J.P. Pelzman

@JPPelzman

PISCATAWAY – Gio Rescigno rose from third-string afterthought to undisputed starter in less than three months last year. That’s quite an accomplishment in FBS football at any position, let alone the most important one on the field, quarterback.

But despite his inspirational ascension to the starting lineup, Rescigno had one major regret.

In the “first quarter at Minnesota I ran the ball pretty well,” Rescigno said, referring to his first collegiate start, “and then I got hurt and was pretty limited the rest of the season. I love to run the ball. It’s always something I loved doing. I’m glad that I’m healthy now.”

Rescigno tweaked a hamstring early in that 34-32 loss to the Golden Gophers and was, well, hamstrung for the rest of the season, even though he didn’t miss a start. It was his dual-threat ability that helped win him the job over the pedestrian Chris Laviano, but Rescigno wasn’t able to show off his mobility on designed runs very often lest he aggravate the injury.

But now he feels ready to infuse that running dimension into the Rutgers’ offense once again. New offensive coordinator Jerry Kill already has noticed it after only two spring practices.

“Gio runs a lot better than I thought he’d run,” Kill said Saturday after practice. “I didn’t know he ran that well.”

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“I guess I run weird, people have said,” Rescigno noted with a smile when Kill’s comments were relayed to him. “I guess I come off if I jog or if I run that I don’t look athletic. I’ve been running like that since I was a little kid. … Coach Kill is a new coach and we’re all trying to impress him, even if you played all the games last year.”

Rescigno showed flashes of good play last season, starting the final five games and finishing with a 52.8 completion percentage on 163 attempts, with five touchdowns and five interceptions. The Scarlet Knights were winless in his five starts.

Kill and coach Chris Ash have made it clear there will be an open competition at quarterback. And Rescigno’s potentially most formidable obstacle for the job isn’t even in uniform yet, although he was taking mental reps at Saturday’s practice. Johnathan Lewis of St. Peter’s Prep attended the workout.

“I love (proving myself),” Rescigno said. “That’s the mentality I have to keep having for the rest of spring.”

Kill was asked how Rescigno is adjusting to a new system.

“It’s easier for him,” Kill said, “because he’s been on the field more than the others.”

MORE: Gio Rescigno opens spring as first-string QB

“Being able to play last year and start really helped me now in terms of the confidence,” Rescigno said. “Coming out here and being comfortable with what’s going on, being comfortable with what I’m seeing on defense. That’s stuff I got to see a lot last year because I got so many reps. Coming into spring ball, I have a certain confidence. … I think that helps.”

Rescigno spoke enthusiastically after the season-ending loss to Maryland on Nov. 26 about how beneficial it would be to finally be in the same system for a second straight year at Rutgers, where the position of offensive coordinator has been equivalent to the entrance of the team’s practice bubble--a revolving door.

But that security blanket was gone about two weeks later when 29-year-old coordinator Drew Mehringer bolted for Texas. Kill, the former Northern Illinois and Minnesota head coach, was hired by Ash approximately a week later.

“It was unfortunate,” Rescigno said. “You don’t want to see an offensive coordinator leave and coach Mehringer was awesome to us. We had a great relationship with him. We wish him the best. Coach Kill came in and he’s done a great job with us in terms of teaching us the offense. … He’s done a lot--all of the new coaches that came in--have done a lot to help us keep some of the language the same and some of the stuff we were doing last year the same in terms of terminology, which really helps us a lot.”

In terms of self-evaluation, Rescigno said, “I thought I played pretty well but I could’ve done a lot of things better. I want to use those things that I learned in the games I played in and apply them going forward.”

Staff writer J.P. Pelzman: jpelzman@gannett.com.