Rutgers quarterback Johnny Langan tries not to pay attention to the outside noise and criticism about his team — he deleted Twitter and Instagram from his phone specifically to avoid it — but he could not help but hear something that took him aback.

Langan caught wind that Liberty, in its second season as an FBS program, was a touchdown favorite over the Scarlet Knights ahead of their meeting at SHI Stadium.

“I thought that was ridiculous,” Langan said shortly after Rutgers beat the Flames.

He proved it on the field, putting up historic numbers in his best game as a college quarterback.

As he led the Scarlet Knights to a 44-34 win, Langan was the first Rutgers quarterback to rush for 100+ yards in a game since 1961, threw for a career-high 196 yards and two touchdowns and did not turn the ball over once.

The performance sparked the Scarlet Knights’ dormant offense, one that produced 49 total passing yards in the two games prior to Saturday’s win, towards its best game since the season opener.

The struggling Langan starred in his fourth career start, a transformation that began in a Sunday meeting at the start of the week with interim head coach Nunzio Campanile.

“That’s the guy I know he is,” Campanile said. “He came into my office (Sunday) pretty animatedly and told me, ‘I apologize because I’ve been trying to make everybody happy rather than just be who I am.’ And he went out today and cut it loose and played like the competitor that I know he is. … (the game) slowed down for him a little bit and he played with confidence and he played like he was having fun. It was great to see him do that and I’m really happy for him and really proud of him.”

The animation at the meeting was sparked by what Langan saw when he looked back at his performances on film.

“The last few weeks I just watch the film and I almost didn’t recognize myself,” Langan said. “I just wasn’t playing my brand of football. I really attacked the week.”

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It was the high point of what Langan called a “whirlwind” of a month.

Named the starting quarterback three days before Rutgers’ meeting with Maryland on Oct. 5, taking charge of a revamped offense under Campanile and learning it all on the fly, Langan compared the last few weeks to training camp.

A little under a month into his new role, Langan is coming into his own, evidenced by his first career victory. Before his next Sunday meeting with Campanile, Langan will follow his head coach’s postgame advise and savor the win on Saturday.

“There’s not many better feelings than winning a football game,” Langan said. “I’m really happy right now.”

Brian Fonseca may be reached at bfonseca@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @briannnnf. Find NJ.com on Facebook.