Big East: Lorenzo Waters
2011 overall record: 9-4
2011 conference record: 4-3 (T-4)
Returning starters: Offense 6; Defense 8; Kicker/punter: 1.
Key returners
LB Khaseem Greene, NT Scott Vallone, CB Logan Ryan, S Duron Harmon, WR Mark Harrison, RB Jawan Jamison, OT Kaleb Johnson
Key losses
WR Mohamed Sanu, S David Rowe, K San San Te, LG Desmond Wynn, RG Art Forst, DT Justin Francis
2011 statistical leaders (*returners)
Rushing: Jawan Jamison* (897 yards)
Passing: Chas Dodd* (139-of-245 for 1,574 yards, 10 TDs, 7 INTs)
Receiving: Sanu (1,206 yards)
Tackles: Khaseem Greene* (141)
Sacks: Justin Francis (6.5)
Interceptions: Duron Harmon* (five)
Spring answers
1. Flood in control. One of the biggest story lines in the Big East headed into the spring was how coach Kyle Flood would manage a team ready to compete for a Big East title. It appears he has everything under control. There is a more relaxed mood around the facility, Flood has proven to be more of a delegator, and he isn't screaming at players every two seconds. He seems to know how he wants to lead this team, and used the spring to get comfortable as the man in charge.
2. Waters emerges. The Rutgers defense returns nearly everybody, but among the biggest shoes to fill is at strong safety, with David Rowe departing. Lorenzo Waters went into the spring penciled in as the starter, and did nothing to change that view during practices. He could be a force this year.
3. New kicker. It appears freshman Kyle Federico has emerged as the leader at kicker, to replace San San Te. Federico enrolled early and took advantage of being in the spring game, performing consistently well. Now we'll see how he does when the pressure is on Saturdays in the fall.
Fall questions
1. Quarterback. Chas Dodd and Gary Nova battled for the starting quarterback job, and neither was consistent enough to win it after spring practice. So the two go into the offseason, continuing their competition. Dodd started eight games last season; Nova 5. Flood says he wants to make a decision at least a week before the season opener against Tulane.
2. Offensive line. Though Flood has a better idea about who can be his main contributors on the line, injuries really set back the group in terms of building chemistry. Tackle Kaleb Johnson was out; Betim Bujari missed time with an injured ankle but has moved from guard to center. In fact, four of the five starting linemen have been changed on the post-spring depth chart.
3. Running back. Jamison and Savon Huggins are sure to split the reps this year, as Flood has basically said he wants to use both as much as he can. But it remains to be seen who is tabbed as the starter, and how Rutgers is going to try and divide up the reps. Huggins came into Rutgers as the most highly touted prospect in school history. Now he gets another chance to live up to his advance billing.
2011 conference record: 4-3 (T-4)
Returning starters: Offense 6; Defense 8; Kicker/punter: 1.
Key returners
LB Khaseem Greene, NT Scott Vallone, CB Logan Ryan, S Duron Harmon, WR Mark Harrison, RB Jawan Jamison, OT Kaleb Johnson
Key losses
WR Mohamed Sanu, S David Rowe, K San San Te, LG Desmond Wynn, RG Art Forst, DT Justin Francis
2011 statistical leaders (*returners)
Rushing: Jawan Jamison* (897 yards)
Passing: Chas Dodd* (139-of-245 for 1,574 yards, 10 TDs, 7 INTs)
Receiving: Sanu (1,206 yards)
Tackles: Khaseem Greene* (141)
Sacks: Justin Francis (6.5)
Interceptions: Duron Harmon* (five)
Spring answers
1. Flood in control. One of the biggest story lines in the Big East headed into the spring was how coach Kyle Flood would manage a team ready to compete for a Big East title. It appears he has everything under control. There is a more relaxed mood around the facility, Flood has proven to be more of a delegator, and he isn't screaming at players every two seconds. He seems to know how he wants to lead this team, and used the spring to get comfortable as the man in charge.
2. Waters emerges. The Rutgers defense returns nearly everybody, but among the biggest shoes to fill is at strong safety, with David Rowe departing. Lorenzo Waters went into the spring penciled in as the starter, and did nothing to change that view during practices. He could be a force this year.
3. New kicker. It appears freshman Kyle Federico has emerged as the leader at kicker, to replace San San Te. Federico enrolled early and took advantage of being in the spring game, performing consistently well. Now we'll see how he does when the pressure is on Saturdays in the fall.
Fall questions
1. Quarterback. Chas Dodd and Gary Nova battled for the starting quarterback job, and neither was consistent enough to win it after spring practice. So the two go into the offseason, continuing their competition. Dodd started eight games last season; Nova 5. Flood says he wants to make a decision at least a week before the season opener against Tulane.
2. Offensive line. Though Flood has a better idea about who can be his main contributors on the line, injuries really set back the group in terms of building chemistry. Tackle Kaleb Johnson was out; Betim Bujari missed time with an injured ankle but has moved from guard to center. In fact, four of the five starting linemen have been changed on the post-spring depth chart.
3. Running back. Jamison and Savon Huggins are sure to split the reps this year, as Flood has basically said he wants to use both as much as he can. But it remains to be seen who is tabbed as the starter, and how Rutgers is going to try and divide up the reps. Huggins came into Rutgers as the most highly touted prospect in school history. Now he gets another chance to live up to his advance billing.
Rutgers position changes, injury updates
March, 20, 2012
Mar 20
12:40
PM ET
By
Andrea Adelson | ESPN.com
Rutgers coach Kyle Flood held a news conference Tuesday to preview spring practice, which begins a week from today. He gave us all a little bit of news with position changes and an injury update.
First, here are the players who will either be held out of spring practice entirely, or be limited during drills.
Out
NT Scott Vallone (shoulder)
LB Khaseem Greene (ankle)
OT Kaleb Johnson (shoulder)
TE D.C. Jefferson (ankle)
WR Tejay Johnson (hernia)
Limited
DL Michael Larrow (ankle)
CB Mason Robinson (knee)
LB David Milewski (knee)
OL Frank Quartucci (hip)
Position changes
Jeremy Deering, from running back to wide receiver.
J.T. Tartakoff -- from receiver to safety
Sam Bergen -- from linebacker to fullback
Jawaun Wynn -- from receiver to rush end
Kaleb Johnson -- from right tackle to left tackle
Here are some of Flood's comments from his news conference:
On moving Johnson to left tackle: "I see [him] as a very talented, physically strong offensive lineman, and with our depth and our personnel, the guy best suited to be our left tackle going forward, and hopefully do it for three years." Johnson was a freshman All-American after emerging as the starter at right tackle last season.
Flood said it might seem unusual to have Wynn move from receiver to end, but he will be playing more of a hybrid end/linebacker position. "He's a physically talented young man. That is a position where, as he grows comfortable with it, he'll be able to impact the games on a high level."
On the quarterback competition between Gary Nova and Chas Dodd, Flood would not put a timetable for when he wants to make a decision. But the starting job is no doubt up for grabs. "What we have is two really talented, quality young people who have won big games for us. I'm anxious to watch them compete this spring. It's up to the players to see if one separates himself."
On the running back battle between Jawan Jamison and Savon Huggins, who is totally healthy headed into the spring: "I don't think anybody's ahead of anyone at that position. What I've said to players over the years is there's nothing more valuable than consistency. That's something we've lacked at that position. We need a guy we can hand the ball to who can give us a high-quality game every time we hand him the ball. I'm hoping to find that in both guys. You need more than one."
Flood also confirmed that Robinson was granted his sixth year of eligibility. "To have a young person of that caliber, that quality back in our program, I think he will bring a level of leadership that you can only understand if you spend time in a locker room with Division I football players. He can do things for me in a leadership role that nobody else can do. We're really excited to have him back with us."
As for the depth chart, the offensive line has some new faces with three seniors gone. As expected, Dallas Hendrikson is at center. But sophomore Taj Alexander is listed at right tackle, and David Osei is at right guard. Betim Bujari is at left guard.
Brandon Coleman is listed at the starting receiver spot left by Mohamed Sanu.
At the safety spot David Rowe leaves, and Lorenzo Waters is penciled in ahead of Wayne Warren. And watch for a battle at defensive end between Ka'Lial Glaud and Marvin Booker. Kenneth Kirsey is listed No. 1 at defensive tackle in the spot left by Justin Francis.
First, here are the players who will either be held out of spring practice entirely, or be limited during drills.
Out
NT Scott Vallone (shoulder)
LB Khaseem Greene (ankle)
OT Kaleb Johnson (shoulder)
TE D.C. Jefferson (ankle)
WR Tejay Johnson (hernia)
Limited
DL Michael Larrow (ankle)
CB Mason Robinson (knee)
LB David Milewski (knee)
OL Frank Quartucci (hip)
Position changes
Jeremy Deering, from running back to wide receiver.
J.T. Tartakoff -- from receiver to safety
Sam Bergen -- from linebacker to fullback
Jawaun Wynn -- from receiver to rush end
Kaleb Johnson -- from right tackle to left tackle
Here are some of Flood's comments from his news conference:
On moving Johnson to left tackle: "I see [him] as a very talented, physically strong offensive lineman, and with our depth and our personnel, the guy best suited to be our left tackle going forward, and hopefully do it for three years." Johnson was a freshman All-American after emerging as the starter at right tackle last season.
Flood said it might seem unusual to have Wynn move from receiver to end, but he will be playing more of a hybrid end/linebacker position. "He's a physically talented young man. That is a position where, as he grows comfortable with it, he'll be able to impact the games on a high level."
On the quarterback competition between Gary Nova and Chas Dodd, Flood would not put a timetable for when he wants to make a decision. But the starting job is no doubt up for grabs. "What we have is two really talented, quality young people who have won big games for us. I'm anxious to watch them compete this spring. It's up to the players to see if one separates himself."
On the running back battle between Jawan Jamison and Savon Huggins, who is totally healthy headed into the spring: "I don't think anybody's ahead of anyone at that position. What I've said to players over the years is there's nothing more valuable than consistency. That's something we've lacked at that position. We need a guy we can hand the ball to who can give us a high-quality game every time we hand him the ball. I'm hoping to find that in both guys. You need more than one."
Flood also confirmed that Robinson was granted his sixth year of eligibility. "To have a young person of that caliber, that quality back in our program, I think he will bring a level of leadership that you can only understand if you spend time in a locker room with Division I football players. He can do things for me in a leadership role that nobody else can do. We're really excited to have him back with us."
As for the depth chart, the offensive line has some new faces with three seniors gone. As expected, Dallas Hendrikson is at center. But sophomore Taj Alexander is listed at right tackle, and David Osei is at right guard. Betim Bujari is at left guard.
Brandon Coleman is listed at the starting receiver spot left by Mohamed Sanu.
At the safety spot David Rowe leaves, and Lorenzo Waters is penciled in ahead of Wayne Warren. And watch for a battle at defensive end between Ka'Lial Glaud and Marvin Booker. Kenneth Kirsey is listed No. 1 at defensive tackle in the spot left by Justin Francis.
Time to finish up our look at how each Big East team fared in trying to replace its biggest or most important star from 2010. Last but not least: Rutgers.
Biggest shoes to fill: Joe Lefeged.
Let's face it: The Scarlet Knights didn't exactly lose a ton of star power. They were the only Big East team to not have a player drafted last week. Lefeged is the closest thing to a star as the lone Rutgers representative on either the All-Big East first or second team. The strong safety ranked second on the team with 84 tackles and had four forced fumbles and an interception. He was also a disruptive force on special teams.
Spring replacement: Duron Harmon
Harmon, a junior, spent the past two seasons as a backup and now should move into a starting role replacing Lefeged. The 6-foot-1, 198-pounder had 21 tackles last year. You didn't hear his name a lot from Greg Schiano this spring, but that's mostly because Harmon was steady. David Rowe got a lot more attention for his play at free safety, where he moved from cornerback this spring. Rutgers hopes it has a solid 1-2 punch now at the position.
Summer outlook: Harmon appears to have a good grip on the starting job, but there are plenty of other safeties trying to get on the field, such as Patrick Kivlehan, Wayne Warren, Lorenzo Waters, Rashad Knight and converted receiver Jawaun Wynn. He'll need to keep playing well into the summer to stay ahead of the crowd.
Biggest shoes to fill: Joe Lefeged.
Let's face it: The Scarlet Knights didn't exactly lose a ton of star power. They were the only Big East team to not have a player drafted last week. Lefeged is the closest thing to a star as the lone Rutgers representative on either the All-Big East first or second team. The strong safety ranked second on the team with 84 tackles and had four forced fumbles and an interception. He was also a disruptive force on special teams.
Spring replacement: Duron Harmon
Harmon, a junior, spent the past two seasons as a backup and now should move into a starting role replacing Lefeged. The 6-foot-1, 198-pounder had 21 tackles last year. You didn't hear his name a lot from Greg Schiano this spring, but that's mostly because Harmon was steady. David Rowe got a lot more attention for his play at free safety, where he moved from cornerback this spring. Rutgers hopes it has a solid 1-2 punch now at the position.
Summer outlook: Harmon appears to have a good grip on the starting job, but there are plenty of other safeties trying to get on the field, such as Patrick Kivlehan, Wayne Warren, Lorenzo Waters, Rashad Knight and converted receiver Jawaun Wynn. He'll need to keep playing well into the summer to stay ahead of the crowd.
Q&A with Rutgers' Greg Schiano, Part II
March, 29, 2011
3/29/11
9:00
AM ET
By
Brian Bennett | ESPN.com
Here is Part II of my conversation with Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano. You can read Part I here.
How has Chas Dodd been this offseason?
Greg Schiano: Real good. He's a hard guy not to love. He's a gym rat, he's a guy who loves the game of football, and he has a great way about him. He relates to everybody -- the linemen, the running backs, the wideouts, the coaches. He's a happy kid, a fun guy to be around.
You talked last year at this time about Tom Savage's leadership skills. Does Dodd have the same attributes?
GS: I can see it, no doubt. You could see it last year. He's a fiery sucker, now. He really loves playing the game. People kind of take his energy and use it. He's a pistol.
How about the depth at that position?
GS: I think the freshmen will be critical -- Gary Nova and Mike Bimonte. They've been here a lot this spring already, just visiting with coaches. We practice in the morning now so they're not going to be missing school to come to spring practice. They'll be around us as much as we can get them around us. Steve Shimko is returning from rotator cuff surgery; I think he'll be OK, but I don't know. So those freshmen, whoever's the best will probably end up being the backup. We have a couple of walk-ons in the program who have a chance, but it definitely is lean. That's why those freshmen are critical.
You look at D.C. Jefferson, and physically he looks as good as any tight end you'll see. Where is he in his development?
GS: You're right, physically, I don't know if there's a better physical guy in the country. Let's see what he does this spring. I think he really made some extraordinary blocks and extraordinary catches, and he missed some. He made some mistakes. It's a big year for him. He's got experience now under his belt. He and I have talked, and we really need him to become a key performer for us -- a clutch performer is probably a better way to say it -- and he's capable of it. And espcially in this offense, because the tight end is such a big part of it.
Let's move over to defensive line, where you lost three starters. Where do you see that group this spring?
GS: We've still got Scott Vallone and Justin Francis, who have played a lot. But we're going to be young up there. Talented, maybe as talented as we've been, but young. We've got to harden them up and toughen them up this spring. Moving Manny Abreu to the defensive end will help us. He's an experienced player -- that will be a new position for him, but a lot of the things he did at [strongside] linebacker aren't very different than what we'll ask him to do at defensive end.
We're going to find out. You look at Michael Larrow, who's been in the program now for two years, he's physically exactly what you're looking for in that position. Guys like Kenneth Kirksey, Djwaney Mara, Jamil Merrell, Isaac Holmes, all those guys. It's their time. They need to step up. Vallone is there as a real leader. That's what we need, someone to take that thing and lead these guys, and I think he will.
What about linebacker, with Abreu gone from there?
GS: Manny moves to defensive end and will be one of the better athletes up there. But at linebacker, his speed was just OK. So now you take a safety like Khaseem Greene who has very good speed and move him down to the [weakside] linebacker, and I think he's really going to bring something to the table there. Especially in our league. You know, it's interesting when you look at the schedule. You have some teams that will get into two-back and then some teams that will get into spread and then teams like Connecticut where you don't know what it's going to be. So it's going to be interesting. But I think, without a doubt, this defense is built on speed. I think we've helped ourselves by doing that, not only on the line and at linebacker, but making changes in the secondary as well.
Speaking of the secondary, you moved Jordan Thomas and Mason Robinson to cornerback. How do you see that spot shaking out?
GS: We moved both to corner, we moved David Rowe into safety, and we moved over a guy I think is really talented in Jawaun Wynn -- a big, talented guy who was a wideout -- he'll be playing safety as well. We also redshirted a guy who I think was an exceptional recruit from DeMatha in Lorenzo Waters, he's got a chance to be really good. So it will be interesting to see because, again, there's great competition at this spot.
Speaking of redshirting, how tempting was it to play some of those young guys last year as the losses mounted?
GS: You know what, last year was so weird with everything that happened here ... sometimes you'll take a shirt off a kid if you think he can really help us, but our issues were a lot more than a player. We had some serious issues. So I think that would have been foolish -- it wouldn't have made any difference.
How have the players moved past all that?
GS: I think Eric [LeGrand's] situation was one where it's just, we're a close family here. Part of me is proud how much it affected us, because it showed how much our guys do care about each other. There wasn't a player or anything that was going to change that. Maybe if I had done a better job leading ... that's something I have thought about many times. But at the end of the day, it happened, and we're going to be there for Eric to help him, and we're going to put this thing back together and get back to playing football the way Rutgers is accustomed to playing it. I can't wait to do it. I really haven't been this excited to get back to practice in a long time.
How much will Eric be involved with you guys this spring?
GS: He's still in Kessler [Rehab], and when he gets out, which I think is going to happen pretty soon, he'll have a busy schedule. He still has to go to rehab and do all that stuff, just now he'll have to drive up to the place all the time. But hopefully he'll be around. He took a class this semester online, and I fully expect him to come back to school here and get his degree. So, yeah, he's every bit as big a part of this family as he ever was, and I expect him to be around as much as he can possibly be around.
Looking at special teams, you have to replace your punter. Where does that stand?
GS: We recruited Anthony DiPaula, and he started in January. One area we'll really emphasize this spring is punting and putting him under the gun, because where we stand right now, the plan is for him to be our punter. And that's a true freshman punter, so hold on to your hat, baby. With San San Te returning, we have returning long-snappers, returning holders, so I'm comfortable we'll be comfortable in all areas. And hopefully we'll get DiPaula to a point where he's comfortable. But again, until you go out and punt in front of 60,000 people, you haven't really experienced it. But he has a good way about him, so I'm confident in him.
Last year at this time, you talked about how young your roster was, and how the vast majority of your players were underclassmen. Looking at things now, do you think this is a group that can do some special things as it grows up?
GS: I'm going to hold judgment on that. Are they over everything from last year? I hope they're not over it, but I hope they're dealing with it better. I think we're going to see where we are every step of the way. We only have 12 scholarship seniors on this team, so our bigger classes are our juniors, sophomores and freshmen. With our 12 scholarship seniors, we do have strong leaders and character guys there. But I think it's going to be a group effort. And you know what? Some of the best teams I've had kind of scratched and clawed and at the end of the day they'd look up and not be too bad. Hopefully, that will be us.
How has Chas Dodd been this offseason?
Greg Schiano: Real good. He's a hard guy not to love. He's a gym rat, he's a guy who loves the game of football, and he has a great way about him. He relates to everybody -- the linemen, the running backs, the wideouts, the coaches. He's a happy kid, a fun guy to be around.
You talked last year at this time about Tom Savage's leadership skills. Does Dodd have the same attributes?
GS: I can see it, no doubt. You could see it last year. He's a fiery sucker, now. He really loves playing the game. People kind of take his energy and use it. He's a pistol.
How about the depth at that position?
GS: I think the freshmen will be critical -- Gary Nova and Mike Bimonte. They've been here a lot this spring already, just visiting with coaches. We practice in the morning now so they're not going to be missing school to come to spring practice. They'll be around us as much as we can get them around us. Steve Shimko is returning from rotator cuff surgery; I think he'll be OK, but I don't know. So those freshmen, whoever's the best will probably end up being the backup. We have a couple of walk-ons in the program who have a chance, but it definitely is lean. That's why those freshmen are critical.
You look at D.C. Jefferson, and physically he looks as good as any tight end you'll see. Where is he in his development?
[+] Enlarge
Jim McIsaac/Getty ImagesD.C. Jefferson could play an important role in Rutgers' offense this season.
Jim McIsaac/Getty ImagesD.C. Jefferson could play an important role in Rutgers' offense this season.Let's move over to defensive line, where you lost three starters. Where do you see that group this spring?
GS: We've still got Scott Vallone and Justin Francis, who have played a lot. But we're going to be young up there. Talented, maybe as talented as we've been, but young. We've got to harden them up and toughen them up this spring. Moving Manny Abreu to the defensive end will help us. He's an experienced player -- that will be a new position for him, but a lot of the things he did at [strongside] linebacker aren't very different than what we'll ask him to do at defensive end.
We're going to find out. You look at Michael Larrow, who's been in the program now for two years, he's physically exactly what you're looking for in that position. Guys like Kenneth Kirksey, Djwaney Mara, Jamil Merrell, Isaac Holmes, all those guys. It's their time. They need to step up. Vallone is there as a real leader. That's what we need, someone to take that thing and lead these guys, and I think he will.
What about linebacker, with Abreu gone from there?
GS: Manny moves to defensive end and will be one of the better athletes up there. But at linebacker, his speed was just OK. So now you take a safety like Khaseem Greene who has very good speed and move him down to the [weakside] linebacker, and I think he's really going to bring something to the table there. Especially in our league. You know, it's interesting when you look at the schedule. You have some teams that will get into two-back and then some teams that will get into spread and then teams like Connecticut where you don't know what it's going to be. So it's going to be interesting. But I think, without a doubt, this defense is built on speed. I think we've helped ourselves by doing that, not only on the line and at linebacker, but making changes in the secondary as well.
Speaking of the secondary, you moved Jordan Thomas and Mason Robinson to cornerback. How do you see that spot shaking out?
GS: We moved both to corner, we moved David Rowe into safety, and we moved over a guy I think is really talented in Jawaun Wynn -- a big, talented guy who was a wideout -- he'll be playing safety as well. We also redshirted a guy who I think was an exceptional recruit from DeMatha in Lorenzo Waters, he's got a chance to be really good. So it will be interesting to see because, again, there's great competition at this spot.
Speaking of redshirting, how tempting was it to play some of those young guys last year as the losses mounted?
GS: You know what, last year was so weird with everything that happened here ... sometimes you'll take a shirt off a kid if you think he can really help us, but our issues were a lot more than a player. We had some serious issues. So I think that would have been foolish -- it wouldn't have made any difference.
How have the players moved past all that?
GS: I think Eric [LeGrand's] situation was one where it's just, we're a close family here. Part of me is proud how much it affected us, because it showed how much our guys do care about each other. There wasn't a player or anything that was going to change that. Maybe if I had done a better job leading ... that's something I have thought about many times. But at the end of the day, it happened, and we're going to be there for Eric to help him, and we're going to put this thing back together and get back to playing football the way Rutgers is accustomed to playing it. I can't wait to do it. I really haven't been this excited to get back to practice in a long time.
How much will Eric be involved with you guys this spring?
GS: He's still in Kessler [Rehab], and when he gets out, which I think is going to happen pretty soon, he'll have a busy schedule. He still has to go to rehab and do all that stuff, just now he'll have to drive up to the place all the time. But hopefully he'll be around. He took a class this semester online, and I fully expect him to come back to school here and get his degree. So, yeah, he's every bit as big a part of this family as he ever was, and I expect him to be around as much as he can possibly be around.
Looking at special teams, you have to replace your punter. Where does that stand?
GS: We recruited Anthony DiPaula, and he started in January. One area we'll really emphasize this spring is punting and putting him under the gun, because where we stand right now, the plan is for him to be our punter. And that's a true freshman punter, so hold on to your hat, baby. With San San Te returning, we have returning long-snappers, returning holders, so I'm comfortable we'll be comfortable in all areas. And hopefully we'll get DiPaula to a point where he's comfortable. But again, until you go out and punt in front of 60,000 people, you haven't really experienced it. But he has a good way about him, so I'm confident in him.
Last year at this time, you talked about how young your roster was, and how the vast majority of your players were underclassmen. Looking at things now, do you think this is a group that can do some special things as it grows up?
GS: I'm going to hold judgment on that. Are they over everything from last year? I hope they're not over it, but I hope they're dealing with it better. I think we're going to see where we are every step of the way. We only have 12 scholarship seniors on this team, so our bigger classes are our juniors, sophomores and freshmen. With our 12 scholarship seniors, we do have strong leaders and character guys there. But I think it's going to be a group effort. And you know what? Some of the best teams I've had kind of scratched and clawed and at the end of the day they'd look up and not be too bad. Hopefully, that will be us.
David Rowe mans hot corner for Rutgers
August, 26, 2010
8/26/10
2:15
PM ET
By
Brian Bennett | ESPN.com
Just about wherever Devin McCourty went last year, David Rowe made sure to follow.
Rowe wanted to soak up all the knowledge he could from Rutgers' star cornerback and future first-round NFL draft pick.
"He taught me all the little things," Rowe said. "Not big things like scheme, but just how to win those one-on-one battles and how receivers want to leverage you. It was all about the mentality of football."
Rowe also was McCourty's roommate the night before games and would lean on the veteran to help calm his nerves, especially before Rowe made his first career start against Florida International.
"He said all the right things to calm me down," Rowe said. "He'd say, 'Just go out there and have fun. Love what you're doing.'"
Flash forward to this season, and now it is Rowe who's the experienced Scarlet Knights cornerback. He's the one ready to give advice to younger players -- and Rutgers hopes, to play as well as McCourty did.
The junior recently was named as the team's best draft-eligible pro prospect by Mel Kiper. At 6-foot and 196 pounds, he's got excellent size for a corner and showed good coverage skills last season after moving into that starting role early. He had been a nickelback before that.
"That was a big step for me going, from nickel to outside, basically on an island," he said. "Each game throughout the year, I got better and more comfortable."
Rowe said he felt like he belonged when he grabbed his first career interception against Texas Southern and returned it 56 yards for a touchdown. He also had a pick against UConn.
The Rutgers secondary is young but talented, with redshirt freshman Logan Ryan battling Brandon Bing for the starting job at the other corner spot. Promising youngsters such as Darrell Givens, Brandon Jones and Lorenzo Waters make sure the defensive backfield is in good hands for the future.
"I think the secondary can expect a lot of big things this year," Rowe said. "We know the defense and what the offense wants to do to us. I think we can play with a lot of teams in the country."
And if any of the younger players need advice or a word of reassurance, Rowe is happy to pay back the favor.
Rowe wanted to soak up all the knowledge he could from Rutgers' star cornerback and future first-round NFL draft pick.
[+] Enlarge
AP Photo/Mike GrollDavid Rowe has the size and athletic ability to match up with larger receivers.
AP Photo/Mike GrollDavid Rowe has the size and athletic ability to match up with larger receivers. Rowe also was McCourty's roommate the night before games and would lean on the veteran to help calm his nerves, especially before Rowe made his first career start against Florida International.
"He said all the right things to calm me down," Rowe said. "He'd say, 'Just go out there and have fun. Love what you're doing.'"
Flash forward to this season, and now it is Rowe who's the experienced Scarlet Knights cornerback. He's the one ready to give advice to younger players -- and Rutgers hopes, to play as well as McCourty did.
The junior recently was named as the team's best draft-eligible pro prospect by Mel Kiper. At 6-foot and 196 pounds, he's got excellent size for a corner and showed good coverage skills last season after moving into that starting role early. He had been a nickelback before that.
"That was a big step for me going, from nickel to outside, basically on an island," he said. "Each game throughout the year, I got better and more comfortable."
Rowe said he felt like he belonged when he grabbed his first career interception against Texas Southern and returned it 56 yards for a touchdown. He also had a pick against UConn.
The Rutgers secondary is young but talented, with redshirt freshman Logan Ryan battling Brandon Bing for the starting job at the other corner spot. Promising youngsters such as Darrell Givens, Brandon Jones and Lorenzo Waters make sure the defensive backfield is in good hands for the future.
"I think the secondary can expect a lot of big things this year," Rowe said. "We know the defense and what the offense wants to do to us. I think we can play with a lot of teams in the country."
And if any of the younger players need advice or a word of reassurance, Rowe is happy to pay back the favor.
Analyzing the 2010 Big East signing classes ...
Rutgers
View class here.
Signees: 25
Heavy on: Offensive line (five) and receivers (four).
Geographic trend: The Scarlet Knights inked nine players from Florida, and not just their traditional areas in South Florida and Tampa Bay. They landed players from Jacksonville and one from Daytona Beach.
Headliners: WR Jeremy Deering (four stars), DB Rashad Knight (four stars)
Sleeper: Cornerback Gareef Glashen, who decommitted from Syracuse in the last week.
Best potential for immediate impact: Knight and safety Lorenzo Waters could work themselves into certain pass coverage packages early on. Also watch Deering and 6-foot-6 Brandon Coleman, both of whom could compete for time at wideout.
Needs met: Rutgers needed to find some playmakers to complement Tom Savage and Mohamed Sanu. They may have accomplished that with guys like Deering and Coleman, along with running backs Casey Turner and Jawan Jamison.
Analysis: This was a so-so class until a really strong final week saw the additions of players like Deering and Knight. Without getting a ton of top talent out of New Jersey, Schiano was able to assemble a solid group that fills a lot of needs for a team that should be able to compete for the Big East title in two-to-three years.
What Schiano said: "What we have are a lot of fast guys who are very talented and very athletic, and we've got to figure out to get the ball in their hands. ... This was the most exciting close to recruiting that I've had here at Rutgers, and quite frankly we needed to do it. In the end, with the ones we were going after, we got just about all of them. ... The fact that we have a quarterback [Tom Savage] in our program that has proven he has potential to be great, that helped a lot [in recruiting receivers]."
Scouts Inc. grade: C-plus
Rutgers
View class here.
Signees: 25
Heavy on: Offensive line (five) and receivers (four).
Geographic trend: The Scarlet Knights inked nine players from Florida, and not just their traditional areas in South Florida and Tampa Bay. They landed players from Jacksonville and one from Daytona Beach.
Headliners: WR Jeremy Deering (four stars), DB Rashad Knight (four stars)
Sleeper: Cornerback Gareef Glashen, who decommitted from Syracuse in the last week.
Best potential for immediate impact: Knight and safety Lorenzo Waters could work themselves into certain pass coverage packages early on. Also watch Deering and 6-foot-6 Brandon Coleman, both of whom could compete for time at wideout.
Needs met: Rutgers needed to find some playmakers to complement Tom Savage and Mohamed Sanu. They may have accomplished that with guys like Deering and Coleman, along with running backs Casey Turner and Jawan Jamison.
Analysis: This was a so-so class until a really strong final week saw the additions of players like Deering and Knight. Without getting a ton of top talent out of New Jersey, Schiano was able to assemble a solid group that fills a lot of needs for a team that should be able to compete for the Big East title in two-to-three years.
What Schiano said: "What we have are a lot of fast guys who are very talented and very athletic, and we've got to figure out to get the ball in their hands. ... This was the most exciting close to recruiting that I've had here at Rutgers, and quite frankly we needed to do it. In the end, with the ones we were going after, we got just about all of them. ... The fact that we have a quarterback [Tom Savage] in our program that has proven he has potential to be great, that helped a lot [in recruiting receivers]."
Scouts Inc. grade: C-plus
This is the sprint portion of recruiting.
There's just a week left for coaches to convince high school stars to come to their campus and to make sure those who committed stay put. So as we enter the final week, it's time to look at how each Big East school stands at the moment (information and rankings come from ESPN's Scouts Inc.)
Cincinnati
Commitments: 16
Three-star and above players: 8
The buzz: This is a small class, but the Bearcats didn't lose a ton of seniors off the 2009 team. Holding onto receiver Dyjuan Lewis was big for new coach Butch Jones, who lost defensive lineman Jibreel Black and who may lose quarterback Luke Massa from the class.
Connecticut
Commitments: 21
Three-star and above players: 5
The buzz: Randy Edsall has never cared about star rankings, but he is bringing in more highly-regarded talent these days. UConn's recruiting map is expanding, with prospects in this class hailing from Florida, Georgia and Virginia, among others.
Louisville
Commitments: 28
Three-star and above players: 18
The buzz: New coach Charlie Strong has accomplished two major goals: adding bodies and upgrading talent. He switched a four star defensive end (B.J. Butler) from Georgia to the Cardinals as well as plucked well-regarded prospects like offensive guard Torrian Wilson and receiver Michalee Harris out of Florida. It's a promising start.
Pittsburgh
Commitments: 24
Three-star and above players: 19
The buzz: It looks like another terrific recruiting haul for Dave Wannstedt, who's been one of the best -- if not the best -- Big East recruiters in recent years. One of the highest rated players in the class, athlete Anthony Gonzalez, recently tore his meniscus playing basketball but should be back by fall camp.
Rutgers
Commitments: 17
Three-star and above players: 6
The buzz: On paper, this doesn't look like one of Greg Schiano's more impressive classes, but it features a lot of players who fill needs for the Scarlet Knights. The highest-rated commitment is safety Lorenzo Waters.
South Florida
Commitments: 18
Three-star and above players: 8
The buzz: Jim Leavitt was assembling a strong class before he was fired, and now Skip Holtz is hoping to hold onto players like ESPNU 150 defensive tackle Todd Chandler and quarterback Brion Carnes. This class has my favorite name among Big East recruits: offensive line prospect Jose Jose.
Syracuse
Commitments: 26
Three-star and above players: 8
The buzz: There aren't a lot of big names in the class, but Doug Marrone is restocking the roster. Jonny Miller looks like the quarterback of the future for the Orange.
West Virginia
Commitments: 18
Three-star and above players: 12
The buzz: The Mountaineers lost a few prospects when Doc Holliday took the Marshall job, but they hung on to quarterback Barry Brunetti this week. It still looks like a solid class, loaded with athletes like receiver Deon Long.
There's just a week left for coaches to convince high school stars to come to their campus and to make sure those who committed stay put. So as we enter the final week, it's time to look at how each Big East school stands at the moment (information and rankings come from ESPN's Scouts Inc.)
Cincinnati
Commitments: 16
Three-star and above players: 8
The buzz: This is a small class, but the Bearcats didn't lose a ton of seniors off the 2009 team. Holding onto receiver Dyjuan Lewis was big for new coach Butch Jones, who lost defensive lineman Jibreel Black and who may lose quarterback Luke Massa from the class.
Connecticut
Commitments: 21
Three-star and above players: 5
The buzz: Randy Edsall has never cared about star rankings, but he is bringing in more highly-regarded talent these days. UConn's recruiting map is expanding, with prospects in this class hailing from Florida, Georgia and Virginia, among others.
Louisville
Commitments: 28
Three-star and above players: 18
The buzz: New coach Charlie Strong has accomplished two major goals: adding bodies and upgrading talent. He switched a four star defensive end (B.J. Butler) from Georgia to the Cardinals as well as plucked well-regarded prospects like offensive guard Torrian Wilson and receiver Michalee Harris out of Florida. It's a promising start.
Pittsburgh
Commitments: 24
Three-star and above players: 19
The buzz: It looks like another terrific recruiting haul for Dave Wannstedt, who's been one of the best -- if not the best -- Big East recruiters in recent years. One of the highest rated players in the class, athlete Anthony Gonzalez, recently tore his meniscus playing basketball but should be back by fall camp.
Rutgers
Commitments: 17
Three-star and above players: 6
The buzz: On paper, this doesn't look like one of Greg Schiano's more impressive classes, but it features a lot of players who fill needs for the Scarlet Knights. The highest-rated commitment is safety Lorenzo Waters.
South Florida
Commitments: 18
Three-star and above players: 8
The buzz: Jim Leavitt was assembling a strong class before he was fired, and now Skip Holtz is hoping to hold onto players like ESPNU 150 defensive tackle Todd Chandler and quarterback Brion Carnes. This class has my favorite name among Big East recruits: offensive line prospect Jose Jose.
Syracuse
Commitments: 26
Three-star and above players: 8
The buzz: There aren't a lot of big names in the class, but Doug Marrone is restocking the roster. Jonny Miller looks like the quarterback of the future for the Orange.
West Virginia
Commitments: 18
Three-star and above players: 12
The buzz: The Mountaineers lost a few prospects when Doc Holliday took the Marshall job, but they hung on to quarterback Barry Brunetti this week. It still looks like a solid class, loaded with athletes like receiver Deon Long.
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ABOUT THIS BLOG
Andrea Adelson
Adelson joined ESPN.com in 2010 after spending time as a college football columnist at The Orlando Sentinel. She has covered college football since her days as a University of Florida student, and lives in Orlando, Fla.
