Long Strange Trip for Tom Savage

I remember sitting in Rutgers Stadium Sept. 12, 2009 waiting for Tom Savage to make his debut for the Scarlet Knights.

Fast forward a couple of years and a couple of different colleges, Savage is now considered a potential first rounder in the NFL Draft. This story ran on NFL.com: Tom Savage: The best QB prospect you've never heard of.  While I'm happy for Savage, I just wish he would have done all of this while at Rutgers. He was the highest rated quarterback ever to come to Rutgers.

I just wish it would have all worked out better on the Banks. Blame for it not working out has to be shared between Savage and then head coach Greg Schiano.

Savage on the move again

Two years ago Rutgers starting qb Tom Savage was on track for big things. Then after getting injured and replaced by Chas Dodd, Savage decided to transfer to Arizona.

Now after a year there and coaching changes, Savages is looking for another place to play. Savage is transferring from Arizona for family reason, according to the Star Ledger His once promising career now looks like a thing of the past. It's a shame because he does have the talent to play and you wonder if their is something else going on here.

Savage vs Dodd = Rutgers version of Applewhite vs. Simms

While driving into work today, I was listening to Rivals Radio and host Bill King made a great comment on the ongoing quarterback battle at Rutgers between Tom Savage and Chas Dodd. King said it reminded him of the QB war that broke out at the University of Texas between Chris Simms and Major Applewhite (pictured below during happier times).  The more I thought of it, during my hour long drive into the office, the more I thought it was correct.

Savage is like Simms in the a lot of ways. Both of them pass the eye test, both are NFL sized quarterbacks with perfect mechanics and have been groomed for this moment for a bunch of years. Simms was a huge recruit out of the New Jersey and showed that Texas had reaching power outside of their own state. While Savages was a national top 10 QB recruit for Rutgers out of Philly and showed that Scarlet Knights could go head to head with big time programs like Penn State, Miami, Michigan for top ranked players.  

Dodd is just like Applewhite. Both are listed at six foot or a little over but don't look like it. Both don't pass the eye test, if you saw them get off the bus for a game you would think that they are team managers as opposed to the starting quarterback. Both have that special it factor that is so hard to measure. During his two starts so far, Dodd has engineered come from behind wins against Army and UConn.

Texas head coach Mack Brown decided that Applewhite was the perfect fit for Texas about 12 years ago and I have feeling that Schiano is going to decide that Dodd is the right fit for this Rutgers team, but the one thing that Schiano has to do is make a decision and stick to it, if not things could get out of hand like they did at Texas a bunch years ago.

Professional Tailgating: The Legend of Chas Dodd Continues to Grow

Last time out Chas Dodd led Rutgers to a come back win over UConn and on Saturday that was no different as Dodd led Rutgers to a come from behind win over Army at the New Meadowlands.

This might be the last time we see ads for Rutgers with Tom Savage on them

 Never thought I would see an old school Expos jacket at a Rutgers game, it was good to see

 In a huge stadium, Chas Dodd still very very small

 The Army Cadets blended into the New Meadowlands gray seats. If you look hard enough you might see them

In a serious moment, OTWT would like to send their thoughts and prayers to Eric LaGrand and his family after he suffered a serious neck injury during the game. 

Professional Tailgating: Sometimes it aint easy

So Rutgers did not look that great but in the end they beat Florida International, which brings them to 2-1 on the season. The real story was the tailgating as usual and the OTWT Tailgating crew being introduced to a new drinking game.

Our tailgating neighbors playing Stump, it involved a hammer and nails. So I decided to take a pass on it.

Stump in action

The new section of the stadium features a DJ booth, Rutgers might be the only school in american that has a pregame DJ.

The Wall of Victory, some interesting things on it.

Rutgers takes the fields and keeps choppin'

The hippies even came out to support the team

Rutgers will be on the road for the next couple of weeks and this will allow the OTWT Tailgating Crew to rest up, which is needed. The Knights return home Oct. 10.

The Rise of a Child

""And a child should lead them," that is the famous line. At Rutgers that is the case as, fresh off his first career start, true freshman Tom Savage has become an icon at the school. From people going nuts in the stadium when he entered the game against Cincy to his performance against Howard. Now fans are even going nuts on Facebook over the freshman from Philly.

Rutgers students have created The Savage Nation (The official Tom Savage Facebook Fanclub). All the description says is that "we are all witnesses.'' We are all witnesses to one of the greatest stories in Rutgers football. So far the group has approximately 80 members and will surely grown in the coming weeks.

I know that more groups are going to pop up, but the Savage Nation is the first and should be honored as such. As a season ticket holder, OTWT is endorsing Savage Nation as the only group to join.

Professional Tailgating: It's a Savage Life

So the OTWT Tailgating crew return the scene of the crime, Rutgers, for their game against Howard on yesterday. But the day was about more then the game it was the first career start of true freshman Tom Savage. Here are some of the sights and sounds of the day. Savage played well and Rutgers beat Howard.

Wow there is a difference in the amount of cars in the parking lot from the week before

This little Knight is looking for a name please help him
Last week we did not have time to found the cannon in the new section of the stadium, this week it was a different story, not a big fan of the new location The new TV screen is simply amazing.
This youngster is jumping on the Mohamed Sanu bandwagon really early. I think that I might want to get on the bandwagon. He going to be the next Kenny Britt. Tom Savage warms up before his first career start and he looked great

Please be Patient, Its going to be a fun ride

If there is at all a silver lining the Rutgers' opening day loss to Cincinnati it was the play of true freshman QB Tom Savage. After being build as the biggest recruit in the history of the school, the true freshman from Philly showed the crowd what they have to look forward to for the next four years.

His performance made the coaching staff notice and the gave the reigns to offense for their upcoming game against Howard on Saturday. All fans in the stadium on Monday were asking for the Golden Boy to take the field and we all now have our wish.

While its hard to predict his performance because he is so young, one thing is for certain its going to be bumpy ride. There are going to be times where, as fans, we are going to go nuts about a throw Savage makes or a decision he makes, but there are going to times where fans are going to look around and go "what was he thinking.'' In order to play Savage, us as fans have to realize that he is in no way the finished product and we have to be patients. So as a season ticket holder I'm asking my fellow season tickets holder to please don't boo the Golden Boy, let me develop and lead this program into the future.

Its going to be a fun ride, so everyone please buckle up.