Rutgers Football

"We're ready to play good football teams," declared Rutgers head coach Frank Burns at the conclusion of the 1976 season (via Panama City News Herald).

After going 11-0 in 1976, and being ranked No. 17 nationally with the longest winning streak in college football (via The Argus-Press), Rutgers had made the decision to compete in Division I. As such, the University turned down an opportunity to play in the Independence Bowl (against McNeese State), holding that the postseason bid was simply not prestigious enough.

The Scarlet Knights had been overlooked by the Tangerine Bowl and the Peach Bowl, and now Rutgers was going to prove their detractors wrong. But the announcement to turn down their first postseason invitation sounded like arrogance.

If there's one thing that the football gods detest above all else, it's hubris.

Why would a college that had never been to a bowl game deny their fans a chance to see the team play in the postseason? Why would a college program deny the senior members of the football team an opportunity that they would never again have, and snub the very individuals who had invited the school to participate in a bowl game?

In the following three seasons, football humility would be hoisted upon Rutgers in the form of Joe Paterno and Frank Kush, as Penn State would then beat the Scarlet Knights three times (1977, 1978 and 1979), along with a postseason defeat at the hands of Arizona State, 34-18, in 1978's inaugural Garden State Bowl. 

Less than three years after the perfect season, the Scarlet Knights were Division-I paper tigers.

So, it would come as no surprise that when Rutgers traveled to Knoxville to play the Volunteers in 1979, the Tennessee alumni, fans and local press assumed the game would be a laugher, and the jokes soon followed.

Sports columnist Ben Byrd of the Knoxville Journal dedicated an entire article asking, "What's a Rutgers?"

"One housewife told me she bought a pound of them at the supermarket last week for 59 cents," wrote Byrd, "but they must have been on sale because she normally pays 89 cents a pound."

The homecoming game crowd of 84,265 packed Neyland Stadium in Knoxville to watch the perennial SEC powerhouse Volunteers in what would surely be a cakewalk over the Scarlet Knights (h/t USA Today). With legendary coach Johnny Majors walking the sidelines, it wasn't going to be a question of whether the 17th-ranked Volunteers would win, just a question of by how much.

Everything was stacked up against the Scarlet Knights, the upstart Division-I program that had never beaten a meaningful foe.

But the men in Scarlet had done their penance. The gods of football had found new targets, and they were clad in orange and white.

Once the game began, the confidence of the Tennessee faithful was brimming, as tailback James Berry scored early on a one-yard run in the first quarter to give the Vols the lead, 7-0.

But the scoring stopped, and the crowd grew restless when late in the second quarter the Scarlet Knights began to drive. From the Tennessee 37-yard line, Rutgers quarterback Ed McMichael (11-of-12, 174 yards) took the snap and dropped back, firing a scoring strike to "Dangerous" Dave Dorn, whose 4.4 speed easily beat the Volunteers secondary (h/t scout.com). Unbelievably, at halftime Rutgers and Tennessee were tied, 7-7.

In the second half, Rutgers head coach Frank Burns employed a strategy that had served him well in the past: grind down the clock with the running game and let the defense squeeze the opposition like a boa constrictor. Led by DTs Bill Pickel and Dino Mangiero, Rutgers shut down the run. DBs Mark Freeman and  Deron Cherry thwarted the Volunteers passing offense, while LB Ed Steward's two interceptions set up 10 of the Scarlet Knights points.

Tennessee would not score again, while Rutgers fullback Bryant Moore was fed the ball again and again racking up 103 yards on 20 punishing carries. Two Ken Startzell field goals stretched the Rutgers lead to six points, and time ran out on the Volunteers, with the final score:

Rutgers 13, Tennessee 7.

Several of the heroes from that Saturday afternoon went on to success in pro football. Dino Mangiero enjoyed an NFL career with the Chiefs, Seahawks and Patriots. Deron Cherry played in the NFL 11 seasons, where he was five-time All-Pro and named to the NFL's All-Decade (1980s) Team.

Bill Pickel was a second-round draft choice of the Oakland Raiders, with whom he won a Super Bowl. Dave Dorn was an eighth-round draft choice of the Raiders, and played briefly for the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL. Quarterback Ed McMichael was a member of the New Jersey Generals of the USFL in the 1980s.

The enormity and significance of this victory was lost in the events of the times before it could be absorbed by the average sports fan. The very next day, November 4, 1979, dissident Iranian students stormed the American embassy in Tehran and seized hostages, 52 of whom would be held for a total of 444 days. The ensuing oil crisis, followed by the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan made sports, and the achievements of athletes seem secondary—even tertiary—in American society.

Frank Burns, the most prolific coach in Rutgers History (78-43-1 in 11 seasons) called the victory over Tennessee (h/t scarletknights.com) "the greatest of my coaching career."

Burns' success at Rutgers remains unparalleled. His .640 winning percentage is still the highest for any Scarlet Knights coach, nearly 30 years since he coached his last game. He took Rutgers to their first bowl game in 1978, and in truth, is the man who built the Rutgers Division-I program.

On Saturday, November 3, 1979, Burns brought a fledgling Division I team into enemy territory and delivered the greatest victory in the history of Rutgers football.

While the 2012 college football season fast approaches, Kyle Flood continues to put together his first-ever recruiting class—that of 2013—as head coach of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. 

Three more players have formally committed, bringing the total number to twelve—two in-state prospects as well as one from the fertile recruiting grounds of Florida.

Flood's predecessor built the program by keeping local talent from New Jersey and drawing from neighboring states, bringing in quality players who had formerly gone to Syracuse, Penn State, Pitt and West Virginia.

The latest recruits include: 

Josh Klecko (DT)

Somewhat on the small side at 6'2" and 235 pounds, Klecko's game has benefited by having an in-house coach who just happens to be former NFL defensive lineman, Joe Klecko.

A three-star recruit, via Scout.com. out of Red Bank (NJ) Catholic High School, Klecko chose to ignore the college path of brother Dan and father Joe by choosing the Scarlet Knights over the Temple Owls.

While also playing offensive line, Klecko was a standout defender last season, recording 69 tackles.

"There were a lot of schools I loved, but Rutgers really stood out to me because I loved the coaching staff," said Klecko, who had also received offers from Connecticut and Massachusetts.

Myles Nash (DE/QB)

A talented athlete, Nash played quarterback and edge rusher for Timber Creek Regional High School in Erial, NJ.

At 6'4" and 205 pounds, Nash is a three-star, via Scout.com, prospect who had been coveted by Arizona, Boston College, Purdue, Temple, Virginia and West Virginia, among others.

Rutgers' plan is make Nash an OLB, who will occasionally get into a three-point stance for Kyle Flood's defense.

"I'm very happy for him, very happy for our whole program," said Rob Hinson, the coach at Timber Creek Regional. "I think it's a great fit for him scheme-wise, socially, and also with the staff."

Taylor Marini (TE)

Rated the No. 55 tight end in the country, Marini opted for Rutgers over Louisville, South Florida, Temple and others.

Rutgers continues to search for potential targets for 2013 QB recruit Chris Laviano, and, at 6'4" and 240 pounds, Marini will be easy to spot. To date, he has been a blocking TE in high school, evidenced by just two catches last season.

Marini, from Lake Mary High School in Lake Mary, Fla., is rated as a two-star recruit, via Scout.com, with a 4.7 time in the 40-yard dash.

"Obviously, we recruit against each other," said Temple head coach Steve Addazio after last week's Rutgers recruiting announcements.

Klecko, Nash and Marini all committed to Rutgers on the same day—June 27—and had all been players Temple had also courted.

"Rutgers is 66 miles away from Temple. It's in a bordering state," Addazio said.

To date, Temple has only gotten commitments from seven players for 2013.

Undrafted, Desmond Stapleton was given a second chance to play in the NFL when the Pittsburgh Steelers signed him to a free agent contract.

"I’m just trying to go back out there and prove myself" (via SB Nation), Stapleton said as the NFL draft entered its final day back in April. "I've still got ball left in me."

But the former Rutgers offensive lineman may not get the chance to fulfill that dream unless he can get a second look from another team. After failing the team's physical, Stapleton was released from the Steelers during their rookie camp.

Stapleton, who had had surgery to repair a damaged right knee, knew that he would be facing an uphill battle while trying to make an NFL team. As a graduating letterman, the 6'5", 302-pound tackle already has had two operations on his knee and had been considered to be a prospect with good flexibility but had some problems with his footwork.

One possible landing spot is Tampa Bay, where Stapleton's former coach, Greg Schiano, is currently fine-tuning his roster for the Buccaneers' 2012 season.

When most boys are 14-years-old, they are likely thinking about three things: how to impress their peers, how to get the cutest girl, and what they are doing to waste their summer afternoons.

For Jarrett Guarantano, he has to consider if he wants to accept his first collegiate offer from Rutgers.

That's right—a 14-year-old, who has yet to start high school, now has a verbal offer from the Big East New York-area school.

His birthday is days before Thanksgiving, which means that even though he was born in 1997, Guarantano is only 14.

Guarantano is 6'3" and 180 pounds, and CBSSports affiliate Max Preps has him ranked as one of the top freshmen quarterbacks in the nation.

Rutgers says they approached the young QB to get an early advantage on an in-state recruit, which makes sense, considering New Jersey is a small state.

Even though this isn't the first time a young athlete has received a scholarship offer, it still is mind-boggling for someone who has never played a down of high school football to even be considered to play at the college level, even if it is down the road.

Lane Kiffin had a keen eye when he began coaching for USC. He targeted young recruits who were under the- radar—clean-as-a-whistle prospects who no one else would target until they were in their prime.

Take David Sills, for example.

Back in February 2010, Kiffin landed the then 13-year-old QB from Delaware. Yes, Sills was 13 when he decided that he was going to attend USC. Most kids at that age can't even decide what time they want to wake up. This kid already knew where he was going to college.

The reasons why schools should target young prospects are slim. Better yet, they're ridiculous.

As much as the government needs to step away from college athletics as a whole, a justified interruption is needed. A high school student should not receive communication from an athletic program until they turn 17 years old or become a high school sophomore. High school freshman have no business thinking about college.

Nonetheless, schools have the ability to recruit young teenagers.

One of the biggest questions a team faces when recruiting such a young player is that the player is not yet in his/her prime. Colleges should let players develop before evaluating them for talent.

Colleges surely can't tell whether players are at their best when they're 13 and 14. Now, when players turn 15 and 16, maybe; but for now, let the kids be kids.

"Moving to Pittsburgh tomorrow... Nervous and excited... next chapter in my life,"—Tom Savage on his Twitter account [via ESPN.com].

Alumni and fans who were still holding out the slimmest hopes that Tom Savage would return to claim the starting job as Rutgers' quarterback can now let go of that pipe dream.

The highest-rated QB recruit Rutgers ever landed has now indicated that he will be making his new home at the University of Pittsburgh.

 A Freshman All-American in 2009 with the Scarlet Knights, Savage had thrown for more yards (2,211) as a true freshman than any other quarterback in Big East history. The team finished 9-4-0, and went on to a postseason victory in the St. Petersburg Bowl.

In 2010, then-coach Greg Schiano decided to employ a heavy dose of the "wildcat," which often put the offense in difficult third-and-long situations that allowed opposing defenses to unleash a heavy pass rush and blanket coverages.

As a result, Savage's numbers suffered, and injury soon followed.

Often, Schiano's wildcat would revolve around direct snaps to wide receiver Mohamed Sanu, who carried the ball 59 times that season.

The team's record plummeted to 4-8-0 in 2010 when Chase Dodd took over the quarterback position in relief of Savage.

Sanu—when free of those wildcat responsibilities in 2011—would go on to set the Big East career (210) and single-season (115) reception records.

Following that 2010 season, Savage looked to transfer out of Rutgers. The situation soon became messy amid allegations of Schiano allegedly blocking the young quarterback from speaking with Florida, FSU, Michigan and Miami (Fla.), according to Erick Smith of USA Today.

Finding a landing spot in Arizona, Savage transferred and was forced to sit out the 2011 season. Then, before he set foot on the field for a single play, a head coaching change came to the university.

While Savage denied that his decision to again transfer from Arizona had anything to do with new head coach Rich Rodriguez, he did so knowing full well that he would possibly again be forced to sit out another year due to the change.

“This is a personal decision about my family and was not influenced by Coach Rodriguez or his style of play,” explained Savage at the time of his bombshell announcement in December, 2011.

Savage filed a hardship waiver with the NCAA to re-enroll at Rutgers and become immediately eligible for the 2012 season. If accepted, it would have given Savage two years of eligibility at Rutgers under new coach Kyle Flood.

With the uncertainty of the current Dodd-Nova quarterback situation, the likelihood that Savage could return and conceivably win the starting job seemed a real possibility.

That situation would never get the chance to play out, as the NCAA denied Savage's appeal and he was forced to again sit out this upcoming season.

The Big East has a rule that states that players cannot transfer from one league school to another within the conference, which could pose a problem for Savage if Pittsburgh is unable to leave for the ACC after this season.

Assuming that the Panthers do depart the Big East, Savage would be available for his final year of eligibility in 2013 in time to compete for the starting quarterback job against four-star recruit Chad Voytik.

The 2013 Scarlet Knights' schedule is not yet complete, but should it include a game against the Pittsburgh Panthers, it would be a date to circle on the calendar.

Two more of Rutgers' Pennsylvania recruits have made verbal commitments to the University, adding to the list of incoming talent that has already opted to join the Scarlet Knights in 2013.

Defensive lineman Nick Arcidiacono, (6'4", 230 lbs) from Archbishop Wood High School committed on June 21 after reportedly receiving offers from Boston College, Delaware, Temple and five other schools, according to Rivals.com. In addition to playing defensive end, Arcidiacono also played guard and tackle on the offensive line. Scout.com classifies Arcidiacono as a three-star recruit. Rutgers is reportedly looking at making him a tight end.

“I knew what to expect with coaches and all that," Arcidiacono explained regarding the flurry of the recruitment process and his ability to play so many positions. "But it was a little different for me because I’m more of a hybrid. I’m kind of all over the place.”

Arcidiacono will be joining his brother Brandon, who will be an incoming 2012 freshman at Rutgers this season.

"I wanted to continue playing with Brandon," said Arcidiacono of the latest Scarlet Knight sibling pairing. "He talked highly about Rutgers. He wasn't pushing me, though. He wanted me to make my own decision."

The most recent Rutgers recruit is defensive end Sebastian Joseph from Stroudsburg, Pa. Despite offers from Connecticut, Temple and Maryland, he committed to the Scarlet Knights on June 23. Joseph (6'4" and 270 lbs), like Arcidiacono, is a two-way line player at high school and chose Rutgers after attending the University's "Big Man Academy." 

"Honestly, I wasn't expecting to commit this early," said Joseph after his experience at the campus. "But the visit gave me insight on how it would be if I was a Rutgers football player. I really, really enjoyed it."

The commitments of Arcidiacono and Joseph now bring the total number of 2013 recruits to nine.

If you've never heard of Scott Vallone, I wouldn't blame you. Up until recently, I hadn't either. However, when I read that Andrea Adelson of ESPN.com called him the Big East's "Iron Man," I had to take notice.

The first thing I noticed about Vallone was his numbers. One number stood out in particular. The senior nose tackle has started an impressive 38 games in his career at Rutgers. That puts Vallone in the lead of all Big East's returning players in games started.

Now you may be wondering why any of this matters to you (if you're not a Rutgers fan, that is). It's simple—Vallone represents what we all want college football to be about at its core.

He is a dedicated young man who believes in hard work ethic and is someone we cheer for through adversity, no matter the jersey he wears. These type of players are not common so when they come along, they are worth noting.

It goes beyond dedication for Vallone. During his time at Rutgers, he has shown an immense amount of heart. Injuries have plagued him, but nothing has stopped Vallone from pushing forward. Season-ending surgery in 2008 couldn't keep him from the football field. Shoulder surgery this last spring couldn't either.

The football field is where he wants to be and regardless of circumstances, that's where he always ends up.

Vallone's size on the field is not larger than life. He is undersized for a position that is arguably one of the most physically demanding positions to play. At 275 lbs, he often faces off against guys 25 lbs heavier or more. It doesn't matter though because it is Vallone's presence that is larger than life. He stands his ground.

The writing had always been on the wall for Vallone. It was clear he was something special long before now.

At the end of his redshirt freshman season, Vallone was named to the Football Writers Association of America All-America team. He had 41 tackles and nine for a loss. It would only get better from there. He currently has a career 141 tackles.

It's also important to note that Vallone is more than just the numbers on the football field. While 38 career starts are outstanding, it is his attitude on and off the field that shines.

Many may actually remember Vallone, as he graced the cover of Sports Illustrated with fellow teammate Eric LeGrand who had been paralyzed during a Rutgers football game. However, if you were to ask Vallone about that cover, he is quick to note it is not about him. That kind of attitude is always far more important than any numbers.

So if you had yet to learn Scott Vallone's name, take notice now. This is someone you won't want to forget.

I know I won't.

For years, Penn State would solicit heavily in the Garden State, sign many of that state's top high school recruits, then use those players to defeat the State University of New Jersey, Rutgers.

PSU was Goliath, constantly slaying David year after year, until a former assistant coach who had served under Joe Paterno took the knowledge he had accrued at Penn State to fashion a battle plan to defeat a hated foe.

That's how Sept. 24, 1988, became the date that David finally slayed Goliath.

Dick Anderson had taken over the head coaching job at Rutgers in 1984 after having been offensive coordinator at Penn State. In his first year, he had gone 7-3-0, but the following seasons were not fruitful. In 1988, the season started brightly when Rutgers traveled to East Lansing, Michigan and defeated the previously-ranked No. 15 Spartans, 17-13. But the week after that, they dropped a one-point decision to Vanderbilt, 31-30.

Rutgers entered the game against PSU a two-touchdown underdog, as no one expected the Scarlet Knights to travel to State College, Pa. and even give the new No. 15 nationally-ranked Nittany Lions a competitive game. After all, it had been 70 years since Rutgers had defeated Penn State, and in those intervening years, the Knights had dropped 15 in a row to the Nittany Lions.

So the 85,531 fans who packed Beaver Stadium for what they anticipated would be just a typical game were given a rude awakening named Mike Botti. The junior running back hit his high-water mark in 1988, rushing for 715 yards and five touchdowns that season.

The scoring began when Rutgers quarterback Scott Erney (9-of-20, 85 yards) hit wide receiver Eric Young for the game's opening touchdown to give the Knights a 7-0 lead in the first four minutes of the contest.

In an attempt to harass Erney and the Rutgers passing attack, the Nittany Lions would often put five linebackers on the field, but the Knights countered with a heavy dose of their ground attack. Rutgers ran the ball 38 times in the game, with 18 carries by Mike Botti for 112 yards and two touchdowns which helped to stake the Scarlet Knights to a 21-10 lead going into the fourth quarter.

After starting quarterback Tom Bill had to leave the game with a leg injury, Penn State put in backup QB Tony Sacca, who then led the Lions on a 90-yard TD drive to cut the deficit to 21-16, after the two-point conversion failed.

In the waning minutes of the game, Sacca again led Penn State down the field, and it would again be up to the Scarlet Knights defense to save the game. Down by five points, the Nittany Lions reached Rutgers' three-yard line and tried to run the ball on first and second down, for no gain either time. On third and goal, Paterno sent Sacca on a roll out, but he threw an incompletion to the tight end. That set the stage for the nail-biting fourth-and-goal play that would decide the contest.

But the Knights defense prevailed, as on fourth down Sacca threw an incompletion to wide receiver Michael Timpson, and all that remained was for Rutgers to run out the clock with under a minute remaining. 

"We poured our hearts out on those last plays," said Rutgers defensive tackle George Bankos. Ironically, Bankos had been recruited by Penn State, but decided that Rutgers was a better fit for him. "We were ready for everything they tried against us. We were geared for their run, and we were able to pressure their quarterbacks when they tried to pass."

But while the defense saved the game, it had been the offense that scored just enough points to put the game out of reach, despite a disappointing day passing.

"For me personally," said RU quarterback Scott Erney, "it was a bigger win than Michigan State."

It was a career day for running back Mike Botti, who fulfilled a personal goal in the game. "It was the best feeling of my life," he said elatedly after the win. "I've been dreaming about this since I came here. It's been so long since we've beaten them."

"They were a better team than us," admitted Joe Paterno after the home loss. "They played hard on the line of scrimmage. They hustled, tackled well and mixed up their defenses well. They stopped our best offensive plays."

Penn State was stripped of their No. 15 ranking, and this loss appeared to derail the remainder of the Nittany Lions' 1988 season. They went on to lose five of their final eight games that year.

Dick Anderson would coach through the conclusion of the 1989 season, finishing his RU career 7 games under .500 (27-34-4). He then returned to Penn State as an assistant coach, where he worked from 1990 through 2011.

Penn State holds a 22-2-0 series advantage, with those two Rutgers victories occurring on either end of the 70-year bridge from 1918 to 1988. The Nittany Lions won the next seven games from 1989 through 1995. The two teams have not played since.

The Scarlet Knights and Nittany Lions are next scheduled to play in 2014.

Many colleges and universities say that they are interested in providing an education to their players and graduating their students, but Rutgers is delivering on that directive.

This is the fifth straight year that Rutgers has finished in the top 10 percent in the Academic Progress Rate (APR), which is the prime measuring tool used by the NCAA to measure scholastic proficiency. In fact, the most recent semester saw the Scarlet Knights football team record their highest grade point average (GPA) in the last 10 years.

The APR tracks the academic progress of student-athletes, and consists of eligibility, retention and graduation rates.

"We're excited about it," head coach Kyle Flood said of the achievement. "It's certainly something we stress as a program. Everybody in our program stresses the importance of the academic part of their development."

Rutgers ranked first overall in 2010, and while slipping a bit to second overall in 2011, still finished in the top 10. A perfect score is 1,000. In 2010, Rutgers had an overall score of 992.

"Our players devote time and discipline to getting their academic studies done, and that makes a difference," remarked Flood. "There's no reason why you can't have a national championship football program and also get a great education while doing it. That's the formula we try to use here at Rutgers."