Quotables
Jerry Kill on improving the passing attack:
“We have been able to run the ball very well. With play action pass, we have done okay. But not to the level we need to in order to win the next two games. We are going to have to be able to do a better job. There has been a lot of concentration and focus in that area. We have to do a better job of coaching and taking a look at what we’re doing. I have been doing it for 34 years. It reminds me a lot of Minnesota and going through it is hard, but the kids are busting their butts. I just have to do a better job of coaching them. I feel a lot better this week about our execution.”
Kevin Wilkins on the improved defensive performance this season:
“I think things are finally starting to click for us in the right way and we are just going to ride with it; keep putting our hands in the dirt and working every day in practice.”
Jay Niemann on the Indiana offense:
“That is an offense that can move the ball. They have moved the ball consistently over the course of the year against most teams. The quarterback situation has been a two-horse race so to speak. They have been throwing the ball well and their run game changes depending on which guy is back there.”
Fat Cat Top Five
Top Five Perfroming RU position Groups
5.) Offensive line
4.) Secondary
3.) Running backs
2.) Linebackers
1.) Defensive line
Bobby’s Crystal Ball
Rutgers hoops and football will both be victorious this weekend
Recruiting Tidbits
LB Marvin Pierre (Milford Academy - NY)
The former Mater Dei linebacker has taken his talents to Milford Academy this fall and will be at Rutgers next week for the Michigan State Game with Eddie Lewis, his teammate in both high school and at Milford Academy. Pierre is a January enrollee and is looking forward to opening some eyes at Milford's Annual combine on Nov 27th. He has been starting to hear from Rutgers more frequently and also told Scarlet Nation that he’s been garnering interest from Virginia Tech, Temple, Indiana and Boston College.
’19 DE Antonio Alfano (Rahway- NJ)
The standout junior prospect informed Scarlet Nation that Rutgers is still among the schools he is considering as he is planning to announce a top 10 list of schools in January or February. Alfano wants to enroll early and plans to take his official visits in the spring. He'll likely make a decision sometime before his senior season.
'19 ATH Tyler Rudolph (St. Thomas More - CT): In the past, Rudolph has told us that he planned on making a decision soon after his season was over. Now that his season is over, he isn’t quite sure when a decision might come. Rutgers Ii still on top for Rudolph at the moment, but he’s not ready to decide just yet. He is definitely a name to keep an eye on. Should he go uncommitted going into spring, he could turn a lot of heads on the camping circuit.
OL Raiqwon O’Neal (Conway - SC)
O’Neal is set to take his first official visit this weekend as he heads out to Indiana. After this, visit, he still has one more scheduled to Maryland. He is still 100% committed to Rutgers, and having the last official visit in his recruitment is a big plus towards getting him signed.
QB Artur Sitkowski (IMG Academy - FL)
The four-star RU commit told Scarlet Nation that he has confirmed his official visit to Rutgers the weekend of Dec 8th.
“I’m looking to just have a good time and enjoy the visit. I’ve been talking a lot with most of the commits, mostly Raiqwon O’Neal and others,” he said.
’19 WR Mike Sainristil (Everett - MA)
Rutgers is looking up to New England for wide receiver help in the class of 2019 and that resulted in an offer going out to Sainrostil, who holds other offers from Virginia Tech, Boston College, Southern Miss and Indiana.
“We set up a phone call appointment. It went from them asking how was I doing today to them as a staff saying we want to congratulate you with an offer,” Saintrisil said of Rutgers. “Coach [Vince] Okruch was saying how he hopes to see me after the season. It was exciting to get the offer.”
’20 DB Luke Hill (St. John’s College - DC)
The future of recruiting keeps on starting earlier and earlier as Rutgers sent out an offer to Hill, who is just a sophomore. However, the offer is already Hill’s sixth.
“It was an amazing feeling,” Hill said of the offer. “I was so honored to be offered by such great school. I really like the academic community at Rutgers. I know Rutgers is in the Big Ten so they compete a lot.”
RU Commits Signing Dates
With the early signing period taking effect this winter, we spoke with the RU commits and put together a list of when they are planning to sign their national letters of intent to Rutgers.
December Signing Period
QB Artur Sitkowski
QB Jalen Chatman
RB Isaih Pacheco
WR Paul Woods
OL Matt Rosso
OL Raiqwon O’Neal
DE Matthew Thomas
DB Avery Young
DB Jarrett Paul
ATH Christian Izien
ATH Kessawn Abraham
K Adam Korsak
February Signing Day
OL Reggie Sutton
DB Deion Jennings
ATH Travon King
ATH Zihir Lacewell
Undecided
RB Stevie Scott
LB Jayden McDonald
Hoop Tidbits
Rutgers is undefeated in three games this season and during the first three games, senior guard Mike Williams is leading the way with an average 15.5 points after sitting out this season opener with a knee issue. While he currently holds team-high scoring honors, he has a loftier goal for the season.
“I want to help my team get to the NCAA tournament, something that has not been done in 21-plus years,” Williams said. “I have to do everything I can to make sure we get over the hump. It is a realistic goal because we have depth. I am also very excited about what Geo Baker is going to do. I felt like he was very under-recruited. He has a game beyond his years.”
One of the Scarlet Knights on the team is forced to watch this season as Quinnipiac transfer Peter Kiss is spending the season as a practice player.
“It’s more me trying to get the guys ready for Big Ten play and trying to push them every day,” Kiss said. “And since the summer, I have seen guys improve. They are getting into the gym, everybody really buys into Coach Pikeill’s vision. Everybody talks more on defense and I know Coach wants to run more so everybody is getting out and running in their lanes. Everybody is buying in.”
Kiss also mentioned he has been working diligently on his three-point shooting.
Jerry Kill on improving the passing attack:
“We have been able to run the ball very well. With play action pass, we have done okay. But not to the level we need to in order to win the next two games. We are going to have to be able to do a better job. There has been a lot of concentration and focus in that area. We have to do a better job of coaching and taking a look at what we’re doing. I have been doing it for 34 years. It reminds me a lot of Minnesota and going through it is hard, but the kids are busting their butts. I just have to do a better job of coaching them. I feel a lot better this week about our execution.”
Kevin Wilkins on the improved defensive performance this season:
“I think things are finally starting to click for us in the right way and we are just going to ride with it; keep putting our hands in the dirt and working every day in practice.”
Jay Niemann on the Indiana offense:
“That is an offense that can move the ball. They have moved the ball consistently over the course of the year against most teams. The quarterback situation has been a two-horse race so to speak. They have been throwing the ball well and their run game changes depending on which guy is back there.”
Fat Cat Top Five
Top Five Perfroming RU position Groups
5.) Offensive line
4.) Secondary
3.) Running backs
2.) Linebackers
1.) Defensive line
Bobby’s Crystal Ball
Rutgers hoops and football will both be victorious this weekend
Recruiting Tidbits
LB Marvin Pierre (Milford Academy - NY)
The former Mater Dei linebacker has taken his talents to Milford Academy this fall and will be at Rutgers next week for the Michigan State Game with Eddie Lewis, his teammate in both high school and at Milford Academy. Pierre is a January enrollee and is looking forward to opening some eyes at Milford's Annual combine on Nov 27th. He has been starting to hear from Rutgers more frequently and also told Scarlet Nation that he’s been garnering interest from Virginia Tech, Temple, Indiana and Boston College.
’19 DE Antonio Alfano (Rahway- NJ)
The standout junior prospect informed Scarlet Nation that Rutgers is still among the schools he is considering as he is planning to announce a top 10 list of schools in January or February. Alfano wants to enroll early and plans to take his official visits in the spring. He'll likely make a decision sometime before his senior season.
'19 ATH Tyler Rudolph (St. Thomas More - CT): In the past, Rudolph has told us that he planned on making a decision soon after his season was over. Now that his season is over, he isn’t quite sure when a decision might come. Rutgers Ii still on top for Rudolph at the moment, but he’s not ready to decide just yet. He is definitely a name to keep an eye on. Should he go uncommitted going into spring, he could turn a lot of heads on the camping circuit.
OL Raiqwon O’Neal (Conway - SC)
O’Neal is set to take his first official visit this weekend as he heads out to Indiana. After this, visit, he still has one more scheduled to Maryland. He is still 100% committed to Rutgers, and having the last official visit in his recruitment is a big plus towards getting him signed.
QB Artur Sitkowski (IMG Academy - FL)
The four-star RU commit told Scarlet Nation that he has confirmed his official visit to Rutgers the weekend of Dec 8th.
“I’m looking to just have a good time and enjoy the visit. I’ve been talking a lot with most of the commits, mostly Raiqwon O’Neal and others,” he said.
’19 WR Mike Sainristil (Everett - MA)
Rutgers is looking up to New England for wide receiver help in the class of 2019 and that resulted in an offer going out to Sainrostil, who holds other offers from Virginia Tech, Boston College, Southern Miss and Indiana.
“We set up a phone call appointment. It went from them asking how was I doing today to them as a staff saying we want to congratulate you with an offer,” Saintrisil said of Rutgers. “Coach [Vince] Okruch was saying how he hopes to see me after the season. It was exciting to get the offer.”
’20 DB Luke Hill (St. John’s College - DC)
The future of recruiting keeps on starting earlier and earlier as Rutgers sent out an offer to Hill, who is just a sophomore. However, the offer is already Hill’s sixth.
“It was an amazing feeling,” Hill said of the offer. “I was so honored to be offered by such great school. I really like the academic community at Rutgers. I know Rutgers is in the Big Ten so they compete a lot.”
RU Commits Signing Dates
With the early signing period taking effect this winter, we spoke with the RU commits and put together a list of when they are planning to sign their national letters of intent to Rutgers.
December Signing Period
QB Artur Sitkowski
QB Jalen Chatman
RB Isaih Pacheco
WR Paul Woods
OL Matt Rosso
OL Raiqwon O’Neal
DE Matthew Thomas
DB Avery Young
DB Jarrett Paul
ATH Christian Izien
ATH Kessawn Abraham
K Adam Korsak
February Signing Day
OL Reggie Sutton
DB Deion Jennings
ATH Travon King
ATH Zihir Lacewell
Undecided
RB Stevie Scott
LB Jayden McDonald
Hoop Tidbits
Rutgers is undefeated in three games this season and during the first three games, senior guard Mike Williams is leading the way with an average 15.5 points after sitting out this season opener with a knee issue. While he currently holds team-high scoring honors, he has a loftier goal for the season.
“I want to help my team get to the NCAA tournament, something that has not been done in 21-plus years,” Williams said. “I have to do everything I can to make sure we get over the hump. It is a realistic goal because we have depth. I am also very excited about what Geo Baker is going to do. I felt like he was very under-recruited. He has a game beyond his years.”
One of the Scarlet Knights on the team is forced to watch this season as Quinnipiac transfer Peter Kiss is spending the season as a practice player.
“It’s more me trying to get the guys ready for Big Ten play and trying to push them every day,” Kiss said. “And since the summer, I have seen guys improve. They are getting into the gym, everybody really buys into Coach Pikeill’s vision. Everybody talks more on defense and I know Coach wants to run more so everybody is getting out and running in their lanes. Everybody is buying in.”
Kiss also mentioned he has been working diligently on his three-point shooting.
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