When Rutgers was ready to face Louisville on the national stage last year, I referred to it as the "Battle of the New Powerhouses."
We knew about the Louisville quarterback, Brian Brohm, but we were just learning about the other stud showcased in the game, Ray Rice.
Rice finished with jaw-dropping numbers in 2006 and is torching opponents in the same fashion this season. His 175-yard outing against Navy in Week 2 made him Rutgers' all-time rushing leader. He's two games into his junior season.
But there's another all-time rushing record that might come into play next season: The NCAA career rushing record. Ron Dayne is the owner with 6,397. Rice still has a healthy 3,000 yards to go, but if he keeps shredding opponents, it's not out of the question.
When you watch film of Rice, you notice it's as if he's constantly looking 10 yards down the field and makes immediate cuts as if he has feelers. He has amazing vision.
Campus Confidential spoke with Ray Rice:
Campus Confidential: Can you explain how it's been with the hype around Rutgers this year?
Ray Rice: It's been pretty interesting. I definitely think our team is responding well to it, you know, because the last thing [the guys need] is hype and you go out there and not play your best game. I think our team is just responding in a good way.
CC: What are your personal goals for this season?
RR: Obviously, to be consistent. Anything I can do to help my team win, definitely. I haven't really set a mark on how many yards I want, but I always want to achieve over a thousand yards and I'll just go from there but I definitely just want to do anything I can to help my team win.
CC: You're definitely off to a good start. What's your favorite part about the college experience?
RR: Just the environment. You only [experience] college once and I think you have to enjoy every moment of it. I think being around my teammates and the whole idea of going out and practicing all week, preparing and going out there on Saturday and giving it your best is the best part of college for me.
CC: Take me through a Ray Rice run for a big gain from the huddle to when you get tackled or score a TD.
RR: The best feeling is you know your number is getting called. You're in the huddle and my quarterback comes in and tells me 'It's your turn, now, let's make a play.' On the goalline it's even better when you know your number's getting called. As I get closer and closer to it or if I pop one, it's just thumbs up after I get tackled for a big gain or touchdown.
CC: What are your non-football interests?
RR: My family. Just my social life. And school.
CC: State your case for Big East football.
RR: I think we definitely have a tough conference and the Big East has come a long way. I think we won our bowl games, all the teams that were in a bowl, and we're picking right up where we left off.
Click the link for the rest.
CC: What do you think the Big East would be like if Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College were still members? (reader question)
RR: It would definitely be the toughest conference in the nation.
CC: Besides the winning, what's been the favorite part of the rise of Rutgers football?
RR: Besides all the winning, the actual change in the program. We were a team that wasn't looked at probably by anyone. We were probably classified as a 1-AA team. But the whole change in the program, the actual feeling of being in a big time program, feels good.
CC: Has anything changed about your approach or how you go from week to week this year?
RR: No. I think we just have to go out there and play our best game. That's just from watching college football all over the nation. You have to go out there and play your best game because it's hard to win a college football game.
CC: Who do you model your game after?
RR: I actually liked the way Emmitt Smith played.
CC: Favorite road stadium?
RR: That'd have to be the Carrier Dome. (Syracuse)
CC: Who gave you the biggest hit in a game?
RR: [Thinks for a while] I would have to say, I really haven't gotten hit tremendously hard, but the greatest tackler I've been tackled by, he's all over the field when we played against him is the linebacker from Pittsburgh, H.B. Blades. (now with the Washington Redskins)
CC: What did you do this offseason, football and non-football?
RR: When I was doing football, I was really catching up on time with my family because of how important it is to have my family involved in my life. But when I was training, I was getting a lot stronger and definitely working on speed and quickness and other stuff. I feel like I got a lot stronger.
CC: Last one. Finish this sentence: "Ray Rice is _______"
RR: …determined to be the best he can be.
Comments (2)
Great interview.
I was watching the YouTube video, and while Rice looks awesome, I have to say his O-line is RIDICULOUS. The blocking -- both at the line and downfield -- is incredible.
Good comment furnk - I go to all the home games and his line is awesome. I remember 5 years ago when they couldn't rush for a yard on three straight plays. Now they are consistently pancaking the defense. Think about this - the QB was sacked only 8 times in 2006! That leads to winning.