SCHEDULE/RESULTS GAME 1 • RUTGERS VS. MASSACHUSETTS AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 30...Massachusetts (BTN) ............. 7:15 p.m. FRIDAY, AUG. 30 • SHI STADIUM (52,454) 7.....at Iowa* (FS1) ...............................Noon SCARLET KNIGHTS MINUTEMEN 21...Boston College (BTN) ...................... TBA 0-0 ..................................................................Record ...................................................................0-0 28...at Michigan* ................................... TBA 0-0 ........................................................ Conference Record .........................................................0-0 NR/NR ................................................ Ranking (AP/Coaches) ................................................. NR/NR OCTOBER L, 14-10 at Michigan State (11/24/18) ........Last Game ...........L, 66-27 at No. 5 Georgia (11/17/18) 5.....Maryland* ...................................... TBA Chris Ash .....................................................Head Coach ......................................................Walt Bell 12...at Indiana* ...................................Noon 7-29 (Fourth season) ................................Career Record .......................................0-0 (First season) 19...Minnesota* ........................3:30/4 p.m. Same .......................................................Record at School ....................................................... Same 26...Liberty ............................................ TBA 0-0 ...................................................... Record vs. Opponent .......................................................0-0 NOVEMBER @RFootball .....................................................Twitter ............................................ @UMassFootball 2.....at Illinois* ....................................... TBA 16...Ohio State* ..................................... TBA 23...Michigan State* .............................. TBA 30...at Penn State* ................................ TBA * - Big Ten game All game times Eastern Standard Time BROADCAST INFORMATION TV: BTN (FOX Sports GO) Play-By-Play: Mike Monaco Analyst: Shaun O’Hara Radio: Rutgers IMG Sports Network WCTC 1450-AM, WOR 710-AM, WENJ 97.3-FM, WNJE 920-AM, Sirius 81, XM 81 Play-By-Play: Chris Carlin Rutgers football opens it season on a Friday for only the sixth time in program history. The Scarlet Knights will meet Massa- chusetts for the first time since 1978. Big Ten Network will broadcast the game and will host its pregame show on campus. Analyst: Ray Lucas Analyst: Eric LeGrand INSIDE THE GAME NOTES • Rutgers will conduct a re-enactment of the Sideline: Anthony Fucilli Notable ................................................... 1-8 first football game on Friday at 6:15 p.m. at Engineer: Paul Shrager Athletic Communications ...........................2 the Marco Battaglia Practice Complex. Fans Pregame: 6:15 p.m. with Marc Malusis Stat Comparison/Rutgers Ranks .................3 are encouraged to attend the game, which Student Radio: WRSU 88.7-FM The Birthplace of College Football .............3 will feature Rutgers theatre students dressed Jake Ostrove, Chris Tsakonas, Robert Baxter Quick Facts/Record Breakdown ..................4 in late 1800s era costumes. Single-Game Records/NFL Knights .............5 • Rutgers will unveil the “Victory” statue in SERIES HISTORY Coach Locations ..........................................6 the north plaza of the stadium prior to kickoff. All-Time: Series tied, 2-2 Pronunciation Guide ...................................7 • Rutgers brings back 15 starters from last At Rutgers: Series tied, 1-1 Depth Chart ................................................9 season (7 offense, 5 defense, 3 specialists). Last Meeting: Nov. 4, 1978 The Last Time ...........................................10 Rutgers 21, Massachusetts 11 (at UMass) Participation Chart ...................................11 SEASON/HOME OPENER Last Massachusetts Win: Oct. 6, 1973 Numerical Roster ................................ 12-13 • Rutgers is 76-64-9 all-time in season open- Massachusetts 25, Rutgers 22 (at RU) Coaching Staff ...........................................13 ers and 98-39-10 in home openers. • Rutgers has won eight of its last nine home RUTGERS STAT LEADERS (2018) Head Coach Chris Ash ...............................14 Player Career Highs/Bios .................... 15-22 openers by the combined score of 293-89. Passing: Sitkowski (134-273, 1,158 yds, 4 TDs) Statistics ............................................. 23-26 • Rutgers will begin a season on a Friday for Rushing: Blackshear (143 att, 586 yds, 3 TDs) only the sixth time in program history. The Receiving: Blackshear (44 rec, 367 yds, 2 TDs) NOTABLE other occurrences were Sept. 1, 2017 against • Rutgers, “The Birthplace of College Foot- All-Purpose: Blackshear (1,136 yds) Washington, Sept. 2, 1977 against Penn State ball,” begins its 150th season of competition Tackles: Morris (109) at Giants Stadium, Sept. 28, 1906 at Fordham, since 1869. The program is celebrating the Sacks: Lumor/Tverdov (4.0) Oct. 10, 1884 versus Princeton and Oct. 24, 150th anniversary of the first game this year Interceptions: Hampton (3) 1873 at Yale. (see more on page three). WWW.SCARLETKNIGHTS.COM | @RFOOTBALL GAME 1: RUTGERS VS. MASSACHUSETTS ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS MEDIA POLICIES & INFORMATION RUTGERS CONTACTS Hasim Phillips, Associate AD/Communications RUTGERS ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS POST PRACTICE INTERVIEWS The Rutgers Athletic Communications Office is committed to as- On Tuesday, select offensive coaches and players will be available to Email: [email protected] sisting members of the media with their coverage of the Rutgers the media post practice, while select defensive coaches and players Office: 732-445-6069 football team. Hasim Phillips serves as the primary contact for the will be available on Wednesday. Head coach Chris Ash will address Cell: 732-470-9457 football program with support from Jimmy Gill and Brad Derechailo. the media following practice on Thursday. Twitter: @HasimPhillips The Athletic Communications Office is located on level one of the ASSISTANT COACH INTERVIEWS press box at SHI Stadium. For information regarding credentials, in- Assistant coaches are available to the media following practice with Jimmy Gill, Associate Director/Communications terviews, statistics, press conferences, etc., please call the Athletic the offensive staff conducting interviews on Tuesdays, while the de- Communications Office at 732-445-7028, visit CollegePressBox.com fensive staff meets on Wednesdays. The offensive and defensive co- Email: [email protected] or e-mail Hasim Phillips at [email protected]. ordinators will be available at the weekly Monday press conference Office: 732-445-8103 in the team meeting room of the Hale Center. Cell: 732-991-9486 To assist in your coverage throughout the year, please read the me- dia information on this page. All interview requests must be direct- PRACTICE COVERAGE Twitter: @JGill027 ed to and arranged through the Athletic Communications Office at The use of social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat or least one day (24 hours) in advance. Coaches, players and support Periscope) is strictly prohibited during practice sessions. Live report- Brad Derechailo, Asst. Director/Communications staff are prohibited from participating in any interviews without pri- ing is NOT permitted during practice. Live video/audio broadcast of or authorization from the Athletic Communications Office. any kind is also NOT permitted. This includes the use of social media Email: [email protected] platforms such as Facebook Live, Instagram, Snapchat or Periscope. Office: 732-445-7028 MEDIA CREDENTIALS All reports must be filed at the conclusion of any open media prac- Cell: 732-647-5034 All media credential requests must be submitted to credentials@ tice windows. scarletknights.com via email. Admittance to the SHI Stadium press Twitter: @Bradly_D box is limited to working media members only. Credential requests POSTGAME INTERVIEWS must be made formally to the credential email address. Head coach Chris Ash and select players, following the designated BIG TEN CONTACTS cooling off period, will be made available for interviews after each Requests for game day credentials must be received at least two game. Following home games, the press conference for coach Ash Adam Augustine, Director/Communications weeks in advance of the date of the contest to provide sufficient will take place in the team meeting room on the second floor of Email: [email protected] time for processing and mailing. Media credentials which cannot the Hale Center, which is located on the east side of the stadium Office: 847-696-1010 ext.151 be mailed will be left at the West Gate Media Will Call (Media En- opposite the press box. trance) beneath the press box at SHI Stadium. Cell: 608-215-4391 With approximately five minutes remaining in the game, members Working space in the SHI Stadium Press Box is allotted on the fol- of the media will be escorted across the field towards the Hale Jason Yellin, Associate Commissioner/ lowing basis: (1) daily newspaper writers covering for next-day pub- Center. lication covering Rutgers or the current game opponent; (2) sports Communications editors of newspapers in New Jersey, New York and Eastern Penn- The visiting team’s press conference will be held in the cornerbacks Email: [email protected] sylvania; (3) radio personnel for broadcast