PISCATAWAY -- Look at it this way: The only direction for Rutgers' pass defense to go is up. The Scarlet Knights ranked 118th out of 127 teams nationally in passing yards allowed last season.

New Rutgers head coach Chris Ash is no stranger to reclamation projects. Ash is credited with transforming Ohio State's pass defense from 112th nationally to 29th nationally in his first season as co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach in 2014. Before that Ash, improved Arkansas' pass defense from No. 113 to No. 72 as the defensive coordinator and secondary coach in 2013.

Here are the biggest changes Ash and his staff are making to Rutgers' pass defense:

*Press-man coverage

Can I get an amen from the bleachers? The most frustrating aspect of watching Rutgers' pass defense get shredded over the past three seasons is that the Scarlet Knights seemed to offer no resistance. The corners lined up 10 yards off receivers and dropped into soft zones that opponents picked apart with ease.

Those days are over, as Rutgers' cornerbacks will now mostly line up directly across from opposing receivers and play press coverage. If nothing else, this coverage will eliminate opponents' ability to simply pick up at least five yards on every bubble screen.

The risk of playing press coverage is that if the corners get beat at the line they'll surrender big plays. But again, Rutgers was getting torched playing the soft zones. At least the new approach has instilled an aggressive mindset that should generate some positive plays for the defense.

"We're playing press-man on every single down," cornerback Blessuan Austin said. "You've definitely got to be a different type of dude to do that. You've got to compete and stay positive at all times. I love doing it."

*Quarters coverage

While the corners will press receivers at the line, they won't play straight man coverage. Ash mostly employs quarters coverage, also known as Cover 4, with the corners and safeties each responsible for a quarter of the field.

The corners and safeties match-up man-to-man if four receivers run vertical routes, and the corners will mostly play man coverage on the outside receivers unless they run shallow crossing and inside routes.

It will take time for the defensive backs and linebackers to get on the same page on when to pass off receivers as they run across zones. But the quarters coverage is simpler and should have fewer gaping holes than the Cover 6 coverage Rutgers mostly used in the past. The Cover 6 was a mix of Cover 4 (field side) and Cover 2 (boundary size).

"It's a lot different," cornerback Isaiah Wharton said. "You've got to compete. In zone you could relax a little more here and there with your eyes on the quarterback. In the quarters, you've got to go hard every play because you never know when the ball is coming to you so you've got to treat every play like it's coming to you."

*Rugby tackling

Coverage was only part of the problem with the pass defense in recent years. Shoddy tackling turned many short passes into big gains and that is an issue Ash is determined to correct.

Ash has instituted a system of rugby tackling, which teaches players to lead with their shoulder and target a ball carrier's legs. It's safer than the more common technique of leading with the head across a ball carrier's chest.

Rugby tackling also proved to be highly effective at Ohio State. Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer said his team had the fewest missed tackles in the country during its 2014 national championship season after adopting the rugby-style technique.

"It's definitely different, but it works," Austin said. "It's proven that it works so it's something everyone on the team is open to."

*Deep ball tracking

This actually isn't changing, but fans often complain that defensive backs don't turn and find the ball on deep throws. I asked Wharton about this and he said the technique on deep balls remains the same.

"If you're in phase, you've got to go up and you've got to make a play," Wharton said. "If you're out of phase, you've just got to run and play the hands."

Being "in phase" means running step-for-step with a receiver and being even with him as the ball arrives. Being in phase allows a defensive back to turn to find the ball and attempt to make an interception. While it's ideal to be in phase, it's rarely the case for the average cornerback.

More likely, a cornerback is going to be a step or two behind a receiver on a deep ball, so the defender can't afford to turn to find the ball because that will create even more separation. Instead, defensive backs are taught to continue running and then try to strip the ball when the receiver extends his hands for the catch.

Dan Duggan may be reached at dduggan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DDuggan21. Find NJ.com Rutgers Football on Facebook.