Rutgers · Big TenRutgers’ opener nears with AJ Surace and Dylan Lonergan still battling at quarterback
Greg Schiano says Rutgers has two good choices and expects to name a starter soon. The decision comes down to a third-year Scarlet Knight and a transfer who has already played at Alabama and Boston College, with offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca deeply involved.
AUG 22, 2026
Passing yards Dylan Lonergan recorded at Boston College in 2025.
Touchdown passes Lonergan threw for Boston College in 2025.
Interceptions Lonergan threw for Boston College in 2025.
01 · The NewsWhat Happened
Rutgers coach Greg Schiano said Saturday that the Scarlet Knights still haven’t chosen between AJ Surace and Boston College transfer Dylan Lonergan after the team’s second and final training-camp scrimmage. Schiano said the decision could come soon, though he declined to set a specific day. He and offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca will review the full body of work rather than rely on one practice or one tape session. Schiano said he’ll make the final call and name the starting quarterback, while other lineup decisions won’t be shared until the lineup is made public. Surace is entering his third year in the Rutgers program. Lonergan has played at Alabama and Boston College, where he appeared in 10 games in 2025.
02 · The StakesWhy This One Matters
Rutgers isn’t choosing between an established starter and an unknown freshman. It’s choosing between a quarterback who knows the program and a transfer with recent college-game experience. Lonergan’s 2025 season gave him actual snaps at Boston College after two years at Alabama, while Surace has had more time inside Rutgers’ system. Schiano said the two quarterbacks are similar, which explains why the competition has lasted through both scrimmages. Their skill sets, mentality, maturity and leadership have made the separation difficult. That leaves Ciarrocca’s daily view of the position carrying real weight. He spends more time with both quarterbacks than Schiano does, even though Schiano will make the final decision.
03 · The Detail Beneath the HeadlineWhat Most People Are Missing
The less obvious part is that Rutgers’ decision won’t be based on one impressive Saturday. Schiano specifically described the review as a total-body-of-work decision, and he said the latest scrimmage didn’t produce much tape. That matters because a quarterback battle between similar players often turns on the small parts that survive repeated practice: who handles the offense cleanly, who makes the same throw under pressure, and who gives the staff the same answer day after day. Rutgers hasn’t released those details. The public record tells us the race is close. It doesn’t tell us whether one quarterback has been steadier.
“Ciarrocca’s close view should help separate two quarterbacks Schiano says are similar.”
The Wire Desk04 · The PersonnelWhat the Decision Tells Us
Schiano’s timing tells us Rutgers isn’t planning to carry the battle deep into the season. He has enough information to sit with Ciarrocca after the tape review, but not enough distance between the two choices to announce one immediately after the scrimmage. The decision should reveal what the staff valued most when the quarterbacks looked similar. If Surace wins, Rutgers likely preferred the quarterback with the longer program runway and a more familiar command of its operation. If Lonergan wins, the transfer’s experience across Alabama and Boston College carried more weight than his time in the building. Those are projections, not confirmed reasons. Schiano said only that both bring strong skill sets and that he and Ciarrocca are aligned on the choice. The next public lineup announcement will show which kind of experience Rutgers trusted.
05 · The ThesisThe Pate State Read
Rutgers has a real quarterback competition, not a delayed announcement hiding an obvious starter. Schiano called both players good choices, and the staff is judging more than the best throw from one scrimmage. That’s a fair place to be with the season less than two weeks away. The cost is that the rest of the offense still has to build around a voice, a cadence and a decision-maker it doesn’t publicly know yet. Ciarrocca’s close view should help separate two quarterbacks Schiano says are similar. The honest concern is timing. A late choice gives the winner fewer public reps as the unquestioned starter, even if the internal work is already thorough. Rutgers can live with that if the decision is truly close. It can’t live with choosing late because neither player took control. The first lineup announcement will tell us which kind of evidence won the room.
06 · The Watch ListWhat We're Watching
When will Rutgers name the starter?
Schiano said the decision could come soon but gave no date. The timing will show whether the staff sees the remaining work as confirmation or as a genuine unresolved split.
Which quarterback appears in the public lineup?
Schiano said he’ll name the starter while withholding other positions until the lineup is public. That announcement will establish whether Rutgers has settled the top of the depth chart.
Does the winner separate from the other quarterback?
A decision means Rutgers has picked its starter, not necessarily that the competition has vanished. The next available practice or game report should show whether the other quarterback remains part of the plan.
What did Ciarrocca value most?
Ciarrocca has spent more time with the quarterbacks and is heavily involved in the discussion. Any explanation tied to command, consistency or game experience will clarify why one similar quarterback beat the other.