Quotables
Antwan Lowery on how Kaleb Johnson, Andre Civil and Chris Muller have played this year at guard:
"The guys have played tremendous ball. Kaleb Johnson, he's always ready to play ball. The kid comes out every day ready to work. Chris and Andre are the same way. This is Chris' first time getting game action and he's handled himself very well. Andre also has that experience; he's played a lot of football for us as well. All three guards, they come ready to work."
Rutgers 2014 basketball commitment Bishop Daniels on his official visit last weekend:
"It went really well. I loved the campus. I enjoyed being around the players, coaches and staff. Everything about the environment was just great. The players were great guys. They're going to be good this year. Of course [they'll surprise people]. Expect the unexpected."
Chris Muller on whether on not the game is slowing down for him:
"The more time you put into mentally preparing and getting ready, the game does not get slower, you just get used to the speed."
Quron Pratt on high school prospects committing earlier nowadays:
"I noticed that. A lot of guys commit early because the opportunity could get snatched away just like that. And they know that now. The [recruiting] game is changing a lot."
Fat Cat Top Five [/B]
Top Five RU MVP candidates through three games
5.) Darius Hamilton
4.) Gary Nova
3.) Marcus Thompson
2.) Quron Pratt
1.) Paul James
Bobby's Crystal Ball [/B]
Rutgers will score first against Arkansas on Saturday
Four RU true freshmen will play on Saturday
Recruiting tidbits
Visitor list
Rutgers' list of recruits at tomorrow's game is limited in some ways by high school scheduling---DePaul, St. Peter's Prep, Paramus Catholic, Pope John, Nottingham and others play on Saturday afternoon or evening---but a host of talented commits and targets are still expected to attend.
Among them are:
2014 cornerback commit Kam Lott of Jacksonville (Fla.) First Coast (official visitor)
2014 tight end commit Logan Lister of Katy (Tex.) (official visitor)
2014 running back commit Robert Martin of Harrisburg (Pa.)
2014 wide receiver commit Adonis Jennings of Timber Creek
2014 wide receiver commit Saeed Blacknall of Manalapan
2014 defensive end commit Donald Bedell of Rumson Fair-Haven
2015 Timber Creek cornerback Kareem Ali (Rutgers offer)
2015 Barnegat offensive lineman Sam Madden (Rutgers offer)
2015 St. Joseph Regional (Montvale) offensive lineman Tommy Hatton (Rutgers offer)
2015 St. Joseph Regional (Montvale) linebacker Joe Giles-Harris
Neptune Beach (Fla.) fullback Jacob Kraut and Weston (Fla.) Cypress Bay cornerback Deion Hallmon both confirmed to Scarlet Nation they will be taking their official visits the weekend of October 26th for the Houston game.
WR/TE Mike Gesicki - Southern
The biggest name scheduled to attend tomorrow's game is Gesicki, who is one of the top remaining targets on Rutgers' board. Gesicki has an official visit to Ohio State planned for next weekend and will be at Penn State's home contest against Michigan on Oct 12.
While getting Gesicki back on campus is key for Rutgers, Scarlet Nation continues to hear the versatile senior is likely looking out-of-state for his college destination, as of now.
RB Robert Martin - Harrisburg (Pa.)
Martin has been working hard trying to strengthen his right knee after he tore his ACL in Harrisburg's season opener on Aug 31. His surgery is set for Oct 1, but says things are progressing well even before he goes under the knife.
"It's feeling good. I got some of the swelling out of it and some flexibility [back]," Martin said.
Martin said the RU staff has been there since his injury and never wavered in their commitment to him.
"They've been real good about the situation, telling me to stay positive," he said.
Martin will be one of several commitments on campus this weekend, including Manalapan WR Saeed Blacknall, Jacksonville (Fla.) First Coast DB Kam Lott and Katy (Tex.) tight end Logan Lister. Lister and Lott are using this weekend as their official visit.
"I'm looking forward to seeing the environment on gameday and how fast the offense moves up close," Martin said.
Martin was also elected president of his senior class this week.
FB Jacob Kraut - Fletcher (Fla.)
There was a chance Kraut was going to visit Rutgers this weekend, but he will instead be on campus later in the fall.
"I'm going on the 26th [of October]," said Kraut. "I think it's for my official."
Kraut's Fletcher squad is 2-1 on the season, the lone loss coming in double-overtime to Kam Lott's Jacksonville First Coast outfit.
"I like him [Lott]," Kraut said. "I talk to him a lot, and I can't wait to play with him."
P D.J. Helkowski - Farquier (Va.)
As reported last weekend on the Round Table, Helkowski was in attendance at Saturday's game against Eastern Michigan. The Rutgers staff informed him they were still in the process of determining whether or not they would offer him.
With fifth-year punter Nick Marsh's eligibility exhausted after this season, Rutgers will be using a new punter next year. However, the Scarlet Knights don't necessarily have to rush to fill the void for two reasons.
The first reason is, with so many punting prospects, many of whom emerge late in the game, it often makes sense to wait as long as possible before zeroing in on one. Rutgers could elect to watch senior film on any high school targets or game film from any JUCO transfers before offering one.
The second reason is the presence of walk-on punter Joe Roth. A junior transfer, Roth has held up fairly well in practice thus far, and if he progresses enough, the staff could choose to use him as the starting punter as a walk-on senior in 2014 and use a scholarship at the position in 2015.
CB Minkah Fitzpatrick - St. Peter's Prep
Fitzpatrick had been a proponent of St. Peter's filling one of its scheduled byes with a game against out-of-state opponent Elkton (Md.) Eastern Christian Academy. The Marauders defeated ECA at Rutgers last Friday, and Fitzpatrick said the contest served as a welcome challenge for him and his teammates.
"They had two great receivers, Neiko Creamer and Freddy Canteen," Fitzpatrick said. "That's who I need to go against every week; just working to get me better and my teammates better. Just going against that great passing game gets us ready for our next couple of games."
This fall, Fitzpatrick is aiming to attend a game at Penn State, and is supposed to visit Ohio State for a game with 2015 teammates Brandon Wimbush and Jordan Fox. Fitzpatrick, Wimbush and Jonathan Hilliman were originally scheduled to attend Rutgers' game tomorrow against Arkansas, but with the Marauders' set to kick-off their own game against Memorial at 4 p.m., it appears they won't be able to make it.
As of now, Scarlet Nation continues to hear Fitzpatrick is likely to attend college out of state, but he did say Rutgers is one of the programs he is in contact with the most, along with UNC, South Carolina, Florida State, Ohio State and Miami.
DE Ryan Buchholz - Great Valley (Pa.)
As reported on the Round Table last week, Rutgers and Virginia are Buchholz's two early offers, and he's been to campus three times already.
"I went to the Big East championship game last year and the environment was awesome," Buchholz said. "The team is very good and moving to the Big Ten is very exciting."
Penn State, Northwestern, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Pitt, Temple and Maryland are also pursuing the 6-foot-6, 230-pound Buchholz.
OL Levon Livingston - Ballou (D.C.)
Recruiting is starting to heat up for the 6-foot-7, 250 pounder after strong camp showings at Georgia and Clemson this summer.
"Once his tape goes out, I think he's a double digit offer guy," said Ballou defensive coordinator Jason Munson. "Rutgers just started sending him mail and he was already receiving interest from Tennessee, Clemson, Georgia, Kentucky, West Virginia and Wake Forest. "
A three sport athlete, Livingston is playing his first season at defensive end, He has always played left tackle, where his basketball background translates over to the gridiron. Munson explained why Livingston's recruitment has taken a while to take off.
"In the spring when schools come to visit, he's never in the building because he always off playing another sport," said Munson. "I think some schools maybe scared off because of the perception of some kids in the city not having the grades, but he's an honor roll student."
Livingston intends to visit Rutgers for game some time this season.
Eye on Rutgers[/B]
There have been plenty of new players thrust into brand new roles this season for the Scarlet Knights. Three games into the season and some of those players are beginning to establish themselves as prominent players on this year's team. Now, with an upgrade in competition over the next three weeks, some of those players will have to play even bigger parts if Rutgers is going to end up on the victorious side of those battles. This week's eye on Rutgers takes a look at the Scarlet Knights most likely in store for breakout performances over the next three weeks.
WR Leonte Carroo
The first game of the season was a bit of a coming out party for Carroo who caught three touchdown passes while racking up 135 receiving yards against Fresno State. But in the last two games, Carroo seemed to be somewhat of a forgotten man in the RU offense. He had only one reception over the last two weeks. However, he remains Rutgers most talented and best all-around receiver. While some teams might not be too familiar with Carroo, he is likely to make his name one to remember over the next few games.
TE Tyler Kroft
The tight end looks to have finally returned to the Rutgers offense. Part of the reason for that is redshirt sophomore Tyler Kroft, who is steadily emerging as a weapon on the RU offense. Last Saturday on the first drive against Eastern Michigan, he caught the third and fourth passes from starting quarterback Gary Nova. Had Nova remained in the game, it is a real possibility that Kroft would have had a field day over the middle. Kroft is playing with more confidence this season and with some additional bulk, he has the capability of becoming one of RU's go-to-receivers this season.
CB Ian Thomas
Thomas experienced some growing pains through the first three games, but he has progressed very quickly since moving to cornerback last December. He will get his fair share of tests over the next three games, but by the midway point of the season there could be very little debate as to who is the team's top corner. Thomas is off to a rapid pace when it comes to his evolution as a cornerback. It's a safe bet that teams will be throwing away from Thomas as the season progresses while the trio of Lew Toler, Gareef Glashen and Nadir Barnwell could wind up battling for the top spot in the pecking order opposite Thomas.
DT Daryl Stephenson
In a backup role, Stephenson has shown flashes over the past couple of weeks. During the offseason, he got himself in much better shape and that is starting to show in his play. Don't expect Stephenson to crack the starting lineup but look for him to make an impact as part of the rotation at defensive tackle. There will be plenty of tests this week against a run-oriented Arkansas team and Stephenson could go a long way in solidifying Rutgers' front line of defense. Stephenson was in line to contribute last season but a foot injury suffered in the first week of training camp ended his year prematurely. Now, it finally looks like he is picking up where he left off prior to the injury.
This post was edited on 9/20 1:24 AM by Bobby Deren
Antwan Lowery on how Kaleb Johnson, Andre Civil and Chris Muller have played this year at guard:
"The guys have played tremendous ball. Kaleb Johnson, he's always ready to play ball. The kid comes out every day ready to work. Chris and Andre are the same way. This is Chris' first time getting game action and he's handled himself very well. Andre also has that experience; he's played a lot of football for us as well. All three guards, they come ready to work."
Rutgers 2014 basketball commitment Bishop Daniels on his official visit last weekend:
"It went really well. I loved the campus. I enjoyed being around the players, coaches and staff. Everything about the environment was just great. The players were great guys. They're going to be good this year. Of course [they'll surprise people]. Expect the unexpected."
Chris Muller on whether on not the game is slowing down for him:
"The more time you put into mentally preparing and getting ready, the game does not get slower, you just get used to the speed."
Quron Pratt on high school prospects committing earlier nowadays:
"I noticed that. A lot of guys commit early because the opportunity could get snatched away just like that. And they know that now. The [recruiting] game is changing a lot."
Fat Cat Top Five [/B]
Top Five RU MVP candidates through three games
5.) Darius Hamilton
4.) Gary Nova
3.) Marcus Thompson
2.) Quron Pratt
1.) Paul James
Bobby's Crystal Ball [/B]
Rutgers will score first against Arkansas on Saturday
Four RU true freshmen will play on Saturday
Recruiting tidbits
Visitor list
Rutgers' list of recruits at tomorrow's game is limited in some ways by high school scheduling---DePaul, St. Peter's Prep, Paramus Catholic, Pope John, Nottingham and others play on Saturday afternoon or evening---but a host of talented commits and targets are still expected to attend.
Among them are:
2014 cornerback commit Kam Lott of Jacksonville (Fla.) First Coast (official visitor)
2014 tight end commit Logan Lister of Katy (Tex.) (official visitor)
2014 running back commit Robert Martin of Harrisburg (Pa.)
2014 wide receiver commit Adonis Jennings of Timber Creek
2014 wide receiver commit Saeed Blacknall of Manalapan
2014 defensive end commit Donald Bedell of Rumson Fair-Haven
2015 Timber Creek cornerback Kareem Ali (Rutgers offer)
2015 Barnegat offensive lineman Sam Madden (Rutgers offer)
2015 St. Joseph Regional (Montvale) offensive lineman Tommy Hatton (Rutgers offer)
2015 St. Joseph Regional (Montvale) linebacker Joe Giles-Harris
Neptune Beach (Fla.) fullback Jacob Kraut and Weston (Fla.) Cypress Bay cornerback Deion Hallmon both confirmed to Scarlet Nation they will be taking their official visits the weekend of October 26th for the Houston game.
WR/TE Mike Gesicki - Southern
The biggest name scheduled to attend tomorrow's game is Gesicki, who is one of the top remaining targets on Rutgers' board. Gesicki has an official visit to Ohio State planned for next weekend and will be at Penn State's home contest against Michigan on Oct 12.
While getting Gesicki back on campus is key for Rutgers, Scarlet Nation continues to hear the versatile senior is likely looking out-of-state for his college destination, as of now.
RB Robert Martin - Harrisburg (Pa.)
Martin has been working hard trying to strengthen his right knee after he tore his ACL in Harrisburg's season opener on Aug 31. His surgery is set for Oct 1, but says things are progressing well even before he goes under the knife.
"It's feeling good. I got some of the swelling out of it and some flexibility [back]," Martin said.
Martin said the RU staff has been there since his injury and never wavered in their commitment to him.
"They've been real good about the situation, telling me to stay positive," he said.
Martin will be one of several commitments on campus this weekend, including Manalapan WR Saeed Blacknall, Jacksonville (Fla.) First Coast DB Kam Lott and Katy (Tex.) tight end Logan Lister. Lister and Lott are using this weekend as their official visit.
"I'm looking forward to seeing the environment on gameday and how fast the offense moves up close," Martin said.
Martin was also elected president of his senior class this week.
FB Jacob Kraut - Fletcher (Fla.)
There was a chance Kraut was going to visit Rutgers this weekend, but he will instead be on campus later in the fall.
"I'm going on the 26th [of October]," said Kraut. "I think it's for my official."
Kraut's Fletcher squad is 2-1 on the season, the lone loss coming in double-overtime to Kam Lott's Jacksonville First Coast outfit.
"I like him [Lott]," Kraut said. "I talk to him a lot, and I can't wait to play with him."
P D.J. Helkowski - Farquier (Va.)
As reported last weekend on the Round Table, Helkowski was in attendance at Saturday's game against Eastern Michigan. The Rutgers staff informed him they were still in the process of determining whether or not they would offer him.
With fifth-year punter Nick Marsh's eligibility exhausted after this season, Rutgers will be using a new punter next year. However, the Scarlet Knights don't necessarily have to rush to fill the void for two reasons.
The first reason is, with so many punting prospects, many of whom emerge late in the game, it often makes sense to wait as long as possible before zeroing in on one. Rutgers could elect to watch senior film on any high school targets or game film from any JUCO transfers before offering one.
The second reason is the presence of walk-on punter Joe Roth. A junior transfer, Roth has held up fairly well in practice thus far, and if he progresses enough, the staff could choose to use him as the starting punter as a walk-on senior in 2014 and use a scholarship at the position in 2015.
CB Minkah Fitzpatrick - St. Peter's Prep
Fitzpatrick had been a proponent of St. Peter's filling one of its scheduled byes with a game against out-of-state opponent Elkton (Md.) Eastern Christian Academy. The Marauders defeated ECA at Rutgers last Friday, and Fitzpatrick said the contest served as a welcome challenge for him and his teammates.
"They had two great receivers, Neiko Creamer and Freddy Canteen," Fitzpatrick said. "That's who I need to go against every week; just working to get me better and my teammates better. Just going against that great passing game gets us ready for our next couple of games."
This fall, Fitzpatrick is aiming to attend a game at Penn State, and is supposed to visit Ohio State for a game with 2015 teammates Brandon Wimbush and Jordan Fox. Fitzpatrick, Wimbush and Jonathan Hilliman were originally scheduled to attend Rutgers' game tomorrow against Arkansas, but with the Marauders' set to kick-off their own game against Memorial at 4 p.m., it appears they won't be able to make it.
As of now, Scarlet Nation continues to hear Fitzpatrick is likely to attend college out of state, but he did say Rutgers is one of the programs he is in contact with the most, along with UNC, South Carolina, Florida State, Ohio State and Miami.
DE Ryan Buchholz - Great Valley (Pa.)
As reported on the Round Table last week, Rutgers and Virginia are Buchholz's two early offers, and he's been to campus three times already.
"I went to the Big East championship game last year and the environment was awesome," Buchholz said. "The team is very good and moving to the Big Ten is very exciting."
Penn State, Northwestern, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Pitt, Temple and Maryland are also pursuing the 6-foot-6, 230-pound Buchholz.
OL Levon Livingston - Ballou (D.C.)
Recruiting is starting to heat up for the 6-foot-7, 250 pounder after strong camp showings at Georgia and Clemson this summer.
"Once his tape goes out, I think he's a double digit offer guy," said Ballou defensive coordinator Jason Munson. "Rutgers just started sending him mail and he was already receiving interest from Tennessee, Clemson, Georgia, Kentucky, West Virginia and Wake Forest. "
A three sport athlete, Livingston is playing his first season at defensive end, He has always played left tackle, where his basketball background translates over to the gridiron. Munson explained why Livingston's recruitment has taken a while to take off.
"In the spring when schools come to visit, he's never in the building because he always off playing another sport," said Munson. "I think some schools maybe scared off because of the perception of some kids in the city not having the grades, but he's an honor roll student."
Livingston intends to visit Rutgers for game some time this season.
Eye on Rutgers[/B]
There have been plenty of new players thrust into brand new roles this season for the Scarlet Knights. Three games into the season and some of those players are beginning to establish themselves as prominent players on this year's team. Now, with an upgrade in competition over the next three weeks, some of those players will have to play even bigger parts if Rutgers is going to end up on the victorious side of those battles. This week's eye on Rutgers takes a look at the Scarlet Knights most likely in store for breakout performances over the next three weeks.
WR Leonte Carroo
The first game of the season was a bit of a coming out party for Carroo who caught three touchdown passes while racking up 135 receiving yards against Fresno State. But in the last two games, Carroo seemed to be somewhat of a forgotten man in the RU offense. He had only one reception over the last two weeks. However, he remains Rutgers most talented and best all-around receiver. While some teams might not be too familiar with Carroo, he is likely to make his name one to remember over the next few games.
TE Tyler Kroft
The tight end looks to have finally returned to the Rutgers offense. Part of the reason for that is redshirt sophomore Tyler Kroft, who is steadily emerging as a weapon on the RU offense. Last Saturday on the first drive against Eastern Michigan, he caught the third and fourth passes from starting quarterback Gary Nova. Had Nova remained in the game, it is a real possibility that Kroft would have had a field day over the middle. Kroft is playing with more confidence this season and with some additional bulk, he has the capability of becoming one of RU's go-to-receivers this season.
CB Ian Thomas
Thomas experienced some growing pains through the first three games, but he has progressed very quickly since moving to cornerback last December. He will get his fair share of tests over the next three games, but by the midway point of the season there could be very little debate as to who is the team's top corner. Thomas is off to a rapid pace when it comes to his evolution as a cornerback. It's a safe bet that teams will be throwing away from Thomas as the season progresses while the trio of Lew Toler, Gareef Glashen and Nadir Barnwell could wind up battling for the top spot in the pecking order opposite Thomas.
DT Daryl Stephenson
In a backup role, Stephenson has shown flashes over the past couple of weeks. During the offseason, he got himself in much better shape and that is starting to show in his play. Don't expect Stephenson to crack the starting lineup but look for him to make an impact as part of the rotation at defensive tackle. There will be plenty of tests this week against a run-oriented Arkansas team and Stephenson could go a long way in solidifying Rutgers' front line of defense. Stephenson was in line to contribute last season but a foot injury suffered in the first week of training camp ended his year prematurely. Now, it finally looks like he is picking up where he left off prior to the injury.
This post was edited on 9/20 1:24 AM by Bobby Deren
