Quotables
Chris Ash on starting tight end Jerome Washington being out for spring practice:
“He had post-season shoulder surgery. Similar to what he did last year. He will be cleared by summer and be full-go for summer.”
Chris Ash on the linebacker position:
“It is probably the deepest position on our football team right now. I remember a couple of years ago at our first spring practice here, we didn’t have anybody that’s ever played the game, let alone have depth. We didn’t have experience or depth. Right now, it is a very solid position. We’ve got experience, we’ve got depth, we’ve got a competition."
Fat Cat Top Five
Top Five RU Fifth-Year Seniors (non-transfers)
5.) Gio Rescigno (QB)
4.) Isaiah Wharton (CB)
3.) Saquan Hampton (S)
2.) Tariq Cole (OT)
1.) Kevin Wilkins (DL)
Bobby’s Crystal Ball
Rutgers’ next commit will be a defensive player
Recruiting Tidbits
TE for Robinson
Shawnee High senior and RU commit Daevon Robinson will take the field with the Scarlet Knights this summer as a true freshman. Robinson was on campus this past Tuesday and while he was recruited an athlete, it looks as though he may be lining up at tight end this summer instead of wide receiver.
"The practice was good, it had good energy and it was a great day,” Robinson said. “I felt like a player there today. I watched tight ends today, that's what they project me as.”
Robinson also chatted things up while he was on campus.
"I talked to a lot of coaches and I talked to basically all the players,” he said. “I know like 70 percent of the players.”
Local LB recruit
Newark Central junior linebacker Mohammad Kamara remains high up on Rutgers’ board for linebackers and has managed to stay a bit under the radar thus far. Along with Rutgers, he only holds offers from Boston College and Temple.
“I hear the most from Rutgers, and I can travel there because they are close,” Kamara said. “They said they see me as their No.1 recruit. Two of their starting linebackers are not going to be there next year. So I would be able to come in and compete for a spot."
Kamara said most schools are recruiting him as a strongside or middle linebacker.
DB Recruiting
Recruiting in the defensive backfield is going very well for the Scarlet Knights, as it is a position that the coaching staff has prioritized early on. The staff is also doing very well with a number of defensive backs, some of who could be getting closer to a commitment. On Thursday, top ranked Massachusetts junior prospect Zukudo Igwenagu checked out the RU campus.
"My Rutgers visit was great. I saw a lot of energy from the players,” Igwenagu said. “Players were not only working hard but having fun while doing it. I also met and talked to Mohamed Sanu because he came to watch practice so that was pretty cool.”
Igwenagu also mentioned what made the strongest impression on him.
“My biggest takeaway is that Rutgers University is definitely a team and family I can visualize myself playing for in the near future.”
More visitors
Class of 2019 running back Tyquan Brown of Freedom High School (Woodbridge, Va.) confirmed with Scarlet Nation that he will be at practice on Saturday. Brown picked up a Rutgers offer during the team’s last junior day and has another offer from Maryland. Brown said that he remains in contact with running backs coach Nunzio Campanile and cornerbacks coach Cory Robinson.
Class of 2019 wide receiver John Guaimano of Cedar Grove visited practice yesterday on the heels of a junior day trip last month.
"I thought the energy at practice was great,” Guaimano said of Thursday's practice. “It was a real cool environment to be around and the people there are great. I got to talk to coach [Lester] Erb a lot and I met Mohamed Sanu as well.”
Team Tidbits
QB Stuff
The quarterback competition has been the biggest conversation piece through the first four spring practices. A lot of the early buzz has centered on freshman Artur Sitkowski, who has been making strides since his January arrival. Meanwhile, this spring has presented the opportunity that Tom Flacco has been waiting for since transferring from Western Michigan last summer.
"It's been awesome,” Flacco said. “We're finally into spring ball, which is what everyone wants to do. We're playing football and competing out there. That's all I can ask for.”
Over the course of last season, while playing scout team quarterback, Flacco received continual praise from former OC Jerry Kill. However, Kill's departure may not have boded well for Flacco.
“It was disappointing because I liked Coach Kill,” Flacco said. “I also like Coach McNulty. I feel like I can start a foundation with Coach McNulty."
Also getting reps through the first couple of weeks has been freshman Jalen Chatman, who is still trying to adjust to the college game.
“I am picking it up very well,” Chatman said. “I just try to get in my playbook every night, as much as I can and learn everything I can.”
Early impressions
Defensive back Tre Avery will be eligible this season after sitting out per NCAA transfer requirements and he has been active in the early going.
“I really like Tre, he is going to be a nice addition to that group of corners,” head coach Chris Ash said yesterday. “He is going to help us on special teams and at corner. He is fast and a good player.”
Ash recruited Avery when he was at Ohio State and Avery was actually part of the Buckeye class of 2016, although he was unable to qualify. Ash mentioned what he saw in Avery as a recruit.
“Very fast, athletic kid. He was not necessarily the biggest guy coming out of high school, he’s put on a lot of weight, gotten bigger and developed his body. But he’s fast. He has great hips, great feet. For what we want to o, press our corners, he is a perfect fit for that.”
For the second straight year, Ash has brought in a grad transfer running back, although he cautioned about comparing Jonathan Hilliman to Gus Edwards.
“It’s not fair to compare a running back to Gus, who was a real good player. If we had Gus for a couple of years, the fans would have really appreciated his ability. He was a really good player and it’s not fair to say Jonathan Hilliman is going to come in and be Gus Edwards. Jonathan Hilliman is going to come in and be a very good running back for us. Time will tell how good he is going to be. But Gus is in a different league.”
Chris Ash on starting tight end Jerome Washington being out for spring practice:
“He had post-season shoulder surgery. Similar to what he did last year. He will be cleared by summer and be full-go for summer.”
Chris Ash on the linebacker position:
“It is probably the deepest position on our football team right now. I remember a couple of years ago at our first spring practice here, we didn’t have anybody that’s ever played the game, let alone have depth. We didn’t have experience or depth. Right now, it is a very solid position. We’ve got experience, we’ve got depth, we’ve got a competition."
Fat Cat Top Five
Top Five RU Fifth-Year Seniors (non-transfers)
5.) Gio Rescigno (QB)
4.) Isaiah Wharton (CB)
3.) Saquan Hampton (S)
2.) Tariq Cole (OT)
1.) Kevin Wilkins (DL)
Bobby’s Crystal Ball
Rutgers’ next commit will be a defensive player
Recruiting Tidbits
TE for Robinson
Shawnee High senior and RU commit Daevon Robinson will take the field with the Scarlet Knights this summer as a true freshman. Robinson was on campus this past Tuesday and while he was recruited an athlete, it looks as though he may be lining up at tight end this summer instead of wide receiver.
"The practice was good, it had good energy and it was a great day,” Robinson said. “I felt like a player there today. I watched tight ends today, that's what they project me as.”
Robinson also chatted things up while he was on campus.
"I talked to a lot of coaches and I talked to basically all the players,” he said. “I know like 70 percent of the players.”
Local LB recruit
Newark Central junior linebacker Mohammad Kamara remains high up on Rutgers’ board for linebackers and has managed to stay a bit under the radar thus far. Along with Rutgers, he only holds offers from Boston College and Temple.
“I hear the most from Rutgers, and I can travel there because they are close,” Kamara said. “They said they see me as their No.1 recruit. Two of their starting linebackers are not going to be there next year. So I would be able to come in and compete for a spot."
Kamara said most schools are recruiting him as a strongside or middle linebacker.
DB Recruiting
Recruiting in the defensive backfield is going very well for the Scarlet Knights, as it is a position that the coaching staff has prioritized early on. The staff is also doing very well with a number of defensive backs, some of who could be getting closer to a commitment. On Thursday, top ranked Massachusetts junior prospect Zukudo Igwenagu checked out the RU campus.
"My Rutgers visit was great. I saw a lot of energy from the players,” Igwenagu said. “Players were not only working hard but having fun while doing it. I also met and talked to Mohamed Sanu because he came to watch practice so that was pretty cool.”
Igwenagu also mentioned what made the strongest impression on him.
“My biggest takeaway is that Rutgers University is definitely a team and family I can visualize myself playing for in the near future.”
More visitors
Class of 2019 running back Tyquan Brown of Freedom High School (Woodbridge, Va.) confirmed with Scarlet Nation that he will be at practice on Saturday. Brown picked up a Rutgers offer during the team’s last junior day and has another offer from Maryland. Brown said that he remains in contact with running backs coach Nunzio Campanile and cornerbacks coach Cory Robinson.
Class of 2019 wide receiver John Guaimano of Cedar Grove visited practice yesterday on the heels of a junior day trip last month.
"I thought the energy at practice was great,” Guaimano said of Thursday's practice. “It was a real cool environment to be around and the people there are great. I got to talk to coach [Lester] Erb a lot and I met Mohamed Sanu as well.”
Team Tidbits
QB Stuff
The quarterback competition has been the biggest conversation piece through the first four spring practices. A lot of the early buzz has centered on freshman Artur Sitkowski, who has been making strides since his January arrival. Meanwhile, this spring has presented the opportunity that Tom Flacco has been waiting for since transferring from Western Michigan last summer.
"It's been awesome,” Flacco said. “We're finally into spring ball, which is what everyone wants to do. We're playing football and competing out there. That's all I can ask for.”
Over the course of last season, while playing scout team quarterback, Flacco received continual praise from former OC Jerry Kill. However, Kill's departure may not have boded well for Flacco.
“It was disappointing because I liked Coach Kill,” Flacco said. “I also like Coach McNulty. I feel like I can start a foundation with Coach McNulty."
Also getting reps through the first couple of weeks has been freshman Jalen Chatman, who is still trying to adjust to the college game.
“I am picking it up very well,” Chatman said. “I just try to get in my playbook every night, as much as I can and learn everything I can.”
Early impressions
Defensive back Tre Avery will be eligible this season after sitting out per NCAA transfer requirements and he has been active in the early going.
“I really like Tre, he is going to be a nice addition to that group of corners,” head coach Chris Ash said yesterday. “He is going to help us on special teams and at corner. He is fast and a good player.”
Ash recruited Avery when he was at Ohio State and Avery was actually part of the Buckeye class of 2016, although he was unable to qualify. Ash mentioned what he saw in Avery as a recruit.
“Very fast, athletic kid. He was not necessarily the biggest guy coming out of high school, he’s put on a lot of weight, gotten bigger and developed his body. But he’s fast. He has great hips, great feet. For what we want to o, press our corners, he is a perfect fit for that.”
For the second straight year, Ash has brought in a grad transfer running back, although he cautioned about comparing Jonathan Hilliman to Gus Edwards.
“It’s not fair to compare a running back to Gus, who was a real good player. If we had Gus for a couple of years, the fans would have really appreciated his ability. He was a really good player and it’s not fair to say Jonathan Hilliman is going to come in and be Gus Edwards. Jonathan Hilliman is going to come in and be a very good running back for us. Time will tell how good he is going to be. But Gus is in a different league.”
