J.P. Pelzman

@JPPelzman

PISCATAWAY - Chris Laviano decided to change his approach this summer.

Not merely to improve himself but to help his teammates, too.

“Everybody kind of deserves a quarterback that’s going to be all-in,” Laviano said, “and is going to perform at a really high level.”

Whether Laviano does the latter this season remains to be seen. But his ability to accomplish the former is what impressed Rutgers coach Chris Ash and offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer, which is why Laviano will take the field Saturday as the starter at 18th-ranked Washington.

The Rutgers junior quarterback spoke to reporters Monday for the first time since Ash named Laviano the opening-day starter seven days earlier, and he was candid about how he felt he needed to improve himself.

“I feel like a completely different person,” Laviano said, “a completely different player now, compared to last year. The things I’m doing on and off the field are night and day” in terms of difference.

Laviano had a lackluster season in 2015 as a redshirt sophomore, going five consecutive games without throwing a touchdown pass. He finished with 13 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions against FBS competition.

But he staved off a challenge from 2015 backup Hayden Rettig during spring practice, then fended off TCU graduate transfer Zach Allen during training camp. Laviano, who won the Iron Knight award from the coaching staff for his work in the weight room, earned a starting job by virtue of his effort on and off the field.

“His leadership as well as his play on the field have tremendously improved,” Mehringer said.

“Winning that award from the weight room,” Mehringer added, “which is not handed out easily, was definitely a testament to his consistency.”

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“I’m faster, stronger. I have more zip on the ball,” said Laviano, who credited strength and conditioning coach Kenny Parker for doing “a good job developing me through the summer and continuing into the fall. I still lift a lot.

“I want to be the best player I can be,” Laviano added. “(With) the amount of work we do here and the kind of culture coach Ash has instilled in this program, nobody wants to see it go to waste.”

Laviano and the 28-year-old clicked very quickly after Mehringer arrived on campus last winter.

“Coach Mehringer probably had the biggest influence on me,” Laviano added, “just the way he lives his life and the way he works and the kind of success he’s had. (It) just made me want to jump on ship and kind of work twice as hard as what he thought I was doing.”

“He knows what he wants,” Laviano added. “He’s a very consistent man on and off the field. He’s passionate about the game, and he’s passionate about his players, and (I) just have a lot of respect for a guy that can show that much consistency because it’s not easy, especially in this profession.”

As for his reaction to earning the starting job, Laviano said, “I’m just happy that they trust me enough to give me the nod again.”

Laviano beat out Rettig for the job in training camp in 2015 under the previous coaching regime.

Still, Laviano sees this as a beginning to a journey, not an end.

“At the end of the day, the only thing that really matters is winning,” he said. “I didn’t really take (getting the starting job) as an accomplishment, per se. (I’m) just thinking about Washington and how am I going to get my body and my mind” prepared.

Although Laviano had a 46-yard run as a freshman in 2014, he has rushed for only 31 yards on 72 carries, counting sacks, as a collegian. Zone-read running plays are a part of Mehringer’s spread offense, and Laviano said he’s ready for that.

“I love it,” he said of the opportunity to run. “We’ve repped it a lot ever since coach Mehringer got here, and I’m really comfortable with it, and I think he’s comfortable with me.”