How Rutgers football is addressing OL questions in spring practice

PISCATAWAY – Rutgers football has spots to fill on its offensive line, and the coaching staff this spring is evaluating every possibility to identify who will earn those roles.

In coach Greg Schiano’s words, it’s been a lot of “mixing and matching.”

“Then I think we’ll kind of set it, how we want it to work in training camp,” Schiano said following his team’s practice on Saturday, April 18. “Now you’ve got to get a little lucky and stay healthy and then you can keep progressing that way.”

That’s the goal as the Scarlet Knights need to find the right combination for the offensive line that will start their season opener against UMass on Sept. 3.

Rutgers needs to replace right tackle Taj White, who transferred to Colorado this offseason, as well as center Gus Zilinskas and left guard Bryan Felter, both of whom graduated following last season.

Kobe Asamoah, who started all 12 games at right guard and has developed into one of the better offensive linemen in the Big Ten, chose to return to Rutgers for 2026 in a major boon for the unit.

For Asamoah, there was never much doubt.

“It really just boils down to how I was raised,” Asamoah said. “I started it so I’m going to finish it here. I just love New Jersey, love Rutgers, love playing for Coach Schiano. That’s why I came back.”

Asamoah’s now an anchor for the line, along with Tyler Needham, who started 10 games (nine at left tackle, one at right tackle) last season.

They’ve become leaders in a room that’s now under Jim Turner, a veteran coach who replaced Pat Flaherty as offensive line coach.

“A lot of new competition, of course freshmen coming in every year,” Needham said. “He’s putting guys in different spots. We’re all (embracing) next man up, doing what we’re told. So it’s good stuff.”

The good thing for Rutgers is that it has depth – building up that depth has been a major focus ever since Schiano returned. It’s a requirement in the Big Ten, and there wasn’t nearly enough of it when he came back.

The Scarlet Knights also have two players – Dantae Chin and Ryder Langsdale – who missed either all or most of last season because of injuries.

“I like the offensive line,” Schiano said on the first day of spring practices. “I really think we’ve got a chance to be good up front. We have more depth than we’ve ever had. We have some young guys that need to ascend, and I think they’re going to.”

There’s still a ways to go before Rutgers takes the field for its season opener, but the spring offered Schiano and Turner a chance to see what they have along the offensive line.

They’ve been mixing and matching as the right combination starts coming into focus – that’ll be paramount once training camp begins.

Regardless, the Scarlet Knights are optimistic about the unit.

“I trust the guys, I trust the coaches to get everybody ready,” Asamoah said. “When the time comes, go out there and have fun playing the game.”

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Rutgers football 2026 offensive line outlook