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· collected 2026-08-18 · by Everett Merrill The Associated Press
Rutgers is preparing for its first quarterback battle in three years, with AJ Surace and Dylan Lonergan competing to lead the team. The winner will benefit from the return of leading rusher Antwan Raymond and top wide receiver KJ Duff. Rutgers' defense must improve after allowing 35 or more points in six conference games last season, and the team is counting on new defensive coordinator Travis Johansen to make a difference. With a tough schedule ahead that includes USC, Michigan, and Indiana, Rutgers needs to show improvement on both sides of the ball to return to a bowl game.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-18,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Rutgers football is looking to rebound from a 5-7 record in 2023, and the team is counting on several key players to lead the way. Among them are wide receiver Antwan Raymond, who returned after running for 1,241 yards as a sophomore, and playmaker KJ Duff, who also came back after a breakout season. The Scarlet Knights' defense will need to improve, having allowed 35 or more points in six of nine conference games last year. Rutgers is facing a tough schedule, with non-conference matchups against USC, Michigan, and Indiana, and will need to perform well at home and on the road to make up for their struggles last season. The team's quarterback situation is also up in the air, with AJ Surace and Dylan Lonergan** competing for the starting spot. The return of Raymond and Duff should give whichever quarterback wins the job a boost.
Written for “Rutgers Football Season” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
This article does not take a side on a contested political
question, so it has no leaning score. That is an
answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly
or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it
anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political
position.
No political leaning scored for article 1039 · logged 2026-08-25
AJ Surace or Dylan Lonergan are trying to win the job to run coach Greg Schiano’s ball-control offense.
asserted
Surace → try → offense
Surace knows the system but lacks game experience; he threw just nine passes last season as a backup.
asserted
he → know → backup
Lonergan is a transfer from Boston College who threw for over 2,000 yards.
asserted
who → throw → yards
Whoever gets the nod will benefit from the return of the Scarlet Knights’ leading rusher and wide receiver, Antwan Raymond and KJ Duff, respectively.
asserted
gets → get → rusher
The defense, which allowed 35 or more points in six of nine conference games, must improve if the Scarlet Knights want to return to a bowl game after missing out last season.
asserted
Knights → allow → game
This is the second straight season Schiano has addressed the defense via the portal.
asserted
Schiano → address → portal
Starting 2-0 against UMass and Boston College is imperative because the schedule after that includes USC, Michigan and Indiana paying a visit to SHI Stadium.
asserted
USC → start → Stadium
Rutgers will also need to improve on the road where it went 1-4 last fall.
asserted
it → need → road
Strengths start with two skill players
Raymond and Duff are coming off breakout seasons as sophomores.
asserted
Raymond → start → sophomores
Raymond ran for 1,241 yards and 13 touchdowns in his first season as a starter.
asserted
Raymond → run → starter
The 6-foot-6 Duff caught 60 passes for 1,084 yards and seven touchdowns last season.
asserted
Duff → catch → yards
The offensive line has experience and depth, starting with left tackle Tyler Needham and right guard Kwabena Asamoah.
asserted
line → have → Needham
They anchor a line that produced a 3,000-yard passer, a 1,000-yard rusher and a 1,000-yard receiver in 2025 for the second time in program history.
asserted
that → anchor → history
Punter Jakob Anderson and place kicker Jai Patel return.
asserted
Anderson → return → ?
Anderson averaged 44.2 yards on 33 punts and Patel, a four-year starter, is reliable from inside of 50 yards.
asserted
Patel → average → yards
Weaknesses include inexperience on defense, NIL budget
asserted
Weaknesses → include → defense
After a season that ranked 125th in total defense, Schiano decided to overhaul the coaching staff and turn to the portal for help.
asserted
Schiano → rank → help
Travis Johansen is the new defensive coordinator after serving as the head coach at South Dakota, former Drake head coach Joe Woodley is the new rush ends coach and Dennis Dottin-Carter takes over the defensive line after three years at Minnesota.
asserted
Carter → serve → Minnesota
Schiano brought in Toledo defensive end Malachi Davis, Tulsa defensive end J’Dan Burnett and Temple DL Sekou Kromah to bolster a line that recorded 11 sacks, second lowest in the nation.
asserted
that → bring → nation
Rutgers program operates well below the Big Ten’s bigger spenders when it comes to NIL compensation.
asserted
it → operate → compensation
Rutgers president William F. Tate IV and athletic director Keli Zinn, who both came over from LSU, must continue to prioritize fundraising if the Scarlet Knights want to be a factor in the conference.
asserted
Knights → come → conference
