RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesPISCATAWAY – Rutgers football’s lackluster pass rush was a consistent issue amid the defense’s struggles last season.
The Scarlet Knights are hoping that changes in 2026.
Enter Malachi Davis.
The program added the 6-foot-4, 255-pound Davis early in the offseason, believing the production he showed at Toledo can translate to the Big Ten and boost an area that’s been far from a strength in recent seasons.
Davis last season started all 12 games for the Rockets, finishing with 36 tackles (9.5 for loss) with 5.5 sacks.
That sack total is half of what the Scarlet Knights had all last season as a team – their 11 sacks were second-to-last in the conference ahead of UCLA. While there's more to an effective pass rush than the sack total, that number reflects how much it struggled to disrupt opposing quarterbacks.
But Davis isn’t looking at that production as a baseline for what he wants to accomplish with Rutgers.
The Holt, Michigan native has a bigger overall goal in mind.
“I'm not looking at production at all,” Davis said. “I just want to win. And with winning comes production. Your first goal is to always win.”
Still, the Scarlet Knights have high hopes for Davis.
They wasted little time bringing him in, signing Davis in January when they didn’t even have a defensive coordinator in place.
Coach Greg Schiano didn’t hire Travis Johansen for another month.
But Davis trusted in what he heard from Schiano.
“Rutgers was a spot for me just because I trusted in Coach Schiano and his vision,” Davis said. “We didn't have a D.C. at a time, but he said, ‘Trust me, I got it.’ So I trusted him. And I wanted to play Big Ten football. Everything kind of lined up with me, and I'm big in my faith, and when Schiano told me he was big in his faith as well, I felt like God kind of put me here.”
Schiano kept his word with Davis, bringing in a defensive coordinator that’s garnered high praise so far for his ability to develop relationships with his players and teach his scheme.
“Just yesterday we had a meeting, and it doesn't feel like he's speaking at you,” Davis said. “He's more speaking with you. And when you have somebody who isn't going to cuss you out because you make a mistake, but teach you why you made the mistake, and teach you how to correct it, that's the huge part. Don’t get me wrong, he'll get on you a little bit, but, but he wants you to understand why. And I think that's what makes a great coach.”
Davis was one of 10 defensive transfers the Scarlet Knights brought in during the offseason. Much of the summer was spent building connections with his new teammates and developing chemistry they want to carry onto the field.
“I think Coach Schiano and really, the whole team's emphasis was improving connection,” Davis said. “We’ve got a lot of transfer guys. Obviously, with the new defensive staff coming in. Just trying to hang out with guys as much as we possibly can. Everybody around the country works hard. Everybody around the country runs, so where can we find the advantage? We feel like it's going to be through connection. That’s been my focus over the summer and as we go through training camp.”
Together they’re going to try and improve a defense that ranked among the worst in the nation last season and served as a major reason why Rutgers finished with a disappointing 5-7 record.
Davis has ample potential to lead that improvement – as long as his production can translate.
Regardless, he’s confident in the unit.
“I’m excited just to get out there and play with everybody,” Davis said. “Not just my skills, but the whole defense and the whole team as a whole. I'm not really focused on myself, but if we can have a successful defense, and I'm sure I'll be successful as well.”
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Can this defensive end transfer boost Rutgers football's pass rush?
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