Quotables
Chris Laviano on his favorite quarterbacks:
“I really like Tom Brady and I really like Aaron Rodgers, who is probably my favorite quarterback.”
Norries Wilson on the importance of the bye week for the freshmen:
“I think it’s important. You go right from camp to school to games just to catch a breath, just to get caught up on things. When you’re a freshman it’s easy to dig a hole academically. Just to be able to maybe get a few extra hours of study hall and get some extra time with your tutor, and if you can get some extra time just studying your film and watching what you need to get corrected, those things are good also.’’
Steve Longa on the bye week:
“It was good. The coaches are doing a good job to keep us healthy. We are trying to do the best we can, we are going back watching film and trying to see what we can correct. We are trying to get better at the fundamentals and get our bodies feeling right because we have eight straight weeks of competition. We have to be ready to play.”
Fat Cat Top Five
Top Five RU class of 2016 commits
5.) Taysir Mack
4.) Anthony Russo
3.) Trey Sneed
2.) Isaiah Wright
1.) Patrice Rene
Bobby’s Crystal Ball
Leonte Carroo will not play in next Saturday’s game against Michigan State
Recruiting Tidbits
Rutgers on the road
With Rutgers going into the bye weekend on a high note following a homecoming win over Kansas, the coaching staff has hit the road and is making it a priority to check on its committed prospects and the available targets in the class of 2016, along with some priority underclassmen targets. NCAA rules allow only one visit off campus per prospect until the end of November and with everything going on around the program, this gives the staff a chance to deflect any negativity it is facing on the recruiting trail. It is much easier to visit the NJ prospects like Middlesex county commits Mo Jabbie and Phil Campbell at South Brunswick, Nick Krimin at St. Joseph of Metuchen and Solomon Manning at Colonia. With that in mind, it appears that most of the time will be spent outside of the area for the coaching staff this weekend.
As noted earlier this week, Ohio CB target Tony Butler was really impressed when he saw DB coach Darrell Wilson at his practice on Wednesday to gain some momentum after his recent official visit. Rutgers made the rounds in Long Island, visiting Nassau Community College to check on JUCO targets OT Malcolm Pridgeon and DT Tyrell Chavis and class of 2017 QB target Jack Coan of Sayville, who was just on campus this weekend. The bye week also gives the staff extended time to visit the commitments in Florida and uncommitted targets like KJ Sails and Henry Miller. The RU coaches are still working hard to confirm official visits for the two CB targets and they’ll likely evaluate some other class of 2016 prospects who could emerge down the line as late targets. Meanwhile, running back commit Trey Sneed told Scarlet Nation that he is expecting a member of the Rutgers staff.
Tropical Storm Joaquin could make travel along the Eastern Seaboard difficult this weekend but expect the staff to show face at some of the following football games:
Virginia
Episcopal (2016 commit Patrice Rene, 2017 targets Jon Sutherland and Luigi Villain) vs Collegiate on Friday afternoon
Maryland
Dematha (2016 commit OL Elijah Johnson) at St. John’s College (2017 target LB Tyree Johnson) and Wise (2016 CB commit Damon Hayes) travel to Flowers on Saturday with both games starting at 3pm
Pennsylvania
In Philadelphia, Imhotep Charter (2016 OL’s Yasir Durant, Johncarlo Valentin) will face Mastery Charter on Saturday at 6pm
New Jersey
Bergen Catholic at Paramus Catholic (2016 DT Rashan Gary, 2016 WR Donald Stewart, 2017’s LB Drew Singleton and DT Corey Bolds, 2018 QB Allan Walters) 2:30pm Saturday
New York
Poly Prep (2016 commits LB Elias Reynolds & OL Justin Morgan) hosting Eastern Christian (MD) 7pm Friday
Gearing up for the Spartans
One of the most popular games on the schedule this year, for recruits and fans, features Rutgers hosting Michigan State on the following Saturday. Numerous recruiting targets have already confirmed to Scarlet Nation that they’ll be in attendance. Expect this list to grow over the next week. Last year, when Rutgers hosted Penn State and Michigan, the visitor list was limited to select prospects and we could see the same for both this game and the Ohio State game.
2016 PK commit Alex Barbir – South Forsyth (GA)
2017 DT Corey Bolds – Paramus Catholic
2017 RB Jon Taylor – Salem
2017 DT Romello Martin – Erasmus Hall (NY)
2017 DB Najiee Jones – Timber Creek
2017 OL Josh Fedd Jackson – St. Joseph Montvale
2017 OL Robert Martin – St. Joseph Montvale
Scarlet Nation on Location
Union at Elizabeth Friday night
Class of 2017 DL target Mike Tverdov leads Union against the Minutemen which feature 2017 WR Jahmin Muse who is getting a lot of attention from Rutgers and 2017 OL/DL Wakeem Brooks. Union 2017 RB Al-Tariq Jones is a prospect we’ll be keeping a close eye on.
Eye on Rutgers
Rutgers is a third of the way through the season and it’s time to take a look at the top performers through the first four games. Here's a look at Scarlet Nation's early season awards.
Offensive MVP
Josh Hicks
He has been the most consistent of the Rutgers running backs, gaining 371 rushing yards while boasting an average of 6.0 yards per carry. Hicks has scored four touchdowns and despite fumbling twice, he has really given the offense a boost. Hicks came on strong towards the end of last season and has continued to progress through the start of this campaign. His running paced RU though the Kansas game and he also helped out an inconsistent passing attack against Washington State. Look for Hicks to play an even bigger role moving forward as the competition gets more difficult.
Most Improved Offensive Player
Dorian Miller
The redshirt sophomore has performed well in his first season as a starter. On a veteran offensive line that has been plagued by penalties, Miller has not been among those who have caused the yellow flags to fly. Next to starting left tackle Keith Lumpkin, Miller has been the most consistent of the starting O-linemen. The left side has proved to be the stronger of the two on the O-line as Miller has played like a veteran. Matt Flanagan comes in a close second to Miller as he’s hauled in 10 catches and three touchdowns.
Defensive MVP
Kaiwan Lewis
The defense has not had a whole lot of bright spots, but Lewis has adjusted well as a senior transfer from South Carolina. Lewis, the starting middle linebacker, is second on the team with 23 tackles, many of which have been quality tackles. Lewis also leads the team with three TFLs and has an interception to his credit. While the overall defensive performance has been a bit suspect, Lewis has delivered. He’s been a presence in the middle of the defense while also emerging as a leader.
Most Improved Defensive Player
Quanzell Lambert
It’s tough to come up with one definitive player on a defense that has struggled, although Lambert’s play has picked up from last season. He has started three games and registered eight tackles, with 1.5 tackles for loss. The improvement has been steady as Lambert made three tackles in each of the last two games. He also fought through some double teams to apply pressure against Kansas. While Lambert may not be an All-Conference defensive end, he has shown marked improvement from last season.
Top Freshman (true or redshirt)
Isaiah Wharton
Heading into the spring, Wharton was not among the top candidates to land a starting role. While player dismissals helped his cause, Wharton has shown himself capable as a starting cornerback through the first four games. Wharton was always a physical player, but he has improved his play in pass coverage. Wharton is currently fifth on the team with 17 tackles and has been proving himself more reliable in press coverage. Blessuan Austin and Kiy Hester should also be considered as runners up for top freshman.
Chris Laviano on his favorite quarterbacks:
“I really like Tom Brady and I really like Aaron Rodgers, who is probably my favorite quarterback.”
Norries Wilson on the importance of the bye week for the freshmen:
“I think it’s important. You go right from camp to school to games just to catch a breath, just to get caught up on things. When you’re a freshman it’s easy to dig a hole academically. Just to be able to maybe get a few extra hours of study hall and get some extra time with your tutor, and if you can get some extra time just studying your film and watching what you need to get corrected, those things are good also.’’
Steve Longa on the bye week:
“It was good. The coaches are doing a good job to keep us healthy. We are trying to do the best we can, we are going back watching film and trying to see what we can correct. We are trying to get better at the fundamentals and get our bodies feeling right because we have eight straight weeks of competition. We have to be ready to play.”
Fat Cat Top Five
Top Five RU class of 2016 commits
5.) Taysir Mack
4.) Anthony Russo
3.) Trey Sneed
2.) Isaiah Wright
1.) Patrice Rene
Bobby’s Crystal Ball
Leonte Carroo will not play in next Saturday’s game against Michigan State
Recruiting Tidbits
Rutgers on the road
With Rutgers going into the bye weekend on a high note following a homecoming win over Kansas, the coaching staff has hit the road and is making it a priority to check on its committed prospects and the available targets in the class of 2016, along with some priority underclassmen targets. NCAA rules allow only one visit off campus per prospect until the end of November and with everything going on around the program, this gives the staff a chance to deflect any negativity it is facing on the recruiting trail. It is much easier to visit the NJ prospects like Middlesex county commits Mo Jabbie and Phil Campbell at South Brunswick, Nick Krimin at St. Joseph of Metuchen and Solomon Manning at Colonia. With that in mind, it appears that most of the time will be spent outside of the area for the coaching staff this weekend.
As noted earlier this week, Ohio CB target Tony Butler was really impressed when he saw DB coach Darrell Wilson at his practice on Wednesday to gain some momentum after his recent official visit. Rutgers made the rounds in Long Island, visiting Nassau Community College to check on JUCO targets OT Malcolm Pridgeon and DT Tyrell Chavis and class of 2017 QB target Jack Coan of Sayville, who was just on campus this weekend. The bye week also gives the staff extended time to visit the commitments in Florida and uncommitted targets like KJ Sails and Henry Miller. The RU coaches are still working hard to confirm official visits for the two CB targets and they’ll likely evaluate some other class of 2016 prospects who could emerge down the line as late targets. Meanwhile, running back commit Trey Sneed told Scarlet Nation that he is expecting a member of the Rutgers staff.
Tropical Storm Joaquin could make travel along the Eastern Seaboard difficult this weekend but expect the staff to show face at some of the following football games:
Virginia
Episcopal (2016 commit Patrice Rene, 2017 targets Jon Sutherland and Luigi Villain) vs Collegiate on Friday afternoon
Maryland
Dematha (2016 commit OL Elijah Johnson) at St. John’s College (2017 target LB Tyree Johnson) and Wise (2016 CB commit Damon Hayes) travel to Flowers on Saturday with both games starting at 3pm
Pennsylvania
In Philadelphia, Imhotep Charter (2016 OL’s Yasir Durant, Johncarlo Valentin) will face Mastery Charter on Saturday at 6pm
New Jersey
Bergen Catholic at Paramus Catholic (2016 DT Rashan Gary, 2016 WR Donald Stewart, 2017’s LB Drew Singleton and DT Corey Bolds, 2018 QB Allan Walters) 2:30pm Saturday
New York
Poly Prep (2016 commits LB Elias Reynolds & OL Justin Morgan) hosting Eastern Christian (MD) 7pm Friday
Gearing up for the Spartans
One of the most popular games on the schedule this year, for recruits and fans, features Rutgers hosting Michigan State on the following Saturday. Numerous recruiting targets have already confirmed to Scarlet Nation that they’ll be in attendance. Expect this list to grow over the next week. Last year, when Rutgers hosted Penn State and Michigan, the visitor list was limited to select prospects and we could see the same for both this game and the Ohio State game.
2016 PK commit Alex Barbir – South Forsyth (GA)
2017 DT Corey Bolds – Paramus Catholic
2017 RB Jon Taylor – Salem
2017 DT Romello Martin – Erasmus Hall (NY)
2017 DB Najiee Jones – Timber Creek
2017 OL Josh Fedd Jackson – St. Joseph Montvale
2017 OL Robert Martin – St. Joseph Montvale
Scarlet Nation on Location
Union at Elizabeth Friday night
Class of 2017 DL target Mike Tverdov leads Union against the Minutemen which feature 2017 WR Jahmin Muse who is getting a lot of attention from Rutgers and 2017 OL/DL Wakeem Brooks. Union 2017 RB Al-Tariq Jones is a prospect we’ll be keeping a close eye on.
Eye on Rutgers
Rutgers is a third of the way through the season and it’s time to take a look at the top performers through the first four games. Here's a look at Scarlet Nation's early season awards.
Offensive MVP
Josh Hicks
He has been the most consistent of the Rutgers running backs, gaining 371 rushing yards while boasting an average of 6.0 yards per carry. Hicks has scored four touchdowns and despite fumbling twice, he has really given the offense a boost. Hicks came on strong towards the end of last season and has continued to progress through the start of this campaign. His running paced RU though the Kansas game and he also helped out an inconsistent passing attack against Washington State. Look for Hicks to play an even bigger role moving forward as the competition gets more difficult.
Most Improved Offensive Player
Dorian Miller
The redshirt sophomore has performed well in his first season as a starter. On a veteran offensive line that has been plagued by penalties, Miller has not been among those who have caused the yellow flags to fly. Next to starting left tackle Keith Lumpkin, Miller has been the most consistent of the starting O-linemen. The left side has proved to be the stronger of the two on the O-line as Miller has played like a veteran. Matt Flanagan comes in a close second to Miller as he’s hauled in 10 catches and three touchdowns.
Defensive MVP
Kaiwan Lewis
The defense has not had a whole lot of bright spots, but Lewis has adjusted well as a senior transfer from South Carolina. Lewis, the starting middle linebacker, is second on the team with 23 tackles, many of which have been quality tackles. Lewis also leads the team with three TFLs and has an interception to his credit. While the overall defensive performance has been a bit suspect, Lewis has delivered. He’s been a presence in the middle of the defense while also emerging as a leader.
Most Improved Defensive Player
Quanzell Lambert
It’s tough to come up with one definitive player on a defense that has struggled, although Lambert’s play has picked up from last season. He has started three games and registered eight tackles, with 1.5 tackles for loss. The improvement has been steady as Lambert made three tackles in each of the last two games. He also fought through some double teams to apply pressure against Kansas. While Lambert may not be an All-Conference defensive end, he has shown marked improvement from last season.
Top Freshman (true or redshirt)
Isaiah Wharton
Heading into the spring, Wharton was not among the top candidates to land a starting role. While player dismissals helped his cause, Wharton has shown himself capable as a starting cornerback through the first four games. Wharton was always a physical player, but he has improved his play in pass coverage. Wharton is currently fifth on the team with 17 tackles and has been proving himself more reliable in press coverage. Blessuan Austin and Kiy Hester should also be considered as runners up for top freshman.
