SOMERVILLE -- The turnaround of the Somerville High School football team -- one of the biggest in the state in 2016 -- can be traced indirectly to the 2013 Rutgers football season.
More precisely, to the first game. Or to the first possession of the first game.
Dallas Whitaker was making his debut as a student assistant coach on defense when Fresno State's up-tempo spread offense shredded Rutgers for 52 points. SMU and Houston later had similar success as Rutgers set a single-season school record for passing yards allowed.