By Tyler Barto
Twitter: @Tyler_Barto
tbarto@trentonian.com

TERMINOLOGY TALK

As part of an ongoing series, The Trentonian will take an in-depth look into certain concepts with Rutgers' schemes and explain them through the eyes of the players.

Part 4 focuses on the reads required of quarterback Gary Nova in Ron Prince's offense.
Nova on Rutgers' read philosophies:

"Not most of them go all the way across the field. Some of them, we call it a horizontal read where you start one way and work across. Every route concept as progression one, two, three and find the back. You just have to stay disciplined. It's hard when guys are flying around out there. You kind of want to make a play, so it's hard to stay disciplined. But when you stay disciplined, that's when you have big nights."

Nova said Monday he will never be responsible for a primary read on one side of the field with a second on an opposite hash. It requires to much artificial movement, especially in an offense based on one- to two-read quick decisions.


"Everything is kind of in sequence," he said. "They're not going to have you looking one way and work the other side. If you're looking to the right, someone will be here or someone will be coming to the right."

Nova released the ball on a 2.56-second average Aug. 29 at Fresno State. It's a solid figure since more than half of his attempts came under center, requiring three- or five-step drops.

It's also a sign that either his primary options were open early or that Nova was only responsible for making one or two reads in Prince's system. Nova points to a fourth-quarter pass to Paul James in which James was Nova's fourth read, his longest progression.

RELATED: What a first glimpse at Ron Prince's offense reveals

"As a quarterback, you love the offense because it's pretty much made for you," Nova said. "You have all the power, and the passing game is very simple as far as the reads. You just have to stay disciplined in them."

More Terminology Talk: Part 3 — Part 2 — Part 1