Quotables
Gary Nova on maturing as a quarterback:
"There are no more excuses. Not that I use excuses, but it's my junior year. It's on me to lead this offense and I have to do that."
Robert Martin on arriving at his college decision:
"I just had to narrow them down and see which place made me feel at home and where I felt more comfortable and where I was getting the love from. Rutgers gave me the most love. I got some love from Pitt, but I just didn't feel that connection. And West Virginia was kind of slacking."
Isaac Holmes on the status of his injured wrist:
"I'm finally healthy. I have been rehabbing every day constantly. I finally feel like I am getting back to where I was. ...The cast is gone. It's time to retire the cast."
Michael Burton on Rutgers' collection of tailbacks:
"They had a great spring…Desmon [Peoples], I'm very excited about Desmon. I think he's an excellent back. Savon [Huggins], obviously he's proven himself, so he's going to have a great year I believe. Same thing with P.J. [James]. I think all the running backs, the backfield is going to be a strong suit for our team this year and I'm excited to be a leader of it."
Sayreville 2015 Rutgers offeree Myles Hartsfield on what he knows about RU:
"I grew up watching Rutgers football. Rutgers has always been my number one school that I wanted to go to. Two of my teammates go there now and I know one other guy that goes there. It's just a very nice program and I heard their education is good over there."
Fat Cat Top Five
Top Five current TD leaders on the RU roster
5.) Tie--Tyler Kroft, Michael Burton, Quron Pratt (1)
4.) Paul Carrezola (2)
3.) Jeremy Deering (4)
2.) Savon Huggins (7)
1.) Brandon Coleman (16)
Bobby's Crystal Ball
Rutgers will receive multiple verbal commitments by Tuesday
Recruiting Tidbits
WR Kendrick Edwards - Miami Norland (Fla.)
The 6-foot-5 wide receiver just returned from a visit to Rutgers which spanned three days this week. Edwards told Scarlet Nation that Rutgers was his leader last night and said he expects a decision to be coming in the very near future.
"I was thinking about committing when I was there," Edwards told Scarlet Nation.
Edwards also named Arkansas his other favorite but has yet to visit the campus and also named Louisville in his top three. Nevertheless, it seems like Edwards has taken his final visit.
"I don't think I am going on anymore visits," he said.
WR Freddy Canteen - Eastern Christian Academy (Md.)
Canteen was close to committing to Rutgers following his unofficial visit to campus two weeks ago, but offers from Tennessee and Michigan caused him to slow down his recruitment. As of now, Rutgers, Tennessee and Michigan are his three top choices.
"I'm probably going to decide sometime in the next month," Canteen said Thursday night. "I slowed things down a little bit but I'm probably going to make a decision sometime soon."
Sources have informed Scarlet Nation that Michigan is looking at a couple of other receivers ahead of Canteen and is in no rush to press him for a decision. The Michigan staff appears content to have Canteen visit later in July while waiting on wide receivers higher on its board. Meanwhile, slots are filling up in a hurry at Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights already have two wide receiver commits to its class of 2014 and things have progressed quickly between Rutgers and Florida wide receiver Kendrick Edwards.
OL Jamie Herr - Eastern Christian Academy (Md.)
Rutgers has remained in the driver's seat for quite some time for Herr and that has continued through this week. The three-star offensive tackle is closing in on a decision, one that could come very soon.
"I just have to talk it over with my coach," Herr said yesterday. "I already talked it over with my family."
Rutgers was the first school to offer Herr and has been one of his favorites for quite some time along with West Virginia. Stay logged onto Scarlet Nation for all the latest updates on Herr's recruitment.
RB Qadree Ollison - Canisius (N.Y.)
Ollison named a top five this week, comprised of Rutgers, Pitt, Penn State, Wisconsin and Syracuse. He is looking to make a choice sometime in September.
The 6-foot-1, 226-pound Ollison has always spoken highly of the Scarlet Knights and Rutgers appears to be one of his top choices among the five left standing. At this point, it is unlikely Penn State would take his commitment, and Scarlet Nation was told that Wisconsin may not have room for Ollison following the commitment of Taiwan Deal.
A source said Wisconsin will likely take another running back in its class, but this would most likely be a smaller, shiftier option. Meanwhile, Pitt has pursued Ollison for some time but still has local product Shai McKenzie atop its running back board. As is always the case with recruiting, circumstances are fluid, but at this juncture, Rutgers remains in good position for Ollison.
DE Darius Slade - Montclair
Rutgers now leads for Slade who told Rivals.com last night "Rutgers is the favorite right now. I have family up here and I have a great bond with the school. They're pretty much my favorite."
Slade has collected 10 offers on the strength of his junior season in which he weighed 215 pounds. Now, Slade has bulked up to 240 pounds and is emerging as one of the top defensive end prospects in New Jersey. A source told Scarlet Nation that Slade could wind up making a decision within the next month. Thus far, he has only visited Rutgers and Temple.
P D.J. Helkowski - Farquier (Va.)
With graduate transfer Nick Marsh holding just one year of eligibility and no established depth behind him, punter is a priority for Rutgers in the class of 2014, and Helkowski was on campus this past week to work out for the staff.
"I thought I punted well," he told Scarlet Nation.
Rutgers special teams coach Joe Rossi told Helkowski that he is one of a trio of prospects the Scarlet Knights are considering right now, and will remain in touch about a possible offer.
"They said they should have a decision soon," Helkowski explained.
Right now, Helkowski is hearing from Rutgers, Old Dominion, Iowa State and Virginia Tech, with RU and ODU standing out as his top choices. He said he would like to decide "as soon as possible" and preferably before his season.
CB Mazzi Wilkins - Plant (Fla.)
Wilkins picked up recent offers from Purdue and Cincinnati, giving him 19 total. USF, Rutgers, Purdue, Indiana and Syracuse are five schools that he says he's most interested in.
"I'm trying to figure out when I'm going to take visits," Wilkins said. "I want to see Indiana and Rutgers this summer."
At this point, Wilkins does not have a timeline for a decision.
CB Cordell Hudson - Largo (Fla.)
Rutgers reached out to Hudson this week, with first contact being made by his recruiter, Jim Panagos. Hudson picked up an offer from the Scarlet Knights, his 17th overall, yesterday afternoon. In addition to speaking with Panagos, Hudson had a conversation with secondary coach Darrell Wilson.
"We actually have a mutual connection, he coached my DB coach [Marcus Paschal] at Iowa," Hudson said.
Hudson, who has family in New York, said he is definitely interested in visiting Rutgers, possibly as an official visit once the fall arrives.
WR Daiquan Kelly - Union City
Kelly participated at Rutgers' Friday Knight Skills Camp and also worked out on Monday as a day camper. On his ride home after the conclusion of Monday's sessions, he learned that he'd earned an offer.
"They said that I did well and they liked how I had been performing at their camps," Kelly said. "It felt good [getting the offer]."
At 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, Kelly played wide receiver and defensive back at the Rutgers camps and was offered as an athlete. His preference at the next level is to play on the defensive side of the ball. As of now, Kelly holds offers from Rutgers, UMass and Virginia.
ATH Myles Hartsfield - Sayreville
Hartsfield, a 2015 RB/DB, is the latest product of Sayreville's perennially strong program, and he earned his first offer last weekend after a strong performance at the Rutgers Passing Camp.
"It was very surprising when he [Coach Flood] told me, but it was a good feeling," Hartsfield said. "I was very excited and my family was too."
Hartsfield has picked up some early interest from Temple, BC, Bucknell and others. He said he prefers lining up on the defensive side of the ball.
WR Ntwademela Perry - Star College Boys High School (Durban, South Africa)
Perry was an intriguing presence at Rutgers' camp this week. The son of former West Virginia defensive end Ed Perry, he's grown up in South Africa but has attracted the attention of some 1-A and 1-AA programs during his summer camp tour. Rutgers and Duke have already offered Perry preferred walk-on spots.
"Rutgers was probably my favorite camp so far," Perry said. "The staff was great. It was exciting and fun, and as a camp, it was more than just a football camp. It gave me a good view of the school and the competition was good. I had a lot of fun."
Perry has a couple of more camp stops, including one at Wake Forest, before returning to South Africa. Look for more on Perry on Scarlet Nation in the coming days.
OT Damian Prince - Bishop McNamara (Md.)
A five-star offensive tackle, Prince had Rutgers among his top group of schools quite some time, along with Ohio State, Florida State and Maryland. But recently, things have changed, and sources told Scarlet Nation this week that Rutgers would now be "in the bottom" of Prince's top 10.
Prince took a visit to Ohio State this week and declared it an overwhelming success, and it is believed the Buckeyes and Seminoles are the leaders for his services. If Rutgers can manage to get him back on campus soon, the staff could possibly make up some ground but it would still likely be too little, too late.
As it stands now, the chances of Prince donning scarlet in college are extremely slim.
DE Jimmy Hogan - Ramapo
Hogan visited Rutgers yesterday with intentions of committing to the Scarlet Knights. However, a numbers crunch seems to have forced Hogan to seek other options. A greyshirt option is still a possibility at Rutgers, who just received a defensive end commitment last week from Fair Haven's Donald Bedell. That commitment looks as though it may have removed Hogan from the running to join RU's class of 2014.
WR Adonis Jennings - Timber Creek
Rutgers' most recent four-star commit becomes the third Timber Creek player to commit to Rutgers in as many years. But being so close to home was not a definitive factor according to Jennings.
"It played a little bit if a role but wherever I would have went my parents would have found their way there," he said.
Timber Creek head coach Rob Hinson also commented on Jennings' decision to remain in the state of New Jersey for college.
"Ultimately, it is the players and their family's decision. I would feel just as comfortable with my players going somewhere else but obviously this makes it easier and you don't have to worry as much when they are right there in their own backyard. Adonis' grandmom lives in New Brunswick and his dad went to South River so they are right there."
RB Robert Martin - Harrisburg (Pa.)
Martin was back on campus last week for the Rutgers Passing Camp, his first trip to Piscataway since he committed to the Scarlet Knights.
"It felt good to see the environment, the stadium and the place I will be playing and just getting the respect from my teammates," Martin said. "It's a good school and I think I'll do good here."
That trip also came a couple of days after the nation's top ranked fullback, Jacob Kraut, committed to Rutgers. Martin talked about sharing the same backfield with Kraut in the future.
"After watching his highlight tape, he can do a lot of things," Martin said of Kraut. "I think he can help build the dynasty that we're trying to build."
Hoops Note
Team Scan forward Terry Larrier skyrocketed on the recruiting circuit this spring, pushing his offer total above 20 and going from being unranked to the No.38 position in the Rivals150.
Larrier visited Seton Hall and Rutgers this week, and counts the two New Jersey programs among those showing strong interest, along with Providence, VCU, Miami, Minnesota, Penn State and West Virginia. According to Larrier, his visit to Rutgers was a success.
"It went well," Larrier said. "I got a chance to see the basketball facility, speak with Coach Jordan and see the dorms and campus. It was cool."
In his meeting with Eddie Jordan, Larrier said the new head coach outlined how he would be utilized as a player.
"He said he likes big wing players and wants me to come in there and be the star of the show," Larrier said.
Right now, Larrier is looking to narrow his list down in September before deciding sometime in November before his senior season.
Eye on Rutgers
June continues to be a productive time for commitments as the Scarlet Knights have received seven verbals this month. Last week our Eye on Rutgers checked out some memorable Junes on the recruiting trail in recent years. This week, our Eye on Rutgers takes a look at the other busiest months for commitments since 2007 (minimum of 5 commitments per month).
December 2007
Morgan Carter (Three-star)
Marquise Hamm (Two-star)
D.C. Jefferson (Three-star)
Wayne Warren (Three-star)
Keith Stroud (Four-star)
January 2008
Khaseem Greene (Two-star)
Brandon Jones (Two-star)
David Rowe (Two-star)
Eddie Poole (Two-star)
Malcolm Johnson (Three-Star)
December 2008
De'Antwan Williams (Four-star)
Antwan Lowery (Three-star)
Jamil Merrell (Three-star)
Jamal Merrell (Three-star)
Quron Pratt (Three-Star)
February 2010
Brandon Coleman (Four-star)
Rashad Knight (Four-star)
Jeremy Deering (Three-Star)
Djwany Mera (Three-star)
Casey Turner (Three-star)
Kenneth Kirksey (Three-star)
Fred Overstreet (Two-star)
This post was edited on 6/28 1:57 AM by Bobby Deren
Gary Nova on maturing as a quarterback:
"There are no more excuses. Not that I use excuses, but it's my junior year. It's on me to lead this offense and I have to do that."
Robert Martin on arriving at his college decision:
"I just had to narrow them down and see which place made me feel at home and where I felt more comfortable and where I was getting the love from. Rutgers gave me the most love. I got some love from Pitt, but I just didn't feel that connection. And West Virginia was kind of slacking."
Isaac Holmes on the status of his injured wrist:
"I'm finally healthy. I have been rehabbing every day constantly. I finally feel like I am getting back to where I was. ...The cast is gone. It's time to retire the cast."
Michael Burton on Rutgers' collection of tailbacks:
"They had a great spring…Desmon [Peoples], I'm very excited about Desmon. I think he's an excellent back. Savon [Huggins], obviously he's proven himself, so he's going to have a great year I believe. Same thing with P.J. [James]. I think all the running backs, the backfield is going to be a strong suit for our team this year and I'm excited to be a leader of it."
Sayreville 2015 Rutgers offeree Myles Hartsfield on what he knows about RU:
"I grew up watching Rutgers football. Rutgers has always been my number one school that I wanted to go to. Two of my teammates go there now and I know one other guy that goes there. It's just a very nice program and I heard their education is good over there."
Fat Cat Top Five
Top Five current TD leaders on the RU roster
5.) Tie--Tyler Kroft, Michael Burton, Quron Pratt (1)
4.) Paul Carrezola (2)
3.) Jeremy Deering (4)
2.) Savon Huggins (7)
1.) Brandon Coleman (16)
Bobby's Crystal Ball
Rutgers will receive multiple verbal commitments by Tuesday
Recruiting Tidbits
WR Kendrick Edwards - Miami Norland (Fla.)
The 6-foot-5 wide receiver just returned from a visit to Rutgers which spanned three days this week. Edwards told Scarlet Nation that Rutgers was his leader last night and said he expects a decision to be coming in the very near future.
"I was thinking about committing when I was there," Edwards told Scarlet Nation.
Edwards also named Arkansas his other favorite but has yet to visit the campus and also named Louisville in his top three. Nevertheless, it seems like Edwards has taken his final visit.
"I don't think I am going on anymore visits," he said.
WR Freddy Canteen - Eastern Christian Academy (Md.)
Canteen was close to committing to Rutgers following his unofficial visit to campus two weeks ago, but offers from Tennessee and Michigan caused him to slow down his recruitment. As of now, Rutgers, Tennessee and Michigan are his three top choices.
"I'm probably going to decide sometime in the next month," Canteen said Thursday night. "I slowed things down a little bit but I'm probably going to make a decision sometime soon."
Sources have informed Scarlet Nation that Michigan is looking at a couple of other receivers ahead of Canteen and is in no rush to press him for a decision. The Michigan staff appears content to have Canteen visit later in July while waiting on wide receivers higher on its board. Meanwhile, slots are filling up in a hurry at Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights already have two wide receiver commits to its class of 2014 and things have progressed quickly between Rutgers and Florida wide receiver Kendrick Edwards.
OL Jamie Herr - Eastern Christian Academy (Md.)
Rutgers has remained in the driver's seat for quite some time for Herr and that has continued through this week. The three-star offensive tackle is closing in on a decision, one that could come very soon.
"I just have to talk it over with my coach," Herr said yesterday. "I already talked it over with my family."
Rutgers was the first school to offer Herr and has been one of his favorites for quite some time along with West Virginia. Stay logged onto Scarlet Nation for all the latest updates on Herr's recruitment.
RB Qadree Ollison - Canisius (N.Y.)
Ollison named a top five this week, comprised of Rutgers, Pitt, Penn State, Wisconsin and Syracuse. He is looking to make a choice sometime in September.
The 6-foot-1, 226-pound Ollison has always spoken highly of the Scarlet Knights and Rutgers appears to be one of his top choices among the five left standing. At this point, it is unlikely Penn State would take his commitment, and Scarlet Nation was told that Wisconsin may not have room for Ollison following the commitment of Taiwan Deal.
A source said Wisconsin will likely take another running back in its class, but this would most likely be a smaller, shiftier option. Meanwhile, Pitt has pursued Ollison for some time but still has local product Shai McKenzie atop its running back board. As is always the case with recruiting, circumstances are fluid, but at this juncture, Rutgers remains in good position for Ollison.
DE Darius Slade - Montclair
Rutgers now leads for Slade who told Rivals.com last night "Rutgers is the favorite right now. I have family up here and I have a great bond with the school. They're pretty much my favorite."
Slade has collected 10 offers on the strength of his junior season in which he weighed 215 pounds. Now, Slade has bulked up to 240 pounds and is emerging as one of the top defensive end prospects in New Jersey. A source told Scarlet Nation that Slade could wind up making a decision within the next month. Thus far, he has only visited Rutgers and Temple.
P D.J. Helkowski - Farquier (Va.)
With graduate transfer Nick Marsh holding just one year of eligibility and no established depth behind him, punter is a priority for Rutgers in the class of 2014, and Helkowski was on campus this past week to work out for the staff.
"I thought I punted well," he told Scarlet Nation.
Rutgers special teams coach Joe Rossi told Helkowski that he is one of a trio of prospects the Scarlet Knights are considering right now, and will remain in touch about a possible offer.
"They said they should have a decision soon," Helkowski explained.
Right now, Helkowski is hearing from Rutgers, Old Dominion, Iowa State and Virginia Tech, with RU and ODU standing out as his top choices. He said he would like to decide "as soon as possible" and preferably before his season.
CB Mazzi Wilkins - Plant (Fla.)
Wilkins picked up recent offers from Purdue and Cincinnati, giving him 19 total. USF, Rutgers, Purdue, Indiana and Syracuse are five schools that he says he's most interested in.
"I'm trying to figure out when I'm going to take visits," Wilkins said. "I want to see Indiana and Rutgers this summer."
At this point, Wilkins does not have a timeline for a decision.
CB Cordell Hudson - Largo (Fla.)
Rutgers reached out to Hudson this week, with first contact being made by his recruiter, Jim Panagos. Hudson picked up an offer from the Scarlet Knights, his 17th overall, yesterday afternoon. In addition to speaking with Panagos, Hudson had a conversation with secondary coach Darrell Wilson.
"We actually have a mutual connection, he coached my DB coach [Marcus Paschal] at Iowa," Hudson said.
Hudson, who has family in New York, said he is definitely interested in visiting Rutgers, possibly as an official visit once the fall arrives.
WR Daiquan Kelly - Union City
Kelly participated at Rutgers' Friday Knight Skills Camp and also worked out on Monday as a day camper. On his ride home after the conclusion of Monday's sessions, he learned that he'd earned an offer.
"They said that I did well and they liked how I had been performing at their camps," Kelly said. "It felt good [getting the offer]."
At 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, Kelly played wide receiver and defensive back at the Rutgers camps and was offered as an athlete. His preference at the next level is to play on the defensive side of the ball. As of now, Kelly holds offers from Rutgers, UMass and Virginia.
ATH Myles Hartsfield - Sayreville
Hartsfield, a 2015 RB/DB, is the latest product of Sayreville's perennially strong program, and he earned his first offer last weekend after a strong performance at the Rutgers Passing Camp.
"It was very surprising when he [Coach Flood] told me, but it was a good feeling," Hartsfield said. "I was very excited and my family was too."
Hartsfield has picked up some early interest from Temple, BC, Bucknell and others. He said he prefers lining up on the defensive side of the ball.
WR Ntwademela Perry - Star College Boys High School (Durban, South Africa)
Perry was an intriguing presence at Rutgers' camp this week. The son of former West Virginia defensive end Ed Perry, he's grown up in South Africa but has attracted the attention of some 1-A and 1-AA programs during his summer camp tour. Rutgers and Duke have already offered Perry preferred walk-on spots.
"Rutgers was probably my favorite camp so far," Perry said. "The staff was great. It was exciting and fun, and as a camp, it was more than just a football camp. It gave me a good view of the school and the competition was good. I had a lot of fun."
Perry has a couple of more camp stops, including one at Wake Forest, before returning to South Africa. Look for more on Perry on Scarlet Nation in the coming days.
OT Damian Prince - Bishop McNamara (Md.)
A five-star offensive tackle, Prince had Rutgers among his top group of schools quite some time, along with Ohio State, Florida State and Maryland. But recently, things have changed, and sources told Scarlet Nation this week that Rutgers would now be "in the bottom" of Prince's top 10.
Prince took a visit to Ohio State this week and declared it an overwhelming success, and it is believed the Buckeyes and Seminoles are the leaders for his services. If Rutgers can manage to get him back on campus soon, the staff could possibly make up some ground but it would still likely be too little, too late.
As it stands now, the chances of Prince donning scarlet in college are extremely slim.
DE Jimmy Hogan - Ramapo
Hogan visited Rutgers yesterday with intentions of committing to the Scarlet Knights. However, a numbers crunch seems to have forced Hogan to seek other options. A greyshirt option is still a possibility at Rutgers, who just received a defensive end commitment last week from Fair Haven's Donald Bedell. That commitment looks as though it may have removed Hogan from the running to join RU's class of 2014.
WR Adonis Jennings - Timber Creek
Rutgers' most recent four-star commit becomes the third Timber Creek player to commit to Rutgers in as many years. But being so close to home was not a definitive factor according to Jennings.
"It played a little bit if a role but wherever I would have went my parents would have found their way there," he said.
Timber Creek head coach Rob Hinson also commented on Jennings' decision to remain in the state of New Jersey for college.
"Ultimately, it is the players and their family's decision. I would feel just as comfortable with my players going somewhere else but obviously this makes it easier and you don't have to worry as much when they are right there in their own backyard. Adonis' grandmom lives in New Brunswick and his dad went to South River so they are right there."
RB Robert Martin - Harrisburg (Pa.)
Martin was back on campus last week for the Rutgers Passing Camp, his first trip to Piscataway since he committed to the Scarlet Knights.
"It felt good to see the environment, the stadium and the place I will be playing and just getting the respect from my teammates," Martin said. "It's a good school and I think I'll do good here."
That trip also came a couple of days after the nation's top ranked fullback, Jacob Kraut, committed to Rutgers. Martin talked about sharing the same backfield with Kraut in the future.
"After watching his highlight tape, he can do a lot of things," Martin said of Kraut. "I think he can help build the dynasty that we're trying to build."
Hoops Note
Team Scan forward Terry Larrier skyrocketed on the recruiting circuit this spring, pushing his offer total above 20 and going from being unranked to the No.38 position in the Rivals150.
Larrier visited Seton Hall and Rutgers this week, and counts the two New Jersey programs among those showing strong interest, along with Providence, VCU, Miami, Minnesota, Penn State and West Virginia. According to Larrier, his visit to Rutgers was a success.
"It went well," Larrier said. "I got a chance to see the basketball facility, speak with Coach Jordan and see the dorms and campus. It was cool."
In his meeting with Eddie Jordan, Larrier said the new head coach outlined how he would be utilized as a player.
"He said he likes big wing players and wants me to come in there and be the star of the show," Larrier said.
Right now, Larrier is looking to narrow his list down in September before deciding sometime in November before his senior season.
Eye on Rutgers
June continues to be a productive time for commitments as the Scarlet Knights have received seven verbals this month. Last week our Eye on Rutgers checked out some memorable Junes on the recruiting trail in recent years. This week, our Eye on Rutgers takes a look at the other busiest months for commitments since 2007 (minimum of 5 commitments per month).
December 2007
Morgan Carter (Three-star)
Marquise Hamm (Two-star)
D.C. Jefferson (Three-star)
Wayne Warren (Three-star)
Keith Stroud (Four-star)
January 2008
Khaseem Greene (Two-star)
Brandon Jones (Two-star)
David Rowe (Two-star)
Eddie Poole (Two-star)
Malcolm Johnson (Three-Star)
December 2008
De'Antwan Williams (Four-star)
Antwan Lowery (Three-star)
Jamil Merrell (Three-star)
Jamal Merrell (Three-star)
Quron Pratt (Three-Star)
February 2010
Brandon Coleman (Four-star)
Rashad Knight (Four-star)
Jeremy Deering (Three-Star)
Djwany Mera (Three-star)
Casey Turner (Three-star)
Kenneth Kirksey (Three-star)
Fred Overstreet (Two-star)
This post was edited on 6/28 1:57 AM by Bobby Deren
