When someone asked Art Forst if he'd experienced his welcome-to-college-football moment yet, Rutgers' true freshman offensive lineman said it happened in his first college start against Cincinnati on Oct. 11.

"Terrill Byrd," he said, referring to the Bearcats' standout senior defensive tackle. "That was my welcome to college football."

Forst survived that tough initiation to the college ranks and has grown from it, with the 6-8, 310-pound guard from Manasquan High School coming off "the best game he has played since we moved him in there," against South Florida last week, coach Greg Schiano said Wednesday.

RUTGERS NOTEBOOK

A funny thing happened on the way to Army's second win of the year -- the Black Knights did it without a pass completion.

Which begs the question this week at Rutgers as it prepares to face Army: How does it defend a team that doesn't have to pass the ball to win a game?

Few of Andrew DePaola's teammates were surprised when he moved so seamlessly from holder to long snapper during an extra point try at a moment's notice last Saturday against South Florida, filling in for the injured Jeremy Branch.

Many of them know his story: a walk-on quarterback who earned playing time as a holder, then worked his way into the top five at wide receiver while also taking reps as a long snapper in practice, just in case an emergency like last weekend's arose.

"We've seen him do so many things, and do them well, that it was like 'Andrew will handle it,'" linebacker Kevin Malast said.

Noah K. Murray/The Star-LedgerQuarterback Mike Teel credits a heart-to-heart talk with coach Greg Schiano with helping him rebound from a rough start to the 2008 season.

Rutgers Stadium has hasn't always been kind to the Knights' fifth-year senior, especially this season, when he heard plenty of boos during the team's 1-5 start. Most quarterback cheers then were saved for Teel's backup entering the game.

But with Rutgers on a four-game winning streak and back in bowl contention at 5-5, the final two home games of Teel's career are a chance for Rutgers fans to celebrate his accomplishments.

Mike Groll/Associated PressThe Orange had a dismal 3-25 conference record during Robinson's tenure as head coach.

"Greg Robinson is a friend of mine," West Virginia coach Bill Stewart said during the weekly Big East conference call. "Greg Robinson is a class act. Greg Robinson is a heck of a football coach. I absolutely hate it with all my heart to see such a class man leave the Big East."

Robinson -- who will coach the team's final two games of the season -- is 9-36 in four years at the school.

William Perlman/The Star-LedgerRay Rice had his troubles against the Giants -- including getting his face mask grabbed by Barry Cofield, which resulted in a penalty.

Ray Rice is used to the holes being a little bigger in New Jersey.

The former Rutgers star, now part of the Baltimore Ravens' committee of ball carriers, rushed for 19 yards on eight carries on his homecoming -- that's an average of 2.4 yards -- in the lopsided 30-10 defeat at the hands of the Giants Sunday. His longest run from scrimmage was five yards.

Rice, a rookie, also caught four passes for 18 yards -- and maybe that was even more surprising than his struggles on the ground Sunday. As talented as he was in Piscataway, he wasn't much of a threat out of the backfield for the Scarlet Knights.

Noah Addis/The Star-LedgerFinally there's a reason for Greg Schiano to smile.

Even with a 1-5 record, Greg Schiano said, yes, he did believe this kind of turnaround was possible for his Rutgers football team.

"I think we were very close in all those games (that were lost)," Schiano said Sunday. "Even the one where the score was out of hand, against North Carolina. You look at the game early -- I just watched the tape and, as a coaching staff, we agreed we were a step away here, and a missed block away here, a missed tackle away here, or a missed check in the secondary -- and we weren't as far off as it may have looked.

"It'll continue to be good if we continue to do the things that we do in our preparation."

Chris O'Meara/Associated PressMike Teel, center, says every week is a one-game season for Rutgers.

NOTEBOOK

TAMPA, Fla. -- Rutgers may have thrust itself into the middle of the Big East's murky bowl situation with Saturday's rout over South Florida, but that doesn't mean the players are thinking postseason yet.

Not with two one-game seasons to go -- Army on Saturday and then Louisville on Dec. 4 -- and the Knights needing to win both to be 7-5.

But how satisfying would it be for a team that was once 1-5 to wind up in a bowl?

"It would be special," said wide receiver Kenny Britt, "but we're not focused on a bowl game now. We play one-game seasons. Army is our next one-game season."

Chris O'Meara/Associated PressRutgers' Joe Martinek high-fives teammate Shamar Graves after scoring against South Florida during the second half.

TAMPA, Fla. -- Rutgers emptied the playbook at times against South Florida, with 325-pound tackle Anthony Davis lining up as a fullback and quarterback Mike Teel catching his first career pass.

The tricks received mixed reviews, but ultimately, they were unnecessary. Rutgers returned to the smash-mouth running game that had carried this team to most of its victories over the past few years, and it was freshman running back Joe Martinek leading the way.

Martinek finished with a career-high 98 yards on 21 carries, including two touchdown runs, in the 49-16 victory over South Florida. His best performance was a nifty 19th anniversary gift for his parents, who turned the trip to Tampa into an extended celebration.

Chris O'Meara/Associated PressRutgers linebacker Ryan D'Imperio sacks South Florida quarterback Matt Grothe during the second quarter.

TAMPA, Fla. -- The question had to pop in the mind of every Rutgers fan Saturday during this 49-16 butt-whooping of South Florida: Where the heck was that team all season?

The big plays on offense. The six turnovers on defense. The pounding running attack. The utter domination of a conference rival, on the road, for a fourth straight victory.

Here is some free advice before they pull all their hair out: Let it go. Yes, if the Scarlet Knights complete this turnaround with two more victories and end up in another bowl game, there will always be the "what if?" about the 2008 season, especially with the Big East up for grabs.

Chris O'Meara/Associated PressGreg Schiano's Rutgers team is two home victories away from becoming the first BCS conference team since 2003 to overcome a 1-5 start and earn a bowl berth.

TAMPA, Fla. -- Is this really the same Rutgers team that was caught in a scoreless first half against Fresno State, lost to Navy and scored a grand total of 22 points in consecutive games against Cincinnati and Connecticut?

Well, yes and no.

"It feels like it's a completely different season," quarterback Mike Teel said. "It's unbelievable."

Given up for dead by many at 1-5, mediocrity -- which is really what .500 is -- never looked so good. The Scarlet Knights continued their improbable push for a fourth straight bowl appearance with a performance Teel summed up so eloquently.

Unbelievable.

Saed Hindash/The Star-LedgerTim Brown, shown catching a touchdown pass against Morgan State earlier this season, has to be more than a bit player against South Florida.

WHEN RUTGERS HAS THE BALL

A 100-yard rusher, a 100-yard receiver, a quarterback who passes for three touchdowns, 35 points -- all in the same game ... that was the type of production many people envisioned at the start of the season. For the second straight game, the Scarlet Knights offense lived up to expectations. Can it happen a third straight game? The reality is that it has to if Rutgers intends to be bowl-bound again. That means QB Mike Teel, WR Kenny Britt and RB Kordell Young have to continue to perform in a big way.

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Jason Parkhurst/US PresswireSouth Florida defensive end George Selvie, center, draws comparisons to former Big East stars like Elvis Dumervil and Dwight Freeney.

Perhaps it's his size and stature that make Anthony Davis hesitant to buy into hyperbole.

Davis, Rutgers' 6-6, 325-pound left tackle, put the brakes on all the talk about the power and speed of the man he will be charged with facing this afternoon: South Florida defensive end George Selvie.

"Man, we're not playing Strahan," Davis said this week. "He's good, I'm not saying that, he's very good. But we're not playing Strahan."

Perhaps not, but there's a reason Selvie has been one of the players whose name has been on the lips of everyone around Rutgers this week. He might not be Michael Strahan, but he's getting there.

With at least three games left, quarterback Mike Teel is well within reach for the personal bests he set last year for attempts, completions, yards and completion percentage -- and, possibly, touchdown passes.

That means the fifth-year senior, booed at home because of poor play during the first half of the season, could wind up having the best statistical year of his career.

"If it is, it's pretty crazy," said Teel. "If you were to ask me (if it was the best year of his career) I'd say no way, but from a numbers perspective I guess it could be if we continue to play well.

Saed Hindash/The Star-LedgerLinebacker Damaso Munoz, right, is expected to make his second straight start Saturday against South Florida.

Last year it was Ryan D'Imperio in the middle.

This year it's redshirt freshman Manny Abreu at strongside linebacker.

But a funny thing keeps happening as younger players -- long on ability but short on experience -- nudge him aside. Munoz keeps finding ways to get back on the field.