Ryan Dunleavy | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Spend some time in the Rutgers bubble for spring practice -- as students, high school and youth coaches from the tri-state area and VIPs did Saturday -- and some things will jump out immediately.

The banner that says "The Hunt" hanging from the rafters. The upbeat music that was conspicuously absent during a bubble visit on Pro Day. How often strength and conditioning coordinator Kenny Parker blows his whistle.

But none of that is different from last spring ... when just about everything was different from previous springs.

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John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Rutgers' 15-practice camp is more than halfway over.

Six position groups and their coaches -- quarterbacks, linebackers, offensive linemen, defensive linemen, tight ends and specialists -- have talked to the media thus far. Cornerbacks and running backs get their turn this week.

Here are 10 observations from between the lines -- and on the sidelines -- during the first half of spring camp.

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John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Name them captains

Nose tackle Sebastian Joseph and left guard Dorian Miller are acting like captains before the seemingly inevitable honor is bestowed upon them in August. The 299-pound Joseph came off the sideline to greet a younger teammate with a mid-air chest bump during a practice last week.

Looking at last year, all four Rutgers co-captains were linemen -- a point of emphasis in Ash's program. All four also were seniors, but here's two junior candidates who are leading their sides of the ball and not just their position groups: Middle linebacker Deonte Roberts and left tackle Tariq Cole.

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Fast and the furious

If a team is practicing at a quick pace, does that guarantee a 10-win season? Of course not. But it probably is an indication of a team that is comfortable enough with its playbook to think less and do more.

And it might seem impossible to compare the intensity of select practices in spring 2016 to practices in spring 2017 with the naked eye.

But a handful of Rutgers alums were back at Saturday's practice and sounded impressed by the speed of practice and that the "pads were popping."

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Why Rutgers' 8th spring practice led to an unusual sight

Fans on the field and a QB on the ground for a moment

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Keith Sargeant | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

The 3 B's share a coaching style

The styles of Rutgers offensive line coach A.J. Blazek and defensive line coach Shane Burnham is to be hands-on with players during drills. Because of it, they can be heard from almost any spot in the bubble no matter how much other noise is around them.

While other coaches will take a more laid-back approach to teaching, new cornerbacks coach Henry Baker appears to be cut from the same cloth. When his players were going too far outside of an imaginary boundary in a coverage drill, Baker stood on the and made himself the boundary to eliminate extra spacing.

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Rutgers offense is slowly catching up

The first five practices of spring camp were won by the defense, which showed the positive impact that continuity can have on a unit and exposed the lack of perimeter playmakers that Rutgers has in spring camp. The high-low point was a shutout in the first scrimmage.

You knew that offensive coordinator Jerry Kill wasn't going to settle for those results for long.

Rutgers offensive line had its best practice as a bounce-back from the first scrimmage, and Arkansas graduate transfer Damon Mitchell has responded to the need. He and returning starter Giovanni Rescigno appear to have developed chemistry quickly, especially when improvisation is required.

There's still a gap between the two sides of the ball, but it is narrowing as Kill implements greater flexibility.

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John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Black stripes are back

The black stripe on Rutgers practice helmets was introduced last spring as a motivational and ceremonial tactic: A player who had his black stripe removed was deemed game-ready.

At the end of practice once per week, the game-ready players were singled out in front of their teammates to be "Knighted." But the plan was foiled last fall when injuries shredded Rutgers' depth and forced players into the lineup who still had the black stripe, including quarterback Giovanni Rescigno.

All players had stripes returned to the helmet this spring to re-prove themselves, but Rutgers hasn't sped up the removal process. There's even a black stripe down the back of Ash's windbreaker, though that is just a coincidence. We think.

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The read option lives ... with good reason

One year ago at this time, it was startling to see Rutgers quarterbacks running the read option after years of a pro-style offense with an under-center quarterback, a tight end, a fullback and a halfback.

It seemed then like third-stringer Gio Rescigno was the only quarterback comfortable with the footwork, and that didn't change once the games began.

Kill is keeping the read option while changing other parts of the spread offense. Why? Not because he is forcing it into the playbook, but because Rescicgno, backup quarterback Zach Allen and incoming recruit Johnathan Lewis all are comfortable with it because mobility is a crucial part of each's skill set.

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Will Rutgers finally have another 1,000-yard rusher?

Once since 2007, zero since 2012

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Andrew Mills

Putting the "thick" in Hicks

According to the rosters, Josh Hicks is up six pounds from 208 to 214 since last summer. But Hicks looks much thicker than that, especially in his lower body where it appears he has bulked up his legs.

Hicks and fellow senior running back Robert Martin were used interchangeably in rotations earlier in their careers, but it looks like Hicks might be prepping himself for a role as a short-yardage between the tackles back. Running hard always has been one of his strengths.

The 2014 Quick Lane Bowl MVP was lost in the shuffle last season, with just 45 carries for 157 yards and a couple DNPs as he temporarily moved to safety. Rutgers briefly experimented with a two-halfback package for Hicks.

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Don't worry about Ahmir Mitchell's spirits

In two of the three practices since he tore his ACL, Mitchell has made his presence known.

On Tuesday, he was pumping up his fellow wide receivers as they worked on the jugs machine.

On Saturday, he was holding the pads as his teammates worked on hand-to-hand combat, in the front row of the circle cheering on participants in the Ring of Honor drill and riding the exercise bike during individual route-running drills. He wore a knee brace.

Ash has praised Mitchell's competitiveness, and he is finding new ways to channel it while sidelined.

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Biggest storylines around the Big Ten

What's happening right now at Michigan, Penn State, Ohio State and the rest?

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NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Rutgers recruited smartly in 2017 class

One of the first things that jumps out in the 2017 recruiting class is the number of high school (non-transfer) wide receivers (6) and linebackers (4) signed. Well, looking at the team during spring camp, the position groups that seem to offer the best chance at early playing time are ... wide receiver and linebacker.

Some of it is because of injuries to wide receivers Janarion Grant and Ahmir MItchell -- plus two-sport athlete Jawuan Harris' baseball career -- as well as linebacker Tyreek Williams. But the likes of Bo Melton, Hunter Hayek, Tyshon Fogg and Shyhiem Simmons will have a chance to be in the rotation for the season-opener.

If Rutgers employs the same strategy in 2018, running back (three seniors) will be a major priority.

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Fumble-itis

If there is a recurring negative through the first eight practices, it is that Rutgers has had too many loose balls -- and not because the defense is forcing turnovers as much as because of mental mistakes.

Rutgers was tied for 10th in the Big Ten last season with 19 giveaways, including a league-high 12 fumbles lost.

"It's no secret that last year we had a problem holding onto the ball and it cost us some games," Ash said. "We can't do that."

Even after Ash emphasized "the ball is in the program" during his pre-practice speech Saturday, the fumble-itis continued.

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Ryan Dunleavy | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

What the start of Rutgers practice looks like

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Ryan Dunleavy may be reached at rdunleavy@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @rydunleavy. Find NJ.com Rutgers Football on Facebook.