GARRETT STEPIEN SPORTS EDITOR
When Hayden Rettig trots out onto the field with the Rutgers football team’s starting offense on Saturday, the moment could be a bit surreal. Now a sophomore with the Scarlet Knights, Rettig hasn’t dropped back to pass — let alone taken a snap — in a live football game since his gun-slinging days at Cathedral High School in Los Angeles, California. Not a single soul in the stands at High Point Solutions Stadium knows what to anticipate. Not even Kyle Flood. But if there’s one thing the fourth-year head coach can express about the replacement for former fouryear starter Gary Nova, it’s his confidence in Rettig’s SEE JOURNEY ON PAGE 5
EDWIN GANO / ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR
Gameday Page 2
KNIGHTS GAMEDAY
September 4, 2015
RUTGERS VS. NORFOLK STATE GAME 1: High Point Solutions Stadium, Noon TV: ESPNEWS
RADIO: Rutgers IMG Sports Network
INSIDE
Arrests, suspensions alter depth chart TYLER KARALEWICH CORRESPONDENT
Prior to Thursday, some of the biggest issues pressing the Rutgers football team were the suspension of five players for the opening game, head coach Kyle Flood’s uncertainty for the opening game and the compliance issue of junior starting cornerback Nadir Barnwell. After addressing the media Thursday afternoon, Flood made it clear he would be leading the team out of the tunnel, that sophomore Hayden Rettig was ready to start at quarterback and that there was no update on the eligibility of any players academically — specifically Barnwell. But that all changed no longer than two hours after Flood addressed the media at noon. A statement made by Athletic Director Julie Hermann confirmed that Barnwell, along with four other players including junior defensive backs Ruhann Peele, Delon Stephenson and sophomore cornerback Dre Boggs, would be suspended from the program effective immediately. “The students involved are currently suspended from our program,” Hermann said in a statement. “We continue to monitor the situation. We will have no further comment as this is a pending legal matter.” Barnwell, whose eligibility was called into question after academic issues, was cleared to practice but not yet cleared to play. His compliance status and any other’s were not updated Thursday by Flood. “I have not received any email notifications from compliance,” Flood said. With Barnwell, Peele, Stephenson and Boggs suspended, the secondary takes a hit of four players with significant experience that likely would have seen playing time in the defensive back rotation. That leaves the burden on a true freshman, two returning juniors and a host of other inexperienced Scarlet Knights to fill out the defensive backfield. Freshman Blessuan Austin was named the starter Tuesday at cornerback, along with Boggs, Stephenson and junior Davon Jacobs.
But with two starters suspended, the burden will fall on Austin and Jacobs, along with their backups. But starting is something that Flood thinks Austin can handle. “We are excited about him,” Flood said Tuesday. “This is a big challenge for him. Bless was somebody that we recognized right away, was a player with a lot of talent, and then it was just a matter of how quickly did we think he could fit into the system. Now I’m anxious to see a lot of the things I’ve seen in practice. I want to see those things materialize in a game against another opponent on a big stage, and this Saturday is going to be a great first test.” With the suspension of Stephenson, the team’s starting free safety, junior Anthony Cioffi will be asked to step up and start in the secondary. Cioffi, who played in 12 games a season ago — starting five at cornerback — brings the most experience in the secondary after the recent suspensions. “I think we are really ready (in the secondary),”Cioffi said. “We’ve been preparing really well this
week. Everybody has been studying their playbook, reviewing all their notes and watching a lot of film. I don’t think there will be any steps back with the younger guys. They are young, but still, everyone has to rise to the occasion. If the coaches put you in the starting situation, they know you can handle it.” Norfolk State figures to offer a dynamic pass attack, according to Cioffi. With the lack of experience and depth concerns following the injuries and suspensions, the Spartans will likely attack the Knights defensive backs. But no matter how strong the aerial threat is for Norfolk State, don’t tell Cioffi that Rutgers cannot handle it. They plan to bring a unique mindset into Saturday’s game. “They’re pass heavy,” Cioffi said. “But, that’s a good test for us. We have 12 games and that means we have 12 tests to be 1-0 after each. The secondary treats every game like a championship game. We can handle it.” For updates on the Rutgers football team, follow @TylerKaralewich and @TargumSports on Twitter.
the
NUMBERS Statistics based on returning leaders from 2014 PASSING C. Laviano RUSHING D. Peoples R. Martin RECEVING L. Carroo J. Grant A. Patton DEFENSE S. Longa Q. Gause D. Hamilton
RUTGERS (0-0) CMP 39.3% NO. 115 87 NO. 55 25 20
YDS 128 YDS 447 434 YDS 1,086 312 223
TD 0 TD 3 7 TD 10 0 3 TKL 102 72 45
INT 1 LNG 21 47 LNG 78 53 34 SCK 2 1 6
AVG 21.4 AVG 44.7 43.4 AVG 83.5 24 24.8 INT 0 0 0
NORFOLK STATE (0-0)
PASSING T. Ervin RUSHING T. Ervin A. Daniels RECEVING I. White K. Johnson B. Riddick DEFENSE M. Coke D. King L. Trall
CMP 54.3% NO. 125 95 NO. 48 16 18
YDS 1,310 YDS 180 377 YDS 664 250 155
TD 8 TD 1 1 TD 7 2 0 TKL 107 106 91
INT
AVG 109.2 LNG AVG 24 15 56 34.3 LNG AVG 68 55.3 49 20.8 19 12.9 SCK INT 1 0 7.5 1 5 0
INJURIES OUT: DB Talib Abdur-Ra’oof, CB Nadir Barnwell, TE George Behr, P Tim Gleeson, DT Darius Hamilton, WR Jawuan Harris, S Kiy Hester, WR Dontae Owens, RB Desmon Peoples, LB Nick Rafferty, LB Austin Rosa, FB Charles Snorweah, LB TJ Taylor, WR John Tsimis, CB Brian Verbitski, OL Jacquis Webb. QUESTIONABLE: CB Ronnie James, DE Kemoko Turay.
SCHEDULE
SCHEDULE Sept. 5 Sept. 12 Sept. 19 Sept. 26 Oct. 10 Oct. 17 Oct. 24 Oct. 31 Nov. 7 Nov. 14 Nov. 21 Nov. 28
Norfolk State Washington State Penn State Kansas Michigan State Indiana Ohio State Wisconsin Michigan Nebraska Army Maryland
noon noon 8 p.m. noon 8 p.m. 3:30 p.m. 8 p.m. TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA
Sept. 5 Sept. 12 Sept. 19 Sept. 26 Oct. 3 Oct. 10 Oct. 24 Oct. 31 Nov. 7 Nov. 14 Nov. 21
Rutgers Old Dominion Marshall Hampton Howard North Carolina A&T Bethune-Cookman North Carolina Central Savannah State South Carolina State Morgan State
noon 7 p.m. 3:30 p.m. 4 p.m. 1 p.m. 2 p.m. 4 p.m. 2 p.m. 2 p.m. 1 p.m. 1 p.m. 1 p.m.
Key Matchup
Knights’ rush attack vs. Spartans’ front 7 Rutgers boasts one of the deepest running backs corps in the country with its four active tailbacks combining for 1,649 yards on the ground last year. If the Spartans can’t contain the Knights’ ground game, the entire Rutgers offense could explode.
Anthony Cioffi takes over at the starting free safety position after Delon Stephenson’s arrest and suspension from the football team. DAILY TARGUM / DECEMBER 2014
DAILY TARGUM / NOVEMBER 2014
PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP: OFFENSE
ANDRE PATTON WIDE RECEIVER
KEITH LUMPKIN LEFT TACKLE
DORIAN MILLER LEFT GUARD
DERRICK NELSON CENTER
CHRIS MULLER RIGHT GUARD
JJ DENMAN RIGHT TACKLE
NICK ARCIDIACONO TIGHT END
CARLTON AGUDOSI WIDE RECEIVER
HAYDEN RETTIG QUARTERBACK
SAM BERGEN FULLBACK
PAUL JAMES RUNNING BACK
Junior 6’-4”, 200 lbs.
Senior 6’-8”, 325 lbs.
Sophomore 6’-3”, 285 lbs.
Junior 6’-3”, 290 lbs.
Junior 6’-6”, 310 lbs.
Junior 6’-6”, 305 lbs.
Junior 6’-5”, 240 lbs.
Junior 6’-6”, 220 lbs.
Sophomore 6’-3”, 210 lbs.
Senior 6’-0”, 250 lbs.
Senior 6’-0”, 215 lbs.
BLESSUAN AUSTIN CORNERBACK
ANTHONY CIOFFI FREE SAFETY
DAVON JACOBS STRONG SAFETY
ISAIAH WHARTON CORNERBACK
True freshman 6’-1”, 185 lbs.
Junior 6’-00”, 200 lbs.
Junior 6’-0”, 195 lbs.
Redshirt-freshman 6’-1”, 210 lbs.
PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP: DEFENSE
QUANZELL LAMBERT DEFENSIVE END
SEBASTIAN JOSEPH NOSE TACKLE
JULIAN PINNIX-ODRICK DEF. TACKLE
DJWANY MERA DEFENSIVE END
STEVE LONGA WLB
KAIWAN LEWIS MLB
QUENTIN GAUSE SLB
Sophomore 6’-6”, 240 lbs.
Sophomore 6’-4”, 295 lbs.
Senior 6’-5”, 275 lbs.
Senior 6’-4”, 265 lbs.
Junior 6’-1”, 225 lbs.
Senior 6’-0”, 230 lbs.
Senior 6’-1”, 220 lbs.
September 4, 2015
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KNIGHT NUGGETS BY THE NUMBERS
17
Steve Longa has led the Rutgers defense in tackles 17 times in 26 career games. The junior outside linebacker posted consecutive seasons of 100-plus tackles, totaling 225 for his collegiate career.
2
Norfolk State ranked No. 2 among Division I-AA football programs in total defense last year. Despite their 4-8 mark from a year ago, the Spartans limited opposing offenses to 17.6 points per game.
128
In the three meetings between the two teams, Rutgers has exploded on offense in each contest. The Knights have outscored the Spartans, 128-0, in three dominant blowouts.
4
Rutgers and Norfolk State meet for the fourth time in the past eight years. Rutgers holds the 3-0 advantage, taking the latest contest by a score of 38-0 in the Knights’ home opener at High Point Solutions Stadium in 2013.
BIG QUESTION HOW WILL THE QUARTERBACK REPS BE SPLIT IN THE SECOND HALF? Head coach Kyle Flood suspended Chris Laviano for the first half of the opener against Norfolk State. Flood did not commit to Hayden Rettig as the starter beyond week one. The two split practice reps equally in training camp.
Chris Laviano Sophomore Quarterback
THE ADVANTAGE GOES TO OFFENSE
Despite the inexperience at quarterback and on the offensive line, Rutgers is deep at key playmaking positions. The Knights return four active running backs who combined for 1,565 yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground.
DEFENSE
Even without a pair of sack leaders in sophomore defensive end Kemoko Turay (questionable) and senior defensive tackle Darius Hamilton (out), the Knights’ front seven is still far too overpowering with more than enough experience.
COACHING
Kyle Flood is a 10-1 in September since taking over as the Rutgers head football coach in 2012. He has yet to lose a home opener, with a perfect 3-0 mark.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Janarion Grant is arguably the most electrifying return threat around. Last year, Grant finished 38 yards shy of the single-season school record in kick return yards (938). He has a bit of an extra incentive for returning the opening kick on Saturday.
X-FACTOR
Without Leonte Carroo for the opening half, junior Carlton Agudosi gets the nod with his first start at wide receiver. He poses a dangerous deep threat to the Spartans’ defense with his 6-foot-6, 220-pound frame and expanded catch radius.
MOMENTUM
Ending 2014 red-hot with three straight wins, highlighted by the largest comeback in program history and a win in their ninth bowl appearance in the past 10 seasons, the Knights still hold the advantage despite recent suspensions.
RUTGERS WINS IF
NORFOLK STATE WINS IF
THE KNIGHTS WIN THE BATTLE IN THE TRENCHES
THE SPARTANS CAN CREATE TURNOVERS
Rutgers boasts three new full-time starters on the offensive line. If they can control the line of scrimmage, the Knights can run all over the Spartans.
If Norfolk State rattles Rutgers sophomore quarterback Hayden Rettig in his collegiate football debut, it can control the game tempo to its liking.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK “My guys have been telling me, ‘Bruh, you gotta take it back.’ ... But no, I don’t feel no pressure at all. It’s just what I do daily.”
JANARION GRANT Junior Wide Receiver
TARGUM’S FINAL VERDICT RUTGERS WINS, 38-3 Rutgers dominates on the ground with its running game as three tailbacks go for over 70 yards. Norfolk State is unable to recover on offense, but manages to sneak in a field goal.
Blocking out the outside buzz surrounding head coach Kyle Flood’s investigation, five suspensions and five arrests, Rutgers attempts to keep focused. EDWIN GANO / ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR / NOVEMBER 2015
RU stays focused despite distractions GARRETT STEPIEN SPORTS EDITOR
Wedged within a seven-team division and surrounded by the perennial powerhouse programs its conference boasts, it’s easy for the Rutgers football team to get lost in the shuffle. With the likes of a unanimous AP Top 25 No. 1 and defending national champion Ohio State slated in one slot of a meaty conference gauntlet, the Scarlet Knights are sure to have their hands full as they look to build upon their sophomore year in the Big Ten. But when Rutgers returns to the gridiron Saturday at noon to take on Norfolk State in the season opener, the difference between the Buckeyes and the Spartans is universes apart. Kicking off the 2015 season against a Division I-AA Norfolk State team that went 4-8 overall and 4-4 in the MEAC, it’s assumed that the Knights should be able to take care of business — and in dominating fashion — against a program that has yet to score a single point in the team’s only three meetings over the past eight years. But with everything that’s been swirling around at Rutgers regarding a University investigation of the team’s head coach, the suspension of five players for breaking curfew and now the five arrests made among Nadir Barnwell, Dre Boggs, Razohn Gross, Ruhann Peele and Delon Stephenson who are all suspended indefinitely, the opener gains a peculiar interesting twist. “My experience with these situations is they generally go one way or
the other,” Flood said. “They either become a distraction or they serve to really focus the football team.” The fourth-year head coach, who had not received notice regarding potential disciplinary action by the time this article was published, is aiming for the latter of those two options he mentioned. “I have sensed that our football team is very focused,” Flood said. “And I have a couple ways of judging that in terms of how we operate in the weight room, what the weights look like, how guys are handling their health, how we practice … those are things that tell me we’ve got a really focused football team.”
“My experience with these situations is ... they either become a distraction or serve to really focus the football team.” KYLE FLOOD Head Coach
Look no further than star wide out Leonte Carroo. The senior captain is one of four Knights — which includes senior punter Tim Gleeson, sophomore quarterback Chris Laviano, junior linebacker Kevin Marquez — suspended for the first half of the opener. Carroo, who has openly and vocally embraced his role as a leader on the team, faced his punishment for breaking curfew head-on when he met with reporters after training camp practice on Aug. 25.
“You just pretty much gotta focus on Norfolk State. That’s our only concern,” Carroo said. “We’re just coming in, we’re practicing, we’re having meetings and just worried about what we have to do as far as the game.” And as much as his head coach’s investigation lingers, casting a dark cloud over Piscataway, Carroo refuses to let that outside talk enter the minds of his teammates as they prepare for the Spartans. “We’re not really paying any attention to anything that’s going on in the outside world,” he said. “We pretty much spend a majority of our time in (the Hale Center), so once you’re here all day you’re just really concerned about football and that’s it.” Keith Lumpkin agrees with those sentiments. While the offensive tackle wasn’t named one of the team’s four captains entering his senior season as a cornerstone returning for Rutgers in the trenches, the 6-foot-8, 325-pounder made it clear that none of that can take away from the day that’s been circled on everyone’s calendar for the past eight months. “We can’t let things that have nothing to do with us affect the team,” Lumpkin said. “We stay focused, we know what our task (is) and our task is be ready to go come Saturday. That’s our focus right now. We’re concentrating, we’re practicing hard everyday to just make sure we’re 1-0 when it comes to Saturday.” For updates on the Rutgers football team, follow @GarrettStepien and @TargumSports on Twitter.
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September 4, 2015
RUN ‘N’
Paul James returns to game action at 100 percent after ACL injury last year, eyes healthy senior season
RETURN Running backs rotation for Rutgers could yield plenty of carries to go around CONTINUED FROM BACK Saturday marking the return of one of the most highly-touted backs in the histor y of High Point Solutions Stadium. “I feel great,” James told The Targum. “I feel like I’m back.” There may have been no one more devastated by James’ injury than head coach Kyle Flood. Entering his fourth season in Piscataway, Flood cultivated his senior running back’s skillset, sharpening his tools with insight, technique and support. When James fractured his fibula in his sophomore season, Flood was right there to reassure the tailback he would regain his health to be back on the field the following season. Three weeks into that season, disaster struck. But now, Flood is feeling a little better about his backfield with James in the mix. “I feel better when I see Paul James on the practice field,” Flood said. “When I see him on game day, my level of excitement even rises further.” Flood has reason to be excited after James torched opposing defenses for 363 rushing yards last season, to go with seven total touchdowns (five rushing) on 5.8 yards per carry in four games. James could barely contain himself Tuesday after Flood’s weekly press conference. “I’m really excited,” James said. “Just every day that goes by, getting closer and closer to the game, it’s building and building.
After suffering a fractured fibula in 2013 and a torn right ACL in 2014, running back Paul James returns for his senior season with hopes of staying healthy. EDWIN GANO / ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR Being away from the field for so long and just not being able to be with the team was hard.” But the 6-foot, 220-pounder is not the only talented tailback for Rutgers in 2015. When the veteran James went down last season, the younger backs stepped up. Sophomores Robert Martin (434) and Josh Hicks (440), along with juniors Desmon Peoples (447) and Justin Goodwin (328) combined to rush for 1,649 yards on the ground last fall. As the Knights take on the Spartans, they boast the most po-
tent backfield on the banks since Ray Rice’s magical 2006 season. Rutgers stable of backs — absent Peoples, who is out this week due to an upper body injury — has continued to compete through the spring and summer camps. That leaves Flood in a precarious position to decide how to distribute the carries. “I would imagine Paul James would go out there for the first play, so that will make him the starter on paper,” Flood said. “I know everybody gets excited about that. But I don’t see it that
way. I believe Josh Hicks is the starter, Robert Martin is a starter, Justin Goodwin is a starter. We are very fortunate, the four running backs we have available right now have all won football games for us and been impactful for our program.” Hicks, who rushed for 202 yards in his last game en route to earning Quick Lane Bowl MVP, threw down the gauntlet in August, challenging his teammates to beat him for the starting job. “Ever ybody wants to be the guy, ever ybody wants to start,”
Hicks said. “If you wanna start like that, you have to work for it, right? I’m a competitor. I love to compete. And may the best man win.” Saturday against Norfolk State, Rutgers will start Hayden Rettig at quarterback. When the sophomore makes his collegiate debut, the Knights will need to count on the running game to protect the inexperienced signal-caller. “It’s really important,” James said of the impact the rushing attack could have on the performance of the quarterback. “Especially in the Big Ten, it’s a run-heavy conference, so it’s really important for the running backs to carr y the team and be able to get those tough yards that we need to be able to advance the ball. (That) will make it easier, it’ll give the quarterback a little relief. They know they have running backs that are able to pick up them yards, really put the ball on the ground and be able to run it.” The competition in the backfield seems like the perfect storm for Rutgers, whether it’s Rettig or suspended quarterback Chris Laviano who ultimately hold the reins of the offense. And for James, he doesn’t mind if the Knights have a few extra irons in the fire. “It was just motivation to get back and be the best I could be,” he said. “We have great running backs across the board in that room and it’s something we really strive for, we compete with each other. We’re all friends within the room, but we also — when it comes to the field — we’re competing. We try to make each other better.” For updates on the Rutgers football team, follow @kevinPXavier and @TargumSports on Twitter.
From left to right: junior Justin Goodwin, alongside sophomores Josh Hicks and Robert Martin. Head coach Kyle Flood referred to the three running backs as starters with senior Paul James. The trio and James combined for 2,012 yards on the ground last year, posing a deep tailback rotation. EDWIN GANO / ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR
September 4, 2015
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GUN
Hayden Rettig takes field in regular season football game for first time since 2012 high school season
JOURNEY Quarterback reps between Laviano, Rettig for second half remain to be seen CONTINUED FROM BACK ability to catch on when college football returns to Piscataway. “That’s one of the difficult things for a player who transfers at that early of a stage,” Flood said. “You spend a year on scout team at one place and then you go to another place and you’re still ineligible. Hayden’s really excited. He’s working really hard and I’ve got a lot of confidence in him and so does the football team.” Rettig doesn’t gloss over the fact that he’s had to learn on the fly. But as the exposure to the offensive system and schemes increased, so did his acclimation to it. “Summer’s been kind of crazy. Just coming from spring just tr ying to learn ever ything and just tr ying to get a hold of ever ything,” Rettig said. “And now, just really getting into it and understanding the offense and feeling better at practice and … I feel like I look better on film, just throwing the ball and I just feel like I know what I’m doing now.” Despite his recent progression following a spring camp where he had to shed the rust, Rettig didn’t take the starting spot directly. Neck-and-neck with fellow sophomore quarterback Chris Laviano since March, Flood named Rettig the starter mid-
After spending the past two falls on the sidelines, Hayden Rettig makes his collegiate football debut as the starting quarterback for Rutgers. LUO ZHENGCHEN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER / APRIL 2015 way through the third week of training camp after announcing a string of five suspensions for the opener. That included Laviano, who will sit out for at least the first half of Saturday’s contest after attempting to enter an establishment with a fake ID.
As much as Rettig has received his chunk of reps with the first team of fense in order to prepare for Nor folk State, Laviano’s time under center hasn’t altered much. After a strong camp in the spring and a consistent follow-up in August, Flood said he felt as
though Laviano had earned that extension. When it comes to what the Knights will do in the second half when Laviano’s time is up, Flood wouldn’t commit to his plans for who might be in at quarterback. But with the evaluation process never ending, the magnifying
glass for Rettig’s first half grows that much more. “I think, as situations change, the evaluation process changes,” Flood said. “And now Hayden’s gonna have a phenomenal opportunity to be evaluated in a live game situation and I think that’ll go a long way in determining how we go forward.” While senior Leonte Carroo also serves his suspension for the first half, Rettig won’t have the luxury of the Big Ten’s leader in yards per catch (19.7) and the Knights’ ultimate leading receiver. But junior wide out Andre Patton, now bumped up to the No. 1 slot, thinks the team will bode well regardless of who’s taking the snaps throughout the opener. “I definitely feel as though he’s improved. He’s definitely come a long way and that’s a good thing,” Patton said of Rettig. “The chemistr y between the receivers and all the quarterbacks are still the same, so whether Chris (Laviano) were to come out there in the first half or not, I think it wouldn’t really make a difference to the rest of the team who played or who started.” Rettig, who compared being named the starting quarterback to Christmas, doesn’t appear to be intimidated by any of the implications his first start might bring. In fact, he’s already embracing his head coach’s mantra. “I feel good about (being the starter for the opener),” Rettig said. “Just gotta keep working and gotta get that 1-0 mark like Coach Flood always talks about.” For updates on the Rutgers football team, follow @GarrettStepien and @TargumSports on Twitter.
Since the spring, sophomore quarterbacks Chris Laviano ,left, and Hayden Rettig ,right, have each presented strong cases to head coach Kyle Flood for playing time. Flood said he would evaluate Rettig’s performance at halftime before deciding on who to play in the second half. EDWIN GANO / ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR / AUGUST 2015
September 4, 2015
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BACK TO
Senior specialist stands alone on football field KEVIN XAVIER ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR
Football is the ultimate team game. Eleven players are dependent on each other to follow their assignments and make the proper reads. Defenses are dependent on of fenses, of fenses take their cue from defenses and on it goes. But in a spor t where coaches preach the impor tance of playing for the guy next to you, there is one teammate in the distance who stands alone, the place kicker. Former Jacksonville Jaguars kicker Mike Hollis played eight seasons in the NFL. He was for tunate enough to conver t 80 percent of the kicks he attempted over the course of his career, knowing too well, the intricacies in preparation for a football team’s loneliest player. After retiring from the NFL in 2004, Hollis began coaching kickers in Jacksonville, Florida, where he played for seven seasons. Roughly 20 miles from the stadium he called home lies the beach community of Ponte Vedra, the hometown to Hollis’ favorite student and the Rutgers football team’s senior placekicker, Kyle Federico. Federico finished the 2014 season with the third-highest conversion rate in school histor y (16-of-21, 76.2 percent), with a long of 45 yards, one of five kicks he made from beyond 40 yards. But it wasn’t always this fluid for Federico. In 2012, a hip-injur y sidelined him for the final eight games of his true freshman season and it took until last fall for Federico to win the star ting kicker job. The struggle forced him to learn how to work alone and still get the proper reps. “As the years went on, I learned how to coach myself and learned how to just fix things better,” Federico said. “But when I need my coach (Hollis), he’s just a phone call away.” Rutgers head coach Kyle Flood trusts Federico when he needs a crucial kick conver ted. “Kyle (Federico) is somebody we count on,” Flood said. “He came through for us in games last year and during his career.” With Federico, no kick is too big. He approaches them all in the same manner. “For me, ever y kick is the same thing,” he said. “Whether it’s an extra point, or bigger crowd, you just tr y to block ever ybody out.” The Scarlet Knights’ senior was willing to admit that the kicking component of the game has been altered since Rutgers made the move to the Big Ten.
“Playing in the AAC, the returners weren’t as strong as they are here in the Big Ten,” he said. “Punting, kickof f, putting the ball where it’s supposed to be is really a big thing now because of the speed of those returners and how dynamic they really are. It helps the coverage team to get down there with good placement. For field goals, it could be an extra point that wins the game.” Rutgers has arguably the most dangerous return threat in the conference in junior Janarion Grant, who, like Federico, is a Florida native. The shifty speedster fell 38 yards shy of breaking the school record for return yards in 2014, while contributing on of fense as well, standing as the second-best returning receiver with 25 catches last fall. Grant will have a little extra incentive to return a kick to the house tomorrow and 100 students are hoping it will be the first kickof f. Autoland of Springfield, New Jersey, is sponsoring a $100,000 giveaway to students, chosen at random, if Rutgers can take its opening kick return back for a touchdown. But Grant downplayed his role in the contest saying he felt no added pressure to return the first kick back for a score. “It wasn’t a big deal to me. I’m always looking to take back kick returns,” Grant said. “They gon’ fear me, you know, because that’s my job and that’s what I practice each and ever yday, kick returns.” Flood pointed to the contributions he has received from freshman on special teams as a stepping stone to a productive career On the Banks. “The conversation I have with all the players who play as true freshmen is, ‘You’ll be amazed at how quick those careers go when you play (special teams) as a true freshman,’” Flood said. “A guy like Leonte Carroo, Kyle Federico and Darius (Hamilton) were the three players in that class in 2012 that played as true freshman. It seems like just yesterday and now they’re in their last year of eligibility.” It hasn’t been a per fect career for Federico to this point, but his progress last fall figures to boost his confidence heading into this season. And when he is called on to make a kick, the circumstances are irrelevant. “I just think of ever y kick as a game-winning kick,” he said. “It could be a first quar ter field goal that puts us up by three or it could be the last quar ter. So, it’s really all the same thing ever y single kick and those, one, two, three oppor tunities you get, you’ve gotta come through.” For updates on the Rutgers football team, follow @KevinPXavier and @TargumSpor ts on Twitter.
After showing glimpses of potential with his 6-foot-6, 220-pound frame, junior wide receiver Carlton Agudosi, center, said he feels ready to breakout this fall. LUO ZHENGCHEN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER / APRIL 2015
Juniors step up in senior’s absence GARRETT STEPIEN SPORTS EDITOR
Sprinkled throughout the Rutgers football team’s wide receiving corps, the complementary talents of juniors Carlton Agudosi and Andre Patton are obvious. For Patton, there’s the reliability of a consistent possession receiver who has shown the ability to find his footing from sideline to sideline. For Agudosi, just a brief glance shows the type of deep threat he could be at a long 6-foot-6 and 220-pounds. Fur ther down the line, Janarion Grant’s speed — especially on the returning end of kicks — is unquestioned. The junior spoke all training camp long about his of fseason work ethic to improve his physicality and understanding of the playbook entering the 2015 season. Given those respective strengths and attributes, the contributions to the Scarlet Knights’ offense for this year was almost inevitable. But now, with senior captain and Rutgers’ returning receiver Leonte Carroo serving a suspension for the first half of the team’s season opener against Norfolk
State on Saturday at noon, the expectations spike earlier than initially imagined. “It could be Andre Patton, could be Carlton Agudosi, although he’s gotta get a little bit better right now,” head coach Kyle Flood said of the wide receiver position without Carroo. “… I’m excited about the way Janarion’s (Grant) playing. We’ve got some people that can do it.” After returning from injury in the last nine games of the season, Patton came on strong towards the end of last year. His career-high night in the Knights’ 41-38 comeback at Maryland, where he grabbed eight passes for 101 yards and two scores, set the stage for a solid finish. With Patton bumping up to the top receiving spot in Carroo’s absence, all eyes will be on the 6-foot-4, 200-pounder in the No. 1 slot. But he hasn’t let it affect his preparation. “As a team, as a whole, as one of the leaders on the team,” he said, “I feel like as though we should just stay focused and try to go out and be 1-0.” Agudosi, meanwhile, has been waiting to breakout since his fresh-
After a rough start to his career as a freshman, Kyle Federico feels he has learned from his experiences entering his senior season. MICHELLE KLEJMONT / MANAGING EDITOR / SEPTEMBER 2015
man year when the comparisons to former Rutgers wide out Brandon Coleman surfaced. As much as the physical frames resemble, the stats have yet to do the same. Despite hot stretches in spring camp and training camps of the past, the Franklin, New Jersey, native tallied just 32 yards on five receptions in 2014 with a long of 18 coming at Nebraska. “I’m really just trying to work, come out here and hope for the best. But I really do feel like it’s a year where I can contribute to the team a lot more than I have been, so I’m definitely looking forward to this year and I think it’s gonna be my best year.” Starting with Saturday, Rutgers will hope that Agudosi makes that statement true. Aside from Carroo, junior wide receiver John Tsimis has been out with a lower body injury since the first week of training camp. Tsimis emerged in the slot with 19 receptions for 188 yards and three receiving touchdowns. Clearly, with Patton anchoring the position for at least the first half of the opener and talent scattered around in the receiving corps beyond him, the Knights will need a collective effort to help out sophomore quarterback Hayden Rettig in his first collegiate start and Rutgers debut. But it’s hard to see that happen without the emergence of an athlete like Agudosi. If there’s any time for the fourth-year junior to take advantage of that opportunity, it’s now with a clean slate for the new year. Based on his own expectations, Agudosi seems ready. “I want them to say that he goes hard every play,” he said. “That he’s a downfield threat — intermediate threat — that he’s helped us win games, that he’s a good teammate and that he had one of the best seasons as a Rutgers wide receiver.” For updates on the Rutgers football team, follow @GarrettStepien and @TargumSports on Twitter.
September 4, 2015
Gameday Page 7
THE BANKS
Rutgers front 7 shows depth, versatility entering fall KEVIN XAVIER ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR
Last fall, defense was a relative term for the Rutgers football team. In their first season in a new conference, the Scarlet Knights (85, 3-5) struggled at times to adjust to some of the high-octane offenses produced by Big Ten programs. And the statistics reflected Rutgers’ growing pains. The Knights surrendered 5,756 yards of offense in 2014, allowing opponents to gash the defense with the running game, giving up an average of 212.3 rushing yards per contest. This season, the front seven is stout with experience at every position, giving reason to believe that Rutgers can progress in its second year in a power-five conference. When the Knights take on Norfolk State at High Point Solutions Stadium at noon on Saturday, they will be missing some key components, but the depth produced over the spring and summer months should allow them to plug and play. Sophomore sensation Kemoko Turay (questionable) will likely be held out of game one after captivating the country in 2014 with his freakish athletic ability (three blocked kicks) and his penchant for pummeling opposing quarterbacks (7.5 sacks). Fifth-year senior standout Darius Hamilton (six sacks, 11.5 tackles for loss in 2014) is already listed as “out” against the Spartans, but veteran defensive lineman Julian Pinnix-Odrick will step up in Hamilton’s stead. Pinnix-Odrick, a junior, began his career at defensive end. But af-
Returning from an injury that kept him out for the spring, sophomore Sebastian Joseph, center, beefed up to nearly 300 pounds. He makes the start at nose tackle for Rutgers. THE DAILY TARGUM / NOVEMBER 2014 ter a knee injury and the team’s necessity for big bodies on the interior of the line, he put on 15 pounds and slid inside this summer to the threepoint technique at tackle. The West Paterson, New Jersey, native’s vocal leadership is vital to a defense that gave up 5.5 yards per rush in the 2014 campaign. As quickly as Pinnix-Odrick dishes it out, he is willing to take it in. “If I get on them, at the same time, I’ll be the one to come up to them after practice and tell them like, ‘Yo, I believe in you, but I gotta get after you a little bit — and I want you to get after me,’” Pinnix-Odrick said. “I’m not exempt. Get after me
when you see me doing something crazy. I need that, and I’ll say thank you. I might get mad at the moment, but I’ll say thank you after.” In place of Turay, junior defensive end Quanzell Lambert will earn his first career start after changing positions four times over the course of his career on the banks. Lambert began as a linebacker before being moved around the defensive line from tackle to end. He offered a glimpse into the foundation of his versatility for the Rutgers defense. “My versatility is basically based off of explosion,” Lambert said. “Any explosive football player can
do anything on the football field because football is a game of explosive movement.” After shutting out Norfolk State in all three previous meetings between the teams, Lambert spoke about the momentum a fourth shutout would carry for the psyche of the Knights. “As a defense it’s always good to see a shutout,” he said. “Especially for our first game of the season, it kinda gets the ball rolling for the season, just gives us the confidence.” But the Knights didn’t register a single shutout last year. Instead, they gave up 30.2 points per game to opponents in 2014.
Junior linebacker Steve Longa, left, and senior linebacker Quentin Gause, right, combined to make 24 starts for the Knights in 2014. Longa led Rutgers in tackles (102) at the weak side and Gause finished right behind him on the strong side (72). THE DAILY TARGUM / NOVEMBER 2014
But even with his success from the past two years returning tackles leader Steve Longa isn’t worried about last season. “I don’t really care about what happened last year,” the junior linebacker said. “I wanna make sure my team — this defense, this 2015 team — goes out there this year and plays the best it can. I know it’s going to be a better defense.” From his position on the weak side, Longa headlines a linebacking corps saturated with experience. His back-to-back 100-plus tackle seasons have kept Rutgers afloat on defense the last two years, along with the steady play of senior strong side linebacker Quentin Gause. Gause, who totaled 72 tackles in 2014 with seven for a loss, believes the improvements will come with the focus on the little things. “I need to continue to watch film, to study what I do on the field each day,” the senior captain said. “Go through every little thing, every small detail I need to correct. Even if it’s okay, I don’t think it’s okay. I need to perfect it. Just like John Wooden said, ‘If you do the little things right, everything else will come easy.’” Lining up in between Longa and Gause at middle linebacker is senior Kaiwan Lewis. Lewis spent three years in the Southeastern Conference before graduating from South Carolina and transferring to Rutgers this fall. The Pleasantville, New Jersey, native’s best season in Columbia came his sophomore year, when he notched 53 tackles and two interceptions. Lewis has quickly acclimated to the Knights’ scheme, while focusing most his mental energy on diagnosing what he sees on the other side of the ball. “I want to continue to learn as much as I can and pick up different tendencies, whether it’s our offense or the offense we’re going to play against Sept. 5,” Lewis said. “That’s the only focus right now — to continue to learn and get focused, ready to go.” Between the depth along the defensive line — Lamber t called the position group a star ting nine — and the experience at linebacker, Rutgers should be improved in 2015. Even without Turay and Hamilton, head coach Kyle Flood’s front seven is formidable. And the nextman-up mentality is echoed by every player, including sophomore nose tackle Sebastian Joseph. “We’re all capable of starting, ever y given day,” the starting nose guard said. “We’re all talented enough to do it because we’re all pushing each other hard and we all just want it, we all just grind. And we love each other. It’s bigger than just football with us, you know. We genuinely love each other as a unit.” For updates on the Rutgers football team, follow @KevinPXavier and @TargumSports on Twitter.
KEVIN XAVIER ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR
It’s a comeback, nearly one year in the making. Three hundred fifty days ago, senior running back Paul James had already tallied 96 rushing yards and a touchdown as he carried the ball into the teeth of the Navy defense — and then everyone held their breath. A Midshipman’s helmet struck James in his right knee, tearing his anterior cruciate ligament and ending his season. But after 11 months of grueling rehab, the Glassboro, New Jersey, native is back for the Rutgers football team, with the Scarlet Knights’ opener SEE RETURN ON PAGE 4
EDWIN GANO / ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR