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Rutgers quarterback Gary Nova is hoping to rebound from a rough close to the 2012 season.

(Patti Sapone/The Star-Ledger)

Last August, when he walked into the Hale Center to report to the Rutgers football program, Gary Nova was one part of an uncertain equation. No one knew who would start for the Scarlet Knights at quarterback to begin last season: Nova or Chas Dodd?

On Thursday, walking into the program's headquarters was a much different feeling for the junior signal-caller.

"I feel great," he said. "We had a great offseason as a team, as a unit. I'm just excited to get back on the field and go to work."

Nova will be Rutgers' starting quarterback this season, with no competition to be had. But that will not ease the pressure on the Elmwood Park native. When the Scarlet Knights started last season with a 7-0 record, Nova had a touchdown-to-interception ration of 15-to-3. During the team's 2-4 close? It was 7-to-13.

But Nova feels it's those ups and downs that have made him a better quarterback.

"Just experience," Nova said. "The things I've gone through have made me a better quarterback. Learning experiences. Looking back on it now, I can smile about it because they've made me better. I'm just looking forward to getting out here and going to work."

There is one thing that Nova is not banking on: Any breaks.

Even though he is the team's starting quarterback, he's not expecting to coast through camp and into the start of the season.

"I think it's great, but I still have that edge, that chip on my shoulder," Nova said. "I don't have that sense of entitlement. I just want to go out there and compete with these guys every day. I think they're going to push me to be better."