Rutgers 2012 Recruiting

2012 Rutgers Scarlet Knights ... Head Coach: Kyle Flood

Rutgers Scarlet Knights

2011 Record: 9-4

Sep. 1 NC Central W 48-0
Sep. 10 at North Carolina L 24-22
Sep. 17 OPEN DATE
Sep. 24 Ohio W 38-26
Oct. 1 at Syracuse W 19-16 OT
Oct. 8 Pitt W 34-10
Oct. 15 Navy W 21-20
Oct. 21 at Louisville L 16-14
Oct. 29 West Virginia L 41-31
Nov. 5 USF W 20-17 OT
Nov. 12 at Army (in NYC) W 27-12
Nov. 19 Cincinnati W 20-3
Nov. 26 at Connecticut L 40-22
Pinstripe Bowl
Dec. 30 Iowa Sate 27-13

2010 CFN Prediction: 7-5
2010 Record: 4-8

Sept. 2 Norfolk State W 31-0
Sept. 11 at FIU W 19-14
Sept. 18 OPEN DATE
Sept. 25 North Carolina L 17-13
Oct. 2 Tulane L 17-14
Oct. 8 Connecticut W 27-24
Oct. 16 at Army W 23-20 OT
Oct. 23 at Pitt L 41-21
Oct. 30 OPEN DATE
Nov. 3 at USF L 28-27
Nov. 13 Syracuse L 13-10
Nov. 20 at Cincinnati L 69-38
Nov. 26 Louisville L 40-13
Dec. 4 at West Virginia L 35-14
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The Entire 2012 Recruiting Class

Top 5 Rutgers Recruits To Care About
Player writeups by Scout.com

1. DE Darius Hamilton
6-4, 245, Scout.com 6th ranked, five-star defensive end. As a junior, Hamilton posted 63 tackles and 13.5 sacks for Don Bosco Prep. He is the son of Keith Hamilton who played defensive tackle for the New York Giants from 1992 until 2003

2. WR Leonte Carroo
6-2, 200, Scout.com 11th ranked, four-star receiver. Carroo finished his junior season with 49 receptions for 1,100 yards and 18 touchdowns. He says he has a 38-inch vertical jump.

3. OT J.J. Denman
6-6, 310, Scout.com 17th ranked, four-star offensive tackle.

4. C Brandon Acciadiacono
6-5, 250, Scout.com 9th ranked, three-star center.

5. LB Quanzell Lambert
6-2, 245, Scout.com 15th ranked, three-star middle linebacker.

The 2012 Class Was Heavy On... Receivers. Last year, head coach Greg Schiano brought in a terrific class or running backs, and the speed and talent in the defensive backfield was addressed in previous seasons. Now it’s on to the passing game to find QBs Chas Dodd and Gary Nova some playmakers for the next several years. By owning New Jersey as much as possible, Schiano had a terrific class of wideouts coming in. However, now it’ll be a feeding frenzy for prospects with Schiano leaving to take the Tampa Bay job.

Team Concerns For 2012: Besides bringing in a new head coach, the team needs help on the defensive line. Three starters are gone with only tackle Scott Vallone returning. There are enough decent prospects to be fine for the next few years, but the 2013 class will have to work hard to upgrade the front. Is kicker Nick DeLouisa ready to take over for San San Te? Kyle Federico out of Florida will get every shot at the job.

Looking Ahead To The 2012 Season: Greg Schiano left a strong situation that’ll be fine in a little bit of time. Playmaking receiver Mohamed Sanu took off early for the NFL, but the real problem could be a line that struggled last year and now loses the interior. Mark Harrison has to become a go-to target and Jawan Jamison will have to carry even more of the rushing workload, but the offense won’t improve unless QB Chas Dodd becomes more efficient and more effective. The defense that dominated so much last year needs LB Khaseem Greene to come back healthy after the nasty leg injury suffered in the bowl game. Only three starters are gone from a D that led the Big East in most of the major categories, but top interior pass rusher Justin Francis is gone as is end Manny Abreu and FS David Rowe. If Greene can make it back, this should once again be one of the nation’s nastiest run defenses.

The 2011 Class Was Heavy On … Running backs. Rutgers might not have come up with a loaded class in any one area, but no one in the Big East can match the upper-end star power. Losing top corner Lafayette Pitts to Pitt at the last second stung, but getting receiver Miles Shuler, with his sub-4.4 speed, defensive tackle Marquise Wright, and offensive tackle Keith Lumpkin makes the class strong. Keeping running back Savon Huggins at home when Auburn, USC, and other big names came calling was the big coup. The 6-0, 200-pounder will be the centerpiece of the attack, while Charles Davis and Ben Martin are lightning fast rushing options.

2010 CFN Recruiting Ranking: 46. That Class Was Heavy On ... Defensive backs. For the second year in a row, Greg Schiano wanted to do whatever it took to upgrade the athleticism of the defensive backfield. The competition should be intense with big-time safety prospects Jordan Thomas, Lorenzo Waters, and Jeremy Deering all big and all fast, and corner Tejay Johnson an great prospect with NFL measurables. 6-6 Brandon Coleman should be the team's next star receiver, but the focus of the offense is on the line with six blockers signed.

2009 CFN Recruiting Ranking: 27. That Class Was Heavy On ... defensive backs. The departures of S Courtney Greene and CB Jason McCourty made this unit a priority for Greg Schiano and the Scarlet Knights. Rutgers didn’t have to travel very far to land S Abdul Smith and CB Duron Harmon, two of the best at their positions in the region. Schiano added quality and quantity to the secondary, which will prove especially valuable a year from now.

New Era Pinstripe Bowl
Rutgers 27 … Iowa State 13
- CFN Thoughts on the Game

Rutgers: Rutgers held on to the ball for 34:35 … Chas Dodd completed 10-of-17 passes for 176 yards and a score, while Gary Nova completed 3-of-7 passes for 20 yards. … Jawan Jamison ran 27 times for 131 yards and two scores. … Mohamed Sanu caught six passes for 62 yards. … P Justin Doerner averaged 49.7 yards per kick putting two inside the 20. … Before suffering a leg injury, Khaseem Greene made 13 tackles with half a sack and three tackles for loss with a forced fumble and a broken up pass. … Logan Ryan made seven tackles with a pick, two broken up passes, 2.5 tackles for loss, and half a sack. … A.J. Klein made 16 tackles with a broken up pass.

Iowa State: The Cyclones didn’t come up with a sack. … Steele Jantz completed 15-of-31 passes for 197 yards and two picks, and Jared Barnett completed 2-of-7 passes for 23 yards. … James White ran nine times for 42 yards. … Aaron Horne caught five passes for 46 yards.

(AP) NEW YORK -- Rutgers coach Greg Schiano was handed the big glass trophy his Scarlet Knights earned by beating Iowa State in the Pinstripe Bowl and had just one thing to say.

"Eric! Eric!" Schiano shouted into the microphone as he stood at midfield at Yankee Stadium and pointed toward the press box. "This one's for you."

Eric LeGrand, bound to a wheelchair more than a year after being paralyzed making a tackle during a game, is still very much a part of Rutgers football.

The former defensive end was shown on the huge video scoreboard while Schiano spoke, busting out a wide grin. He then went to the locker room and celebrated a 27-13 victory with his former teammates.

"That's our brother before and after the injury, and that's how we're going to treat him forever," Rutgers linebacker Khaseem Greene said. "Just having his presence around, it's amazing. He makes the locker room glow."

On the field, it was a couple of redshirt freshmen who lit it up for the Scarlet Knights. Brandon Coleman hauled in an 86-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter after Iowa State had trimmed the lead to 20-13, and Jawan Jamison ran for 131 yards and two scores on 27 carries.

"That's what we love to do. That's who we want to be," Schiano said of a running game that struggled much of the season, but seems to be in good hands going forward.

The Scarlet Knights (9-4) ran their bowl winning streak to five and improved to 2-0 this season at Yankee Stadium, where they beat Army last month. Rutgers, which played in one bowl game before 2005, is 5-1 in the postseason under Schiano.

The Cyclones (6-7) finished the season on a three-game losing streak, their last win coming on Nov. 18 in Ames, Iowa, when they pulled off the biggest upset of the season against Oklahoma State.

That night Jared Barnett threw for 376 yards. In this game, Steele Jantz, who started the first six games, relieved Barnett in the second quarter and helped pull the Cyclones within 20-13 in the fourth on Jeff Woody's 20-yard touchdown run with 10:00 left.

"We were not executing in a manner that I felt was going to lead us to a win, and from what we've seen in December's practices, made the switch," Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads said about the quarterbacks.

After an exchange of punts left Rutgers deep in its own end, Chas Dodd went deep to Coleman. The 6-foot-6 Coleman went over 5-7 cornerback Jeremy Reeves, then outran the corner to the end zone to make it 27-13 with 5:47 left.

It was Coleman's only catch, but it turned out to be the play of the game.

"I didn't go out there trying to make a play. I just went out there trying to do my job," Coleman said. "The number was called but I was still calm, cool and collected."

Rutgers grabbed a 7-6 lead early in the second quarter when Jamison powered through a tackler and scored on fourth-and-goal from the 1. On the next possession, Iowa State couldn't handle one of Rutgers' many blitzes, and Greene and Wayne Warren swarmed and stripped Barnett. Scott Vallone scooped up the fumble and returned it 12 yards to the Iowa State 4. The Cyclones managed to hold Rutgers to San San Te's 21-yard field goal.

Jantz replaced Barnett on the next Iowa State series.

The Cyclones' defense didn't hold up as well on Rutgers' next possession. The Scarlet Knights marched 66 yards, 49 on the ground, and Jamison juked his way into the end zone from 12 yards out to make 17-6.

Justin Francis finished Rutgers' strong second half by blocking Zach Guyer's 44-yard field goal attempt with 57 seconds left.

Iowa State jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the first quarter, with Guyer kicking field goals of 40 and 46 yards on the Cyclones' first two possessions. Inaccurate throws by Barnett were key to stalling each drive.

The redshirt freshman was 2 for 7 before giving way to Jantz, who was 15 for 31 for 197 yards and ran for 36 yards.

"Most of it falls on the offense not executing and not what they did," Jantz said. "Not to take away anything from them because they have a great defense, but then again it ultimately comes back to me because I run the offense."

The Scarlet Knights missed the postseason last year for the first time since 2004, but rebounded this season to challenge for the Big East title behind a defense that came in ranked 14th in the nation.

Greene led the charge Friday with 13 tackles, three for losses, before being carted off in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury. The junior was on crutches after the game and said he thinks he'll be OK in the long run.

LeGrand insists he'll be OK in the long run, too, and that he will walk again. His positive vibes have been an inspiration to the Scarlet Knights.

When they received a bowl bid to a site about 45 miles away from their campus in Piscataway, N.J., it made it even easier for LeGrand to be part of the team again. He stayed with his mother in the team hotel and attended all the bowl activities around the Big Apple.

"To have him in the locker room right now with all his buddies, that's special," Schiano said. "That's his senior class."

After Schiano made his short postgame speech, the fans in Yankee Stadium chanted "Eric! Eric!"

Nov. 26 at Connecticut 40 … Rutgers 22  

Nov. 19 at Rutgers 20 … Cincinnati 3
CFN Analysis: Could the Scarlet Knights go off to the BCS? On a three game winning streak since the loss to West Virginia, they need to beat Connecticut and need a Louisville loss at South Florida to make it happen. The offense is starting to play just well enough to pull it off. … Rutgers might be 111th in the nation and dead last in the Big East in rushing, but Jawan Jamison did his part with a workhorse 200 yards and two scores on 34 carries. Chas Dodd chipped in with 182 passing yards, but his main job was to hand off to Jamison and let him do his thing. … The defense didn’t let the Bearcats breathe, stuffing the run all game long while dominating on the defensive front. The O held on to the ball for over 38 minutes. 
 
Nov. 12 Rutgers 27 … Army 12
CFN Analysis: Mohamed Sanu was unstoppable, catching 13 passes for 129 yards making life easy for Chas Dodd. Sanu was a man among boys against the Army secondary, and he managed to bail out an offense that couldn’t get the ground game going. … The defense was fine against the Army running game, allowing just 228 yards, but it still took too long to put the game away. It seemed like the Scarlet Knights had the game under control, but it was only a 13-12 game late until the special teams came through with a blocked punt for a score. … How bad was the ground game? 56 of the team’s 118 yards came in the final two minutes on Jawan Jamison’s touchdown run. … The Big East title is back in the mix again with Cincinnati losing to West Virginia. Next week, Rutgers can tie for the top spot with a win and a trip to UConn to go. The offense needs more than Sanu, though.  

Nov. 5 at Rutgers 20 … South Florida 17 OT
CFN Analysis: After collapsing over the second half of last year to finish 4-8, getting a sixth win and securing bowl eligibility, especially after losing two straight games, is a big deal in a turnaround season. Khaseem Greene and the defense did a terrific job of getting off the field time and again. Greene finished with 17 tackles, while Justin Francis was dominant with 11 tackles and two sacks. Offensively, Mohamed Sanu came up with 11 catches for 113 yards to bail out a passing game that struggled with Gary Nova at the helm, but picked up once Chas Dodd took over and completed 11-of-17 passes for 125 yards. The running game was a disasters and the pass protection non-existent, finishing with -7 yards, but the comeback win and a second overtime victory wouldn’t have come last year. Beating Army next week would be nice, but beating Cincinnati in the home finale in two weeks would make a successful year special.  

Oct. 29 West Virginia 41 … at Rutgers 31
CFN Analysis: Rutgers played inspired in the first half with all the parts working and the offense playing as well as it had in weeks. Jawan Jamison was ripping off big runs, and Gary Nova spread the ball around well. And then the turnovers started coming. The four giveaways helped spring West Virginia’s offense, which was almost perfectly balanced and opportunistic. The defense had its chances to come up with stops late to pull off the win, but the Mountaineers made the plays. Nova has to be more consistent, completing just 18-of-46 passes in the snow, and he has to be more efficient. This is a young and improving team, but this is a second straight game a more experienced squad would’ve come up with – losing a tight battle with Louisville two weeks ago. With South Florida and its athletic defense up next, Nova has to be more accurate.

Oct. 22 at Louisville 16 ... Rutgers 14
CFN Analysis: No. 1 in the nation in turnover margin coming into the game, Rutgers gave up three interceptions, with two setting the tone early and one sealing the loss late, to derail a great first half run. Mohamed Sanu was fantastic, catching ten passes for 147 yards and a score, but there wasn’t enough of a ground game to rely on and Gary Nord made way too many key mistakes. While he threw for 226 yards, the three interceptions were costly for a team and an offense with little margin for error. Against West Virginia the offense will have to be perfect and the team has to be +2, at least, in turnover margin. At some point, though, the season will hit a wall unless someone can start running on a regular basis. 

Oct. 15 at Rutgers 21 … Navy 20
CFN Analysis: The Scarlet Knights did a brilliant job to slow down the Navy running game, but it still took a blocked field goal and a big day from Mohamed Sanu and Jawan Jamison to escape with the tough win. Gary Nova threw two picks and the offense wasn’t consistent enough, but Sanu did his part with ten catches for 100 yards while Jamison was a steadying factor with 101 yards on a workmanlike 22 carries. The Knights struggled a bit too much offensively against a mediocre defense, but all was saved by holding Navy to just 162 rushing yards with the defensive line dominating yet another big game. On a four game winning streak, this has been a sneaky-good start to the season going into the road game at Louisville. Win that, and it’s a 3-0 Big East start going into the home showdown against West Virginia.      

Oct. 8 at Rutgers 34 … Pitt 10
CFN Analysis: The defense had done a decent job over the first four games, but it hadn’t played anyone with a hot attack. Pitt, coming off its blowout over South Florida, was on fire with Ray Graham running as well as any back in America. The Scarlet Knights shut down the Panthers, and while Graham got his yards, the four takeaways and six sacks controlled the game. Gary Nova struggled throwing the ball, completing just 11-of-24 passes, but he avoided the big mistake and he and the offense took advantage of the breaks from the offense. The pass rush continues to be dominant and the line is doing a great job of getting into the backfield. With Navy up next, making things happen behind the line is a must, but the offense needs to prove it can start going on more scoring drives when the defense isn’t controlling the game.  

Oct. 1 Rutgers 19 … at Syracuse 16 OT
CFN Analysis: The offense was a disaster at times. There wasn’t any running game, finishing with just five net yards, and the offensive line couldn’t protect the Scarlet Knight passers, but San San Te was terrific hitting four field goals and Gary Nova came up with the short touchdown pass to Mohamed Sanu needed to force overtime. The ground game will be a problem all season long, but the team came into the game second in the nation in turnover margin and came up with five takeaways to offset the four turnovers and 13 penalties. It wasn’t pretty, it took some luck and fortunate plays from the D, but helped by a huge day from Logan Ryan, who made nine tackles with a tackle for loss with four broken up passes, and with 11 tackles from Khaseem Greene, RU is 3-1 going into the showdown against Pitt.  

Sept. 24 at Rutgers 38 … Ohio 26
CFN Analysis: Get the ball to Mohamed Sanu over and over and over again is a good gameplan. The playmaking receiver caught 16 passes for 176 yards and two scores in a scintillating, unstoppable performance. He not only made big plays, but he kept the offense and the chains moving as a safety blanket. The Scarlet Knights weren’t too bad running the ball when they had to, and the defense held up in the second half once Ohio started to press. The four takeaways helped, but it was the play of Sanu that was the difference, helping Rutgers hang on to the ball for almost 40 minutes. 

Sept. 10 at North Carolina 24 ... Rutgers 22
CFN Analysis: Considering Rutgers wants to be more powerful with the running game and considering the goal is to get back to what made the team good a few years ago, gaining just one yard rushing is an embarrassment. The Scarlet Knights got every break in the book and still couldn’t do enough to come away with the win. They kept it close in the first half, and the defense did its part with Khaseem Greene leading the way with 13 tackles with a forced fumble with two tackles for loss. Ohio isn’t a layup next week, and then started Big East play with a trip to Syracuse. The D is fine, and now the offense has to do its part.

Sept. 1 at Rutgers 48 … NC Central 0 …
CFN Analysis: After a down year, Rutgers needed to come out and blow someone away. Beating NC Central isn’t any big deal, but still, it was a cathartic moment that showed off some of the great young talents. Savon Huggins only ran for 32 yards and averaged 3.2 yards per carry, but he showed a spark in the red zone. The defense was phenomenal at getting behind the line, coming up with nine sacks and 15 tackles for loss, with the wealth spread around, and the front seven was swarming like it was a few years ago. It would be nice if Gary Nova was a little sharper throwing the ball, but Chas Dodd was decent in his little bit of time. Going forward, the quarterbacks have to be more accurate after combining to complete 15-of-34 passes for 210 yards and two touchdowns with a pick.
 
The 2011 Recruiting Class Is Heavy On … Running backs. Rutgers might not have come up with a loaded class in any one area, but no one in the Big East can match the upper-end star power. Losing top corner Lafayette Pitts to Pitt at the last second stung, but getting receiver Miles Shuler, with his sub-4.4 speed, defensive tackle Marquise Wright, and offensive tackle Keith Lumpkin makes the class strong. Keeping running back Savon Huggins at home when Auburn, USC, and other big names came calling was the big coup. The 6-0, 200-pounder will be the centerpiece of the attack, while Charles Davis and Ben Martin are lightning fast rushing options.

Five Rutgers Recruits You Should Care About
Player writeups by Scout.com

1. RB Savon Huggins
6-0, 200, Scout.com’s 4th ranked running back. A shifty runner capable of making multiple cuts in a single run. Has excellent vision and the running instincts to set up a second tackler while running by a first. Runs with a good center of gravity and low pad level. His combination of balance and low center of gravity make him nearly impossible to get a clean hit on and he must be wrapped up to be brought down. He keeps his feet moving in traffic and runs with surprising power.

2. Marquise Wright
6-3, 265, Scout.com’s 17th ranked defensive tackle. As a senior, Wright had 56 tackles, 19 tackles for loss and nine sacks.

3. WR Miles Shuler
A quarterback for his Long Branch team, Shuler is a competent thrower, but he’s much more dangerous on the move. Throws well enough to take snaps as a wildcat quarterback in college and still be a threat to pass, but it’s his change of direction and acceleration that puts pressure on a defense. Needs to make the adjustment to slot receiver by showing he can catch in traffic and run crisp routes.

4. OT Keith Lumpkin
A very good athlete who average 12 ppg per on the basketball court while starting at Right Tackle on the football field.

5. RB Charles Davis
Davis waits for blocks to develop and explodes through the hole and is then a home run threat waiting to happen at all times. He loves to kick the play to the outside and use his speed to the advantage on the sideline. Very decisive and doesn't waste steps behind the line of scrimmage and also catches the ball very well out of the backfield. While he isn't a powerful runner, he does have very good balance and bounces off tackles.

2011 Entire Recruiting Class
Johnathan Aiken DB 5-11 185 Fort Lauderdale, Fla./Chaminade
Mike Bimonte QB 6-4 215 Manalapan, N.J./Manalapan
Paul Canevari FB 5-11 220 Warwick, N.Y./Don Bosco Prep
Charles Davis DB 5-11 180 Neptune, N.J./Neptune
Anthony DiPaula P 6-1 215 Manalapan, N.J./St. John Vianney
Quentin Gause LB 6-1 215 Rochester, N.Y./Bishop Kearney
Kyle George DE 6-3 240 Willingboro, N.J./Willingboro
Dallas Hendrikson C 6-2 295 St. Ansgar, Iowa/St. Ansgar/Iowa Western CC
Savon Huggins RB 6-0 200 Jackson, N.J./St. Peter’s Prep
Max Issaka DE 6-3 240 Port Reading, N.J./Woodbridge
Myles Jackson DE 6-4 230 West Chester, Pa./West Chester Henderson
Kaleb Johnson OL 6-4 290 Jacksonville, Fla./Edward H. White
Tejay Johnson WR 6-2 180 Egg Harbor Twp., N.J./Egg Harbor Township/Fork Union
Kenneth Kirksey DL 6-1 280 Daytona Beach, Fla./Mainland/Fork Union
Tyler Kroft TE 6-6 225 Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown East
Keith Lumpkin OL 6-8 280 Montclair, N.J./St. Peter’s Prep
Ben Martin RB 5-11 190 Galloway, N.J./Absegami
Djwany Mera DE 6-4 255 Hollywood, Fla./South Broward/Hargrave
Gary Nova QB 6-2 210 Elmwood Park, N.J./Don Bosco Prep
Al Page DL 6-2 295 Bronx, N.Y./Christopher Columbus
Miles Shuler WR 5-10 185 Neptune, N.J./Long Branch
Kevin Snyder LB 6-3 220 Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley
Daryl Stephenson DL 6-3 275 Sayreville, N.J./Sayreville
Marquise Wright DL 6-3 275 Englewood, N.J./Paramus Catholic