Rutgers throws for 1 yard in 35-0 loss at Indiana

Just how bad can things get for Rutgers?

The Scarlet Knights had a grand total of one passing yard in a 35-0 loss to Indiana on Saturday. The game came in interim coach Nunzio Campanile’s second game in charge following the firing of Chris Ash after Rutgers lost 52-0 at Michigan on Sept. 28.

Rutgers QB Johnny Langan was 5-of-13 passing for that one yard on Saturday. He’s playing because McLane Carter, a transfer from Texas Tech, medically retired earlier in the week after missing time because of a concussion and Art Sitkowski is sitting out with the plan of redshirting for the rest of the season.

Plenty of teams have had no passing yards in college football history. After all, the forward pass wasn’t allowed when football first began and the triple-option continues to be run by some teams in college football.

But in an era where teams are throwing the ball more and more — and Rutgers is not a triple-option team — the Scarlet Knights’ stat line is impressively bad.

According to College Football Reference, Rutgers’ one passing yard ties for the 15th-fewest passing yards by any team since the year 2000. And it comes on the most attempts of any of the games it matches or surpasses in the yardage category.

Ball State threw for one yard in 2009 but that came on two completions in 10 attempts. Far fewer than Rutgers. And Memphis has the mark for fewest passing yards in a game over the last 20 years. The Tigers were 1-of-8 passing for -3 yards in a win over Marshall in 2005.

Langan’s longest completion was a four-yarder to Aaron Young, who had three of the team’s five catches. Young’s other catches went for 3 and -3 yards. Bo Melton caught a pass for -1 yard and Paul Woods had a -2-yard catch.

With a 48-7 loss last week to Maryland, Rutgers has been outscored 83-7 in Campanile’s two games as coach. That’s somehow worse than Ash’s final three games, as the Scarlet Knights were outscored 112-16 after beating UMass in Week 1. Who will Rutgers be able to convince to be the team’s next head coach? Being the worst Power Five program in America is not an appealing position.

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Nick Bromberg is a writer for Yahoo Sports.

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