J.P. Pelzman

@JPPelzman

Rutgers has installed a new tackling method for the upcoming season.

As opposed to last year, when it sometimes may have seemed as if there were no modus operandi at all.

The Scarlet Knights allowed 462 yards of total offense per game, bad enough to rank them 112th in the nation among FBS teams. That porous defense cost Rutgers a chance at a bowl game in the season finale, blowing a 31-10 lead against a Maryland team that already had fired its coach and was playing out the string.

But Scarlet Knight defenders got a crash course in new coach Chris Ash’s preferred style of tackling during spring ball, and will work on refining it during training camp, which begins Monday.

“The way we used to tackle was a real ‘bite the ball’ system,” said standout senior defensive tackle Darius Hamilton, referring to a style in which defensive players were encouraged to go after a ballcarrier by getting their helmet on the football.

The goal of such a system is to cause more fumbles, but Rutgers forced only 11 such miscues last season, and recovered merely three. That was a huge dropoff from the 2014 season, when Rutgers forced 22 fumbles and grabbed 11 of them.

RELATED: EDELSON: AD Hobbs: 'It's going to take years'

RELATED: A capsule look at the Big Ten's East Division

“Biting the ball would lead to things like overrunning the ball,” said Hamilton, a member of the preseason watch lists for the Outland Trophy and the Chuck Bednarik award. “Now we do things like stopping the engine. [When you] stop the engine, you tackle the legs. You tackle and get your head on the back side [of the ballcarrier] instead of the front side. The risk of injury drops.”

“Stopping the engine” is a hallmark of rugby-style tackling, taught by Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll. It also is used at Ohio State, where Ash was co-defensive coordinator last year.

Hamilton is expected to anchor the most experienced unit on the Rutgers defense, a group that will have to be at its best in 2016 while an inexperienced back seven matures. Rutgers will break in an entirely new set of linebackers behind Hamilton, end Julian Pinnix-Odrick and the rest of the front four. Quanzell Lambert (end) and Sebastian Joseph (nose tackle) likely will the other starters.

“I think the D-line should set the example,” said Pinnix-Odrick, who is being counted upon to make plays from the edge after having to move inside last season to 3-technique tackle, a position that was less suitable for him. He was moved inside because Hamilton missed almost the entire season with a chronic knee problem.

“I think as a defensive line you’ve got to bring the attitude and the aggression” in practice everyday, Pinnix-Odrick said.

RELATED: Darius Hamilton can't wait to get back on the field

Defensive coordinator Jay Niemann, who also coaches the linebackers, called the unit a “mess” early in the spring. But it seemingly had somewhat sorted itself out by the time spring practice ended, with Trevor Morris (weakside), former safety Najee Clayton (strongside) and Deonte Roberts (middle) emerging as potential candidates to start.

The secondary took its lumps in 2015, mainly because off-the-field incidents led to the dismissal of potential contributors.

That led to Isaiah Wharton and Blessuan Austin, then a true freshman, starting at cornerback earlier than expected. Niemann plans to play more press coverage as opposed to previous coordinator Joe Rossi, who preferred zone schemes. Ross Douglas, a graduate transfer from Michigan, and junior-college transfer Kobe Marfo could push for playing time.

Kiy Hester and ballhawking Anthony Cioffi (four picks in 2015) return at the safety positions.

Redshirt sophomore Michael Cintron handled the punting during the spring game and is the favorite to replace the graduated Joey Roth.

KNIGHTS PRACTICING ON LIVINGSTON CAMPUS: Most training-camp practices will be held on the fields between the softball and baseball venues on the Livingston campus. Ash indicated the team’s usual grass practice fields need maintenance, and that he didn’t want the players to be practicing on FieldTurf on a regular basis. Players will be bused from the Hale Center to the fields and back.

“We wanted to move it to a different environment,” Ash said, “both for their bodies, and for the safety and care of the current fields that we have. Then we'll move back over and hopefully our current fields are in great shape and ready to roll."

"Knowing Coach Ash, it's about building the bond," Pinnix-Odrick said of the field switch. "We preach on brotherhood of trust and we have to be that everywhere. I think this is one more tool to build a brotherhood."