disappointing 5-7 record.
- Isaiah Wright (Maryland): He started all 12 games at left guard, playing 657 snaps and conceding only one sack and 17 pressures. The Terrapins had a disappointing 4-8 season.
Group of Five
- Gavin Wimsatt (Jacksonville State): Wimsatt won the starting job but was relegated to a backup role after a rough start. He finished with 731 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions on 56.8% passing, along with 290 rushing yards across 345 snaps.
- Deandre Johnson (Jacksonville State): The 6-foot-8 receiver had 564 yards and 6 touchdowns on 20 catches across 702 snaps.
- JaSire Peterson (UAB): He recorded 12 tackles and 2 quarterback pressures across 105 snaps. He was the victim of an alleged attempted murder when he was stabbed by a teammate in the team facility.
- Cam’Ron Stewart (Temple): He recorded 32 tackles, 36 quarterback pressures, 5 sacks, and a fumble recovery in 290 snaps.
- Shedrick Rhodes (Ohio): He started all 12 games at left tackle, playing all 806 snaps and conceding 14 quarterback pressures and 3 sacks.
- Q’yaeir Price (Delaware): He recorded 5 tackles and a sack in 44 snaps across three appearances, missing the final nine games due to injury.
- Max Patterson (Delaware): He recorded 264 yards and 3 touchdowns on 19 catches across 175 offensive snaps.
- Thomas Amankwaa (Delaware): He did not record a snap in his first season.
- Shawn Collins (App State): He started the first three games, playing 60 snaps, but did not play in the final nine games.
- Kamar Missouri (UTSA): He started all 12 games at left tackle, conceding 19 quarterback pressures and 3 sacks across 767 snaps.
- Don Munnerlyn (UTSA): He recorded 4 tackles, 5 quarterback pressures, and a half-sack in 218 snaps.
- Tyclean Luman (FAU): He recorded 12 tackles, 3 quarterback pressures, and a half-sack in 134 snaps.
- Tycoolhill Luman (FAU): He recorded 4 tackles and 11 quarterback pressures in 83 snaps.
- Fitzroy Ledgister (Western Michigan): He recorded one tackle across 11 defensive snaps.
- Ajani Sheppard (Washington State): He did not play a single snap.
- Antonio White (Georgia Southern): He did not record a snap and was removed from the team's roster.
- Dominick Rivera (Toledo): He did not record a snap.
- Timmy Hinspeter (UMass): He started the first seven games, logging 69 tackles, 2 sacks, one fumble recovery, and an interception across 330 snaps. He missed the final four games.
- David Onuoha (UMass): He recorded 42 tackles, 21 quarterback pressures, and 2.5 sacks across 397 snaps.
- Zukudo Igwenagu (UMass): He recorded 17 tackles and 5 quarterback pressures across 240 snaps.
- Matt Ogunniyi (UMass): He recorded one catch for three yards in 21 offensive snaps.
FCS
- Chris Long (Montana State): He finished with 229 yards and a touchdown on 17 catches across 385 snaps in 12 starts.
- Rashad Rochelle (Indiana State): He returned 18 kickoffs for 505 yards and a touchdown, 8 punts for 85 yards, caught 44 passes for 843 yards and 9 touchdowns, and threw a 23-yard pass across 633 snaps.
- Gabe Winovich (Rhode Island): He finished with 169 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns on 39 carries, as well as 60 receiving yards on 4 catches across 79 snaps.
- Aaris Bethea (Rhode Island): He recorded 4 tackles across 109 snaps.
- Carnell Davis (Towson): He recorded 5 tackles across 140 snaps.
- Vilay Nikkoun (Abilene Christian): He did not catch a pass across 16 offensive snaps in two games.
- Mozell Williams (Florida A&M): He did not record a snap.
This season showcased a mix of successes and setbacks for former Rutgers players. From career-defining performances to injuries and unexpected changes, their journeys continue to evolve. What are your thoughts on these players' performances? Share your opinions in the comments below!
