What bettors need to know: Ball State at Rutgers
By JUSTIN BANKS | January 3, 2008 | 2 comments
Ball State at Rutgers (-10 ½, 61)
Teel time
Rutgers quarterback Mike Teel won’t need to fabricate any enthusiasm for playing in Saturday’s International Bowl.
“This will probably be the healthiest I've been since the second game of the year,” Teel told reporters. “I'm excited at the opportunity.”
Teel injured his throwing hand in the first month of the campaign and spent the next two months struggling to restore the strength in his arm.
“There were times I did nothing because I couldn't,” Teel told reporters. “Obviously it affects anyone, even the best quarterbacks in the NFL, to not get the reps. You get the mental reps because you see it, but that's not the same as going out there and going through it. You need to see everything, you need to get your checks, get guys in the right spots at the right times.”
Rutgers, though, isn’t scoffing at Saturday’s meeting with the Ball State Cardinals.
“All the stuff about, 'We could be here, we should be there,' it is what it is,” Teel continued. “It's a great opportunity for me to have a chance to play healthy again, and it gives us the opportunity to get all the young guys an extra 15 or so practices so they can really elevate themselves and really learn the game.”
Teel finished the regular season with 2,844 passing yards with 17 touchdowns against 12 interceptions.
Britt hurting
Rutgers standout receiver Kenny Britt had his knee scoped at the end of the regular season after injuring it against Louisville.
Britt is probable for the International Bowl.
Doctors initially told Rutgers that it could be without Britt versus Ball State. However, the star receiver said he has healed ahead of schedule.
“I was walking a week before I was supposed to walk and running a week before I was supposed to run,” Britt told the Newark Star-Ledger.
Rutgers quarterback Teel is especially interested in Britt’s status for Saturday.
“I thought he ran around pretty well,” Teel told reporters. “He did more than I thought he would. He's a pretty quick healer.”
Britt accumulated more than 1,100 receiving yards this season. He also led the Scarlet Knights with seven touchdown receptions.
Rizzi sighting
Scarlet Knights associate head coach Darren Rizzi, who recently accepted the head coaching position at Rhode Island, will remain with Rutgers through Saturday.
Head coach Greg Schiano thinks Rizzi’s participation is important for the Scarlet Knights’ bowl preparation.
“He’s still working really hard with the special teams and defense as well,” Schiano told reporters.
Under coach Rizzi, the Scarlet Knights defense blossomed. Last season Rutgers finished fourth in total defense and fifth in tackles for a loss and sacks.
“I am very happy for Darren and his family,” Schiano continued. “He has done a great job here at Rutgers and I know that he will do a great job as the head football coach at the University of Rhode Island. We will miss him but are very happy for him and his family.”
Cardinals fly North
Ball State will play its first bowl game in 11 years on Saturday.
Cardinals safety Eddie Burk, though, is treating the International Bowl like a BCS Championship.
“It will be exciting to go to a bowl, and finding out we play Rutgers makes me even more excited to win the game,” Ball State safety Eddie Burk told the Indiana Star-Press. “We're not just going to be satisfied to go to the game. We're going to Toronto to win. It's going to be fun.”
Ball State head coach Brady Hoke thinks his team can compete with the experienced Scarlet Knights.
“It will be interesting to see how these guys respond,” Hoke said. “I like where their attitude has been, and I like how they feel about having the opportunity to play. Their demeanor will be based on my demeanor.”
Ball State, 7-5 straight up (SU) and 7-4 against the spread (ATS), put together its first successful season since finishing 8-4 SU in 1996.
