(AP photo)

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

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — This is the offense Rutgers expected to see.

Armed with Leonte Carroo, a healthy Andre Patton and the return of Janarion Grant, Rutgers spent 46 percent of its snaps in shotgun during Saturday's 41-38 come-from-behind victory at Maryland.

"It made it worth it, because ever since my (preseason upper-body) injury I just kept building on it and building on it and getting better every week," said Patton, who set career highs with eight catches, 101 yards and two TDs. "What better way than to come out here in the last regular-season game and go hard and have a big win like this?"

Carroo, Grant and Patton combined for 89 percent of Gary Nova's passing yards. 

Grant played a significant role for the first time in a month after playing only a handful of snaps. He worked a combination of drag patterns and deep routes.

Carroo, meanwhile, dealt with little shadowed coverage thanks to Rutgers' most balanced pass efforts of the season. His two TDs, which tied the school's single-season record with 10 overall, came on toe-touching grabs.

"They were doing a good job, but it was really more us," Nova said of Maryland. "Some drop balls, some missed throws, a fumble on my part. In the second half we were on the same page, and it was beautiful to be a part of."

NOTES: Offensive coordinator Ralph Friedgen singled out Patton in an early week meeting, and it worked. Patton gave Rutgers its best complement to Carroo in any game this season. "Friedgen said we needed a big game out of me," Patton said. "I felt like he trusted me and I came out here and executed and did what we had to do." ... Friedgen unveiled a shotgun package with tight end Nick Arcidiacono split out wide and fullback Michael Burton in the slot. One produced Carroo's first TD, the other a screen to Carlton Agudosi.

Could Friedgen have coached his final Big Ten game at Rutgers?

Rutgers' unofficial formation count against Maryland:

-shotgun with 11 personnel: 30 plays
-off-I-formation: 24 plays
-I-form: five plays
-trips with base personnel: three plays
-shotgun with 22 personnel: two plays
-12 personnel: two plays
-shotgun with 11 personnel, tight end Tyler Kroft flexed out: two plays
-I-form heavy: two plays
-13 personnel: one play
-11 personnel: one play
-shotgun with 11 personnel in trips: one play

Rutgers' unofficial snap chart for skill-position players:

Player	Kroft	Carroo	Patton	Burton	Grant	Hicks	Martin	Arcidiacono	Agudosi	Goodwin
Snaps	75	72	69	56	33	28	28	8	3	1

Rutgers' unofficial target chart in the passing game: 

Player	Patton	Carroo	Grant	Kroft	Burton	Agudosi	Martin
Targets	12	10	9	6	2	1	1