Rutgers Benches Starting QB After Upset Loss to UMass

Rutgers opened its season with a loss to the UMass Minutemen, a program that entered the game carrying the nation’s longest losing streak. The Scarlet Knights’ offense struggled, and head coach Greg Schiano announced that starting quarterback Dylan Lonergan would be replaced by backup AJ Surace for the next contest.

Newsweek

Lonergan arrived at Rutgers after a peripatetic college career. He spent two seasons with the Alabama Crimson Tide before transferring to Boston College, where he started nine games in 2025, throwing for 2,025 yards, 12 touchdowns and five interceptions. He transferred again to Rutgers and won the starting job in the offseason QB battle.

Newsweek

Schiano’s decision to bench Lonergan followed a performance that included two touchdowns, three interceptions, a lost fumble and an “undisclosed injury” that forced Lonergan out of the fourth quarter, according to ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg. Schiano indicated that the move was driven by the need for more reliable production and the injury’s uncertainty, while also leaving open the possibility of an emergency role for Lonergan.

Newsweek

“Schiano said he hopes that Lonergan, a transfer from Boston College, will be available in an emergency/reserve role against his former team,” — Adam Rittenberg, of ESPN called an undisclosed injury

Newsweek

Rutgers now prepares to face Boston College, Lonergan’s former team, with Surace slated to make his first career start. The coaching staff’s comments suggest that Lonergan could be re-activated if circumstances demand, but the immediate focus will be on Surace’s ability to lead the offense against a familiar opponent.

Newsweek