NCAA football odds: Who will win Rutgers' RB job?

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights are expected to take a step back this year because they lost one of the best players in school history in running back Ray Rice, who’s now with the Baltimore Ravens.

All Rice did was averaged 5.3 yards a carry and is the school record holder in career yards (4,926), attempts (910), touchdowns (49), consecutive 100-yard games (8), 100-yard games (25), and 200-yard games (6). He also holds the records for season yards (2,012), attempts (380) and touchdowns (24), and owns the single-game mark of 280 yards.

"When you lose a guy like Ray Rice, who did so much for your program, it's hard," Rutgers coach Greg Schiano said. "It's not coincidental that things really took off during his time here. Now, he certainly had a great supporting cast, and Ray would be the first one to tell you that, but Ray's a phenomenal football player and a great teammate to have, and we're going to miss him."

A five-man race seems to be down to a two-man battle between sophomore Mason Robinson and junior Kordell Young, although power back Jourdan Brooks should get some carries as a change of pace.

"Kordell, Mason, Jourdan and (freshman) Joe (Martinek) have looked really impressive so far," said Schiano. "That's spring time and now. Do we have a Ray Rice? No, we don't. But we have other guys and they're going to do their best and I think their best is going to be pretty good."

Both Young and Robinson believe they have earned the right to get plenty of playing time. Young was Rice’s top backup last year but suffered a season-ending knee injury in last season's third game.

"We all want to make names for ourselves," said Young, who is at full strength. "We can't live up to what Ray Rice did. We just want to make names for ourselves.

"Even when I was behind Ray last year, I was always of the mind-set that I wanted to play and that I had the ability to do it at this level.”Robinson showed some flashes last fall as well, averaging 5.6 yards per carry rushing in backup duty.

"Probably his biggest (strength) is his speed," Schiano said, "but I think a very close second is his patience. He understands when to jet it and when to wait."

Expect both Young, who has shown great quickness, and Robinson, the home-run hitter, to play plenty this season, so being named the starter could just be in name only.

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