Rutherford and Fitzgerald make super connection

As the Panthers started the drive at their own 16-yard line with less than three minutes… As the Panthers started the drive at their own 16-yard line with less than three minutes left in the third quarter, the scoreboard reflected a day of frustrating woes for quarterback Rod Rutherford and the offense.

Trailing 14-0 and facing a stingy Texas A’M defense, the Panthers had so far painted a picture of ineffectiveness – one in which the offense managed only six first downs and 89 total yards.

But what appeared to be heading toward a day of futility soon turned into a springboard for potential success on the Panther’s offensive side of the ball.

During the last three minutes of the third and all of the fourth quarter, the Rutherford-led offense increased their anemic halftime statistics on the strength of two drives that put the Panthers back into the game.

“[For Rutherford] to have fought back and be able to be in a position to tie the game is a pretty good accomplishment,” head coach Walt Harris said after the game.

After two completions and a defensive pass interference call brought the Panthers past midfield, Rutherford hooked up with freshman Larry Fitzgerald on a play that showcased their abilities and potential.

As Rutherford quickly rolled left out of the pocket, he zipped a 20-yard bullet to Fitzgerald, who leaped two feet in the air to catch the ball while fighting off tight coverage by Aggies’ defensive back Terrence Kiel.

By the time Rutherford crossed the goal line from one yard out early in the fourth quarter, he had completed 7 of 7 passes on the drive for 65 yards. Three of these passes found Fitzgerald, who made several big catches in the second half.

“When the ball is around [Fitzgerald], he has excellent ball skills,” Harris said. “I thought he really made a lot of plays.”

On the second Panthers touchdown drive, with less than eight minutes left and trailing 14-6, Rutherford steered the offense 74 yards downfield on another impressive drive – again aided in large part by Fitzgerald’s efforts.

“He was the hot receiver today,” Rutherford said. “You want to go to the guy who’s making the plays for you.”

On third-and-eight at the Aggies’ 30, Rutherford completed a pass underneath the coverage to Fitzgerald, who put the Panthers three yards short of a first down.

Rutherford then came under center, with two earlier failed fourth down conversions still fresh on his mind, but he and Fitzgerald made sure this Panther drive would continue with another big connection.

With pressure mounting on the pocket and receivers fighting to get open, Rutherford threw the ball 8 yards downfield that the leaping Fitzgerald again lampooned out of the air – this time with a defender draped over his back.

The freshman receiver finished the game with 10 catches for 103 yards, while Rutherford came back from a horrendous first half to complete 16 of 22 passes for 163 yards in the second half.

Despite the bitter loss – because of special teams’ errors, the failed fourth down conversions and a tough Texas A’M defense, among other things – the play of both Fitzgerald and Rutherford in the second half bodes well for the future of the Panthers’ offense.

“We know we were better than what we were in the first half,” Rutherford said, “and we just had to go out and show it.”