Quotable
Steve Pikiell on the Big Ten opening loss to Wisconsin:
“It was obviously a tough opener for us playing a great Wisconsin team. Greg (Gard) does a great job. They are well coached and have good players. On our end, we certainly have to play a lot better. We got off to a bad start, turned the ball over. We were helping them and they didn't need any help.”
Fat Cat Top Five
Top Five Upcoming RU Recruiting Events
5.) Contact Period (Jan 12-28)
4.) Junior Day (TBA)
3.) Official Visit Weekend (Jan 27)
2.) Official Visit Weekend (Jan 20)
1.) Signing Day (Feb 1st)
Bobby’s Crystal Ball
Rutgers hoops will defeat Penn State on Sunday
Team Tidbits
One of the biggest offseason stories at Rutgers is whether or not wide receiver Janarion Grant will stay at Rutgers another year, or leave for the 2017 NFL Draft. When Grant was lost for the season in game No.4 against Iowa, he cleared out his stuff and was ready to test the NFL waters. However, he started to show up around The Hale Center a lot more by the end of the season and even chose not to be honored on Senior Day. Things then went on hold as Grant was waiting to receive his draft grade before making a final decision. The deadline to declare for the NFL Draft is Jan 16th and most early draft entries have already begun their training for the upcoming NFL Combine and respective pro days. Things have remained quiet out of the Grant camp as of late, which is a good sign for Rutgers. However, this one has been back and forth and a lot of the final decision is likely to depend on that draft grade.
Recruiting Tidbits
’18 DE Tyler Friday (Don Bosco - NJ):
Rutgers head coach Chris Ash is staying busy in the recruitment of some of NJ’s top prospects in the class of 2018. Friday is the No.33 nationally-ranked prospect in the class of 2018 and has been hearing quite a bit from Ash.
"I’ve been getting plenty of mail each day from new schools,” Friday said. “Right now, Pitt and UCLA have been showing a lot interest in me lately. I also talk to Rutgers quite a bit, mostly Coach Ash. He just tries to stay in touch with me as much as he can."
’18 QB Artur Sitkowski (IMG Academy - FL)
The four-star prospect announced this week that he would transfer from Old Bridge High School in New Jersey to IMG Sports Academy in Bradenton, Fla. He talked to Scarlet Nation about that move.
“Some of the factors for me going to IMG were that I want to get coached by some of the best coaches in the country. I want to compete against the best kids every day and evolve my physical and mental parts of the game as well,” Sitkowski said.
Sitkowski also talked about his recruitment.
“Right now, I’m hearing the most from Rutgers, Louisville, Florida State, Miami, and North Carolina. I talk to Coach Ash a lot, probably the most. And if not Coach Ash, then coach Blazek and Coach Burnham. I have a great relationship with all of them. They say that I am a priority and they think the world of me and will continue to recruit me hard. I had a really good relationship with Coach Mehringer, but it won't affect how I feel about Rutgers. I know Coach Kill brings a lot with how much experience he has."
’17 ATH Raheem Blackshear (Archbishop Wood - PA)
Recently, Rutgers offered Blackshear and that is pretty telling sign that the staff wants to add another ATH type player. Blackshear is an interesting player because he has the ability to play either RB or WR at the next level. Having the last official visit is big and should help out considering it’s the last weekend before signing day.
’17 DE Boye Mafe (Hopkins - MN)
The RU coaching staff has been talking about the possibility of an official visit for a while. There was talk of Mafe visiting in December but the staff held off that visit until after the New Year. Mafe is currently considering visits to San Diego State, Rutgers, Minnesota and New Mexico. The only official visit set in stone so far is Rutgers which will take place on January 20th. Mafe also officially visited Wyoming back in early September.
’17 DE Hozey Haji-Badri (Virginia Prep Sports Academy - VA)
Badri currently has plans for a few official visits in the coming weeks. He will visit Delaware on January 13th, Temple on 20th, and Maryland on the 27th. He’s also working on a Buffalo official visit and some of that scheduling has to do with the fact that Rutgers hasn’t been in contact at all recently. At this point, he does not appear to be even a final-tier option.
’18 LB Nick DeNucci (Pope John XXIII - NJ)
Rutgers has been staying busy by pursuing prospects in the class of 2018 and that begins with a lot of in-state recruiting. Ash and company landed a Pope John product last year in Sam Howson and is looking to continue that pipeline by recruiting DeNucci.
“I’m planning on attending Rutgers (29th or 30th) and Syracuse junior day towards the end of the month. I’ve also been in contact with Pitt, Navy, and Penn State recently,” DeNucci said. “I’m really just waiting on this dead period to end. I’ve been in contact with Coach Ash a lot in the past couple weeks. He just keeps me updated with Rutgers, and helps me learn a little more about the program.”
Wrestling Tidbits
The RU grapplers are in the midst of a two-day tournament in Evanston, Ill., at the Midlands Championships. After one day, eight RU wrestlers are still in contention and the team is in third place in the overall standings. Meanwhile, Anthony Ashnault and Nick Gravinas have already advanced to the semifinals.
“Wrestle the same way. Wrestle your style,” head coach Scott Goodale said of the Championships per RU communications. “Ashnault goes pin, tech, major, tech. Wrestle that style – relentless pursuit on top and get after it. Gravina, same way. Continue to push pace and it doesn’t matter who you’re wrestling. Wrestle your match.”
Steve Pikiell on the Big Ten opening loss to Wisconsin:
“It was obviously a tough opener for us playing a great Wisconsin team. Greg (Gard) does a great job. They are well coached and have good players. On our end, we certainly have to play a lot better. We got off to a bad start, turned the ball over. We were helping them and they didn't need any help.”
Fat Cat Top Five
Top Five Upcoming RU Recruiting Events
5.) Contact Period (Jan 12-28)
4.) Junior Day (TBA)
3.) Official Visit Weekend (Jan 27)
2.) Official Visit Weekend (Jan 20)
1.) Signing Day (Feb 1st)
Bobby’s Crystal Ball
Rutgers hoops will defeat Penn State on Sunday
Team Tidbits
One of the biggest offseason stories at Rutgers is whether or not wide receiver Janarion Grant will stay at Rutgers another year, or leave for the 2017 NFL Draft. When Grant was lost for the season in game No.4 against Iowa, he cleared out his stuff and was ready to test the NFL waters. However, he started to show up around The Hale Center a lot more by the end of the season and even chose not to be honored on Senior Day. Things then went on hold as Grant was waiting to receive his draft grade before making a final decision. The deadline to declare for the NFL Draft is Jan 16th and most early draft entries have already begun their training for the upcoming NFL Combine and respective pro days. Things have remained quiet out of the Grant camp as of late, which is a good sign for Rutgers. However, this one has been back and forth and a lot of the final decision is likely to depend on that draft grade.
Recruiting Tidbits
’18 DE Tyler Friday (Don Bosco - NJ):
Rutgers head coach Chris Ash is staying busy in the recruitment of some of NJ’s top prospects in the class of 2018. Friday is the No.33 nationally-ranked prospect in the class of 2018 and has been hearing quite a bit from Ash.
"I’ve been getting plenty of mail each day from new schools,” Friday said. “Right now, Pitt and UCLA have been showing a lot interest in me lately. I also talk to Rutgers quite a bit, mostly Coach Ash. He just tries to stay in touch with me as much as he can."
’18 QB Artur Sitkowski (IMG Academy - FL)
The four-star prospect announced this week that he would transfer from Old Bridge High School in New Jersey to IMG Sports Academy in Bradenton, Fla. He talked to Scarlet Nation about that move.
“Some of the factors for me going to IMG were that I want to get coached by some of the best coaches in the country. I want to compete against the best kids every day and evolve my physical and mental parts of the game as well,” Sitkowski said.
Sitkowski also talked about his recruitment.
“Right now, I’m hearing the most from Rutgers, Louisville, Florida State, Miami, and North Carolina. I talk to Coach Ash a lot, probably the most. And if not Coach Ash, then coach Blazek and Coach Burnham. I have a great relationship with all of them. They say that I am a priority and they think the world of me and will continue to recruit me hard. I had a really good relationship with Coach Mehringer, but it won't affect how I feel about Rutgers. I know Coach Kill brings a lot with how much experience he has."
’17 ATH Raheem Blackshear (Archbishop Wood - PA)
Recently, Rutgers offered Blackshear and that is pretty telling sign that the staff wants to add another ATH type player. Blackshear is an interesting player because he has the ability to play either RB or WR at the next level. Having the last official visit is big and should help out considering it’s the last weekend before signing day.
’17 DE Boye Mafe (Hopkins - MN)
The RU coaching staff has been talking about the possibility of an official visit for a while. There was talk of Mafe visiting in December but the staff held off that visit until after the New Year. Mafe is currently considering visits to San Diego State, Rutgers, Minnesota and New Mexico. The only official visit set in stone so far is Rutgers which will take place on January 20th. Mafe also officially visited Wyoming back in early September.
’17 DE Hozey Haji-Badri (Virginia Prep Sports Academy - VA)
Badri currently has plans for a few official visits in the coming weeks. He will visit Delaware on January 13th, Temple on 20th, and Maryland on the 27th. He’s also working on a Buffalo official visit and some of that scheduling has to do with the fact that Rutgers hasn’t been in contact at all recently. At this point, he does not appear to be even a final-tier option.
’18 LB Nick DeNucci (Pope John XXIII - NJ)
Rutgers has been staying busy by pursuing prospects in the class of 2018 and that begins with a lot of in-state recruiting. Ash and company landed a Pope John product last year in Sam Howson and is looking to continue that pipeline by recruiting DeNucci.
“I’m planning on attending Rutgers (29th or 30th) and Syracuse junior day towards the end of the month. I’ve also been in contact with Pitt, Navy, and Penn State recently,” DeNucci said. “I’m really just waiting on this dead period to end. I’ve been in contact with Coach Ash a lot in the past couple weeks. He just keeps me updated with Rutgers, and helps me learn a little more about the program.”
Wrestling Tidbits
The RU grapplers are in the midst of a two-day tournament in Evanston, Ill., at the Midlands Championships. After one day, eight RU wrestlers are still in contention and the team is in third place in the overall standings. Meanwhile, Anthony Ashnault and Nick Gravinas have already advanced to the semifinals.
“Wrestle the same way. Wrestle your style,” head coach Scott Goodale said of the Championships per RU communications. “Ashnault goes pin, tech, major, tech. Wrestle that style – relentless pursuit on top and get after it. Gravina, same way. Continue to push pace and it doesn’t matter who you’re wrestling. Wrestle your match.”
