Filling in for some lunchtime reading … Colleague Ivan Maisel says spring football ushers in a fresh start. The Tampa Bay Times' Greg Auman catches up with UCF coach George O'Leary, who talks about the move to the Big East. Tyler Provo's ...
New season tickets for the 2012 Rutgers Football season are now on sale featuring six games at High Point Solutions Stadium, including an ESPN Thursday primetime appearance versus Louisville in the season finale. Fans may begin to select their seats ...
Beating a rival when they are on top is about the most satisfaction a team can get, short of winning a title. But even when that rival is having a "down year," beating them in dramatic fashion is nearly as satisfying. Like other college football ...
Source: State Of Rutgers
After being limited by injuries, Aubrey Lewis will walk-on at Rutgers. The Rutgers coaches and Lewis hope the move will extend the great history of walk-ons. Learn more inside.Source: State Of Rutgers
Although linebacker Myles Nash has a long list of suitors, Rutgers might be well positioned to obtain his services. Could a decision be on the horizon?
Source: Big East Football Blog
Let's put one final bow on the spring with a look at five top breakout players. JaQuez Jenkins, safety, USF. With starting strong safety Jon Lejiste out for the spring because of injury, Jenkins made his presence immediately felt in the defensive backfield and had one of the best springs of anybody on the Bulls roster. Jenkins was everywhere, making big plays and hard hits. His emergence gives USF a nice problem to have once Lejiste returns in the fall.
Source: Yahoo! NCAAF
Source: Rutgers Official Site
Rutgers baseball will close out the 2012 regular season with a three-game series against Villanova at Bainton Field, starting Thursday. Each game in the set will begin at 1 p.m., as RU is 11-6 at home this season.Source: Yahoo! NCAAF
Source: Rutgers Official Site
Iona scored three runs in the top of the ninth to come back and defeat Rutgers, 5-4, in a makeup game on Wednesday at Bainton Field. Junior third baseman Patrick Kivlehan crushed his BIG EAST-leading 13th home run of the season.Source: Scarlet Scuttlebutt by Keith Sargeant
As a senior this past season with the Scarlet Knights, Patrick Kivlehan recorded 15 tackles, a fumble recovery, a forced fumble and an interception in 13 games. In 46 baseball games this spring, the third baseman has a Big East-leading 13 home runs (Photo by Keith Sargeant)
PISCATAWAY -- Despite the Big East-leading 13th homer of the season from Patrick Kivlehan, the Rutgers baseball team dropped a 5-4 decision to Iona on Wednesday afternoon at Bainton Field.
Kivlehan, the former Rutgers football player who has proven to be one of the best Northeast baseball stories this spring, went 1-for-3 with a solo homer and an RBI sac fly but the Scarlet Knights (28-23) allowed three runs in the top of the ninth to lose for the fifth time in six games.
Kivlehan, a senior third baseman who has a year of eligibility remaining after playing the past four seasons with the Rutgers football team, has become an intriguing prospect for next month's Major League Baseball First-year Player Draft. The Big East Player of the Year candidate, who has been honored by the conference four times this spring, is batting .399 in 173 at bats while slugging 13 homers, 44 RBI, 10 doubles and two triples.
Here's a look at Kivlehan's Big East-leading 13th homer -- which tied Jeff Frazier for fourth in single-season history -- and sac fly in today's defeat:
Source: Big East Football Blog
Welcome to your mid-week Big East mailblog. Let's get to some questions. Andrew in New York writes: Hi Andrea, Regarding the move by Gov. Dan Malloy - his peace plea to BC may also be due to UConn's interest in joining the Hockey East (as the 12th member after they recently added Notre Dame), with an invite possibly coming in June. Naturally, another block by BC would be a giant blow to the schools repairing relations and would also further prevent UConn from any ties with ND, who could be looking for a home in the ACC (with rivals Cuse, BC and Miami and where they would likely have the best shot at going 12-0 in football) if the BE collapses.Source: Rutgers Official Site
Rutgers head women’s basketball coach C. Vivian Stringer was one of four recipients of the Legacy of Leadership Award, presented at the Eighth Annual Spelman College Leadership Conference on Wednesday, May 16 in Atlanta, Ga.Source: Big East Football Blog
Our regularly scheduled Big East chat for this afternoon has been canceled, as I head home from the ACC spring meetings. As always, you can send in your questions to the mailbag, with posts set for this afternoon and Friday. The Big East chat is scheduled to return next Thursday, May 24, after I return from the Big East spring meetings. Hope to see you after an eventful two weeks!Source: Big East Football Blog
So I don't think Pitt fans are too happy about the Sunseri news. Understatement? Cincinnati linebacker JK Schaffer was tabbed Mr. Bearcat, the first student-athlete in the last 20 years to win the award. UConn is the first to offer prep quarterback Richard Lagow of Plano, Texas. A look at Kentucky vs. Louisville financially. Here is a Pitt preview. Rutgers athletic director Tim Pernetti is flattered, but he isn't thinking about becoming the next Big East commissioner.Source: Big East Football Blog
USF coach Skip Holtz set the conversation on building an on-campus stadium off and rolling last year when he said in a national interview he would be in favor of one if done the right way. Since then, Bulls fans have waited in anticipation to see if anything would actually happen. Athletic director Doug Woolard was recently asked the same question in an interview with WUSF-TV after renovations to the basketball arena were completed. This is what he said: "It's something I know are in some long-range plans.
Source: On the Banks by On the Banks
Latest USA Today subsidy figures outIt figures - this site has been citing these USA Today reports longer than anyone, and when the full 2011 data finally came out, things have been so hectic that I haven't really had time to look at them in depth until now.
On one hand, it's really good that these numbers are out there as opposed to the fiction that most athletic departments make money. However, that last part cannot be stressed enough. Football drives the bus. When you look at sport-specific breakdowns, as Bloomberg provided last year, the spending problem at schools like Rutgers
Source: On the Banks by Dave White
JSBL Rosters AnnouncedI'm a little late on this news because I was waiting to see if there'd be other news to pair this with, but since it's out there, time to put it up. The Rutgers basketball team will once again be participating in the Jersey Shore basketball league. Due to NCAA rules, the team all share one team, but be split up amongst the league. Even newcomer Vincent Garrett will compete. The only players missing are Kadeem Jack (who'll play in the city) and Austin Carroll.
Source: Big East Football Blog
AMELIA ISLAND, Fla. -- Pitt and Syracuse are caught in a bit of no man's land right now. With one foot out of the Big East door and one foot in the ACC door, the two schools had their representatives at the ACC spring meetings this week. It may seem strange or awkward, but the programs are persona non grata at the Big East, after announcing their defections last September. They will not be at the Big East spring meetings next week, and are trying to move forward with their eyes to the ACC future.Source: Yahoo! NCAAF
Source: Big East Football Blog
USA Today has come out with its thorough annual study into expenses and revenues at every single Division I public school, and the results are not all that surprising. Only 22 schools among all Division I public schools operate in the black, generating enough revenue to cover all athletics expenses. UConn and Louisville are the only two Big East schools that fit that category among the six public league schools that provided information to the news organization.Source: Rutgers Official Site
Rutgers women’s tennis senior Morgan Ivey has been bestowed the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Northeast Region Cissie Leary Award for Sportsmanship, the organization announced Tuesday.Source: Big East Football Blog
AMELIA ISLAND, Fla. -- Pitt coach Paul Chryst came right out and said what had become obvious this spring -- Tino Sunseri is his starting quarterback going into fall practice. Chryst said Tuesday during the ACC spring meetings, "He was the best quarterback we had out of spring. That's why he's the starter." Sunseri had been competing with Mark Myers and Trey Anderson for the starting job after a pretty brutal 2011 season. The truth is that Sunseri was not really a match for the spread offense under former coach Todd Graham.Source: State Of Rutgers
Rutgers offers their fifth prospect from Eastern Christian Academy with an offer to athlete Freddy Canteen. His electrifying speed and quickness is likely the reason.
Source: NJ.com by Conor Orr/The Star-Ledger
Kyle Flood says QB decision to be made 10 days before opener at the latestSource: Big East Football Blog
Before he became one of the most successful wide receivers in NFL history, Art Monk was a collegiate running back. Monk, who was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame on Tuesday, looked like he might follow in the footsteps of great Syracuse running backs like Jim Brown and Ernie Davis. He rushed for more than 560 yards as a sophomore and a junior. But Monk eventually proved even more valuable as a receiver, where he became an All-American as a senior in 1979.Source: Big East Football Blog
Serving up your links. ... Cincinnati was the only Big East team to finish in the top 25 in the ESPN "College GameDay" contest. Former UConn athletic director Jeff Hathaway will take over at Hofstra. Without Howard Schnellenberger, the College Football Hall of Fame class lacks fire. Video: former Louisville defensive end Greg Scruggs doesn't like the term "turf toe." Pitt's lawsuit against the Big East will most likely benefit the Panthers.Source: Rutgers Official Site
For the second time this season, the Rutgers University baseball game against Iona College has been postponed due to inclement weather. The teams will attempt to play the game for the third time on Wednesday, May 16 at noon at Bainton Field.Source: Rutgers Official Site
Rutgers baseball will take on Iona College at Bainton Field on Wednesday, May 16 at 12 p.m. for its final non-conference regular season contest. It will be a makeup of a rainout from May 2.Source: Rutgers Official Site
Rutgers Division of Intercollegiate Athletics salutes its student-athletes who earned their degrees at University commencement ceremonies.Source: Big East Football Blog
Every once in a while, it is important to remember that there is a reason players at every single university in America are called student-athletes. Because, you know, they are on campus to get that all-important degree. While everybody is familiar with what football players do on Saturday, every athlete you root for has an overloaded schedule filled with classes, study hall, home work, practice and film study. So I felt it is important to recognize two Big East schools that have made some serious strides with their academic reputations this last semester.Source: Yahoo! NCAAF
Source: Scarlet Scuttlebutt by Keith Sargeant
C. Vivian Stringer, the first coach to lead three different teams to the Final Four, laughs during her induction speech into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame. (AP Photo)
After 41 seasons on the sidelines, including the past 17 at Rutgers, it's safe to say C. Vivian Stringer has developed a formula for success.
It's a recipe built on motivating her players to reach their maximum potential, and it's resulted in 885 victories, three NCAA Final Four appearances and countless other accolades.
And, according to Phil Salerno, it's the same charge therapists at Children's Specialized Hospital try to instill in their special-needs patients on a daily basis.
"There's a strong analogy between sports and what we do here at Children's Specialized Hospital,'' said Salerno, president and chief development officer for the Children’s Specialized Hospital Foundation. "Our goal is always to help any child who comes through our doors to reach their maximum potential. Based on their ability we want them to achieve the most that they can.
"And when you think about what coach Stringer does, as a coach and as a leader in basketball, and the athletes who play on her team year in and year out, they're all striving to do the exact thing that we do, which is to reach their maximum potential at the highest possible level.''
"That's,'' Salerno added, "what we want for all 19,000 kids that we treat.''
Click HERE for a feature on the Children's Specialized Hospital's Walk 'n Roll fundraiser slated for Saturday morning at Johnson Park in Piscataway, an event that's deeply personal for the Scarlet Knights' Hall of Fame mentor.
Source: On the Banks by On the Banks
George Norcross wins - Rutgers-Camden to join with Rowan.Did you really think Chris Christie would turn his back on the guy who has helped Christie pass bill after bill through a minority-Republican legislature?
The only question seemingly remaining is what name the combined institution will take. As always, this blog's position is contrary to the prevailing sentiment - kind of. What is happening to Rutgers-Camden is a tragedy, but considering the re-acquisition of the unjustly stolen UMDNJ-New Brunswick, the deal is still a considerable gain for Rutgers in New Brunswick.
HOWEVER, the merged institution MUST NOT be allowed to
Source: Scarlet Scuttlebutt by Keith Sargeant
While Rutgers reduced spending by $4 million in 2011 from the 2010 fiscal year, its athletics department received the nation's third largest subsidy, according to a USA TODAY special report.
The report showed a decrease in expeditures to $60.19 million for the 2010-11 fiscal year from $64.3 million in 2009-10. But for the second straight year the athletics department topped all major-conference schools in the subsidy it received from the university, as $28.5 million was provided by the university fund.
"We're continuing to focus on efforts to generate new revenue in addition to growing our athletics operation in a responsible manner,'' Rutgers athletics director Tim Pernetti said Monday when contacted by New Jersey Press Media for the report.
Stay tuned to Scarlet Scuttlebutt for additional content that puts the USA TODAY's data in perspective:
Source: Bleacher Report NCAAF
In an article earlier this week, I stated that a Rutgers Big East championship would be a tainted one because it would not have beaten out West Virginia, Syracuse and Pitt.
I know that Pitt is involved in a lawsuit against the Big East, and know that Syracuse would like to be out of the Big East as soon as possible.
In looking at the upcoming schedule, I made a mistake, not realizing that these schools would not be out by 2012 as I looked at the wrong future opponents schedule for Rutgers.
I still maintain that in the current state of the Big East, that RU having never beaten out WVU and with two teams on their way out the door, the title would still be a tainted one for Rutgers.
I should have made sure of my research before publishing the article.
It is not the first research mistake I have ever made and I am sure it won't be my last.
I thank my readers for pointing out where I posted misinformation, and I apologize for my mistake.
I also want to reiterate that I still believe the overall point is valid. Rutgers never beat out WVU for the title, and this year is one that is prior to the arrival of Boise State and Houston.
Writers make mistakes and I am no exception. However, I sometimes feel that a reader will nitpick a grammatical error, a piece of misinformation or a spelling error and then denigrate the entire piece.
I think that my error was a major one, but I still feel that a championship for RU this season would be exciting, and could not be taken away from Rutgers, but still the league isn't quite what it used to be or may be in the future.
Read more Rutgers Football news on BleacherReport.com
Source: NJ.com by Star-Ledger Staff
Third baseman leading conference in numerous hitting categoriesSource: Big East Football Blog
USF has set a program record in the classroom, the school announced Monday. Thirty-seven student-athletes posted a grade-point average of 3.0 or better this spring. USF also set a new record for semester GPA, as the team combined for a mark of 2.76. That bettered the previous program record of 2.64, set in the fall 2011. "It speaks volumes for these players and the way that they have bought in. I'm seeing the culture change," coach Skip Holtz told the Bulls' athletic department website.Source: Rutgers Official Site
Junior Patrick Kivlehan has earned a spot on the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll for the third time this season, the conference office announced Monday. This is the fourth conference honor of the season for the third baseman overall.Source: Rutgers Official Site
Rutgers baseball will take on Iona College at Bainton Field on Tuesday, May 15 at 1 p.m. for its final non-conference regular season contest. It will be a makeup of a rainout from May 2.Source: Big East Football Blog
Time to move along to Week 8 in my ultimate Big East road trip. For those just tuning in, I am selecting the games I would choose to see each and every week this season. My editors usually do that for me. But if the scheduling were up to me, this is where I would want to go. Here is the Week 8 schedule: Fri., Oct. 19 UConn at Syracuse Sat., Oct. 20 Cincinnati at Toledo USF at Louisville Pittsburgh at Buffalo Rutgers at Temple My choice: Rutgers at Temple Why: The easy choice would be to take UConn at Syracuse, since the game is on a Friday night and the Orange seem to do well on weeknight national television games.Source: Rutgers Official Site
The Rutgers men’s soccer program held its annual awards, honoring several Scarlet Knights who made a mark during the 2011 season.Source: NJ.com by Tom Luicci/The Star-Ledger
LB Khaseem Greene calls 90-minute film 'entertaining and informative'Source: Big East Football Blog
Better late than never ... Adrien Robinson is the Jason Pierre-Paul of tight ends, says Giants general manager Jerry Reese. Cincinnati leads the way with early enrollees. Memories of UConn's Memorial Stadium. Silence is the right choice for Louisville. Joe Martinek made a mark at Giants rookie camp. USF coach Skip Holtz opens up about what he learned from his mom. Philadelphia officially signs Syracuse safety Phillip Thomas. Temple nears completion on its practice facility.Source: Rutgers Official Site
Rutgers Division of Intercollegiate Athletics salutes its student-athletes who earned their degrees at University commencement ceremonies.Source: State Of Rutgers
Rutgers continues to mine Florida for talent. Their latest find is Linebacker Jerod Fernandez. Learn more about this tackling machine inside.Source: Bleacher Report NCAAF
It was the year Michael Jackson married Lisa Marie Presley, the world lost John Candy, Seinfeld ruled the airwaves and America watched a white Ford Bronco pursued by the police down a California freeway.
Life really was like a box of chocolates, as "Forest Gump" reminded us in the biggest movie of the year.
In 1994, Nebraska was the big story in college football, but in Piscataway, New Jersey, the Rutgers campus was buzzing about their newly-renovated stadium, and their star tight end Marco Battaglia, who was a legitimate All-American candidate.
The year began with Rutgers easily handling a far-inferior Kent State squad in the season opener, but the coaching staff, team and fans knew that the real tests would come in the following four weeks as the Scarlet Knights would face West Virginia, Syracuse, Penn State and Miami.
Many wondered how the Knights would fair, as all four games against those opponents had been losses in the 1993 season, when RU posed a dismal 4-7-0 record (1-6 against Big East rivals).
On September 10th, 1994, West Virginia came into town with a 1-1 record, having lost their opener to Nebraska (who would go on to be the National Champs), and followed that up with a victory over Ball State. WVU had dominated the series between the two teams, having won 12 of 14 games against RU since the Knights had joined Division-I football. West Virginia was the defending Big East champs, and had throttled the Scarlet Knights 55-22 the previous year.
There wasn't much to make the 31,624 fans who turned out that warm autumn day think differently, as the Scarlet Knights struggled to get anything going offensively. While West Virginia quarterback Eric Boykin had a good day statistically (24-of-37 for 233 yards), the Rutgers defense kept the Mountaineers out of the end zone in the first two quarters, and despite the dismal offensive showing the Scarlet Knights were fortunate to only be trailing 6-0 at the half.
In the second half, the Knights finally put things together behind the play of starting quarterback Ray Lucas. Spreading his 7 completions in the game to five different receivers, Lucas (7-for-15 for 107 yards) threw just one touchdown, a four-yard scoring strike to third-string tight end Jason Curry. Even Battaglia could only collect 3 passes, enough to make him the Scarlet Knights' leading receiver in the game.
With just 8 first downs for the entire game, 190 total offensive yards and a mere 22:23 in time of possession for the Knights, the true star of the game was the Rutgers defense. While they relinquished 366 yards to the Mountaineers, the defense—under the direction of Coordinator John Gutekunst—kept West Virginia out of the end zone when it counted most.
The Knights collected 3 sacks in the game, kept Mountaineers' leading rusher Robert Walker (20 attempts for 55 total yards) in check and collected two turnovers.
In the third quarter, Walker coughed up the ball and Rutgers recovered the fumble at the Mountaineers' 35-yard line. The Knights then went on a nine-play drive that ended in Lucas' 4-yard touchdown pass to Curry, giving them a 7-6 lead.
While the Mountaineers ripped the Rutgers secondary (coached by Steve Spagnuolo) for 26 receptions and 253 yards in the game, it was linebacker Alcides Catanho who broke the Mountaineers' backs on the very next offensive play from scrimmage following the ensuing kickoff.
Quarterback Eric Boykin attempted to start West Virginia's next drive with a seemingly innocent pass in the flat. It ended up being the biggest play of the game as Catanho picked off the pass and rumbled 24 yards for a touchdown. For Catanho—who went on to play 27 games in the NFL—it was the biggest moment in his college career.
The fourth quarter began with Rutgers protecting an eight-point lead, which was extended to 11 when kicker Eddie Duborg split the uprights with a 34-yard field goal.
But the Mountaineers, who had no quit in them, finally scored their lone touchdown of the game with less than two minutes remaining, and elected to go for the two-point conversion. Again it was the Scarlet Knights' defense that came up with the big play when linebacker Rusty Schwartz knocked down the pass attempt that would have cut the deficit to three points.
Out of options, the Mountaineers were forced to attempt an onside kick, but Battaglia made the kickoff recovery and all that was left for the Scarlet Knights to do was run out the clock on their 17-12 victory.
"I like this team," said head coach Doug Graber after the game. "I like its character." In a reverse foreshadowing to this year's news of Greg Schiano leaving the Scarlet Knights for the NFL, Graber had come to Rutgers in 1990 after a stint as an assistant coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He later went on to coach in NFL Europe and then joined the coaching staff with the New York Jets.
Battaglia—an All-American in 1995—went onto an NFL career with five different teams, while quarterback Lucas now serves as the analyst for Rutgers' radio broadcasts after a seven-year NFL career.
The significance of this game cannot be overlooked. In beating West Virginia, Coach Graber accomplished something that neither of his successors (Terry Shea and Greg Schiano) could do, and something that the Scarlet Knights haven't done since that 1994 victory.
To date, the Mountaineers own the series with a 33-4-2 record against Rutgers, and have won the last 17 meetings between the two teams. With West Virginia leaving the Big East, the 1994 defeat of the Mountaineers is something Rutgers fans may not see again for a long time.
Read more Rutgers Football news on BleacherReport.com
Source: Big East Football Blog
It was a pretty busy weekend around the Big East. Where to begin ... Interesting comments out of Connecticut, where Gov. Dannell P. Malloy says it's time for the Huskies and Boston College to put away their grudge and renew their rivalry. The relationship between the two schools ended abruptly after Boston College left for the ACC in 2005 and Connecticut was involved in a lawsuit over the move. You all will recall that it was Malloy who said last year that UConn had an interest in moving to the ACC.Source: Big East Football Blog
I am headed to the ACC spring meetings this week, so the blog will be a little lighter while I am away. I trust that all you fantastic readers and commenters can keep yourselves entertained in my absence. I will resume daily posting duties from the Big East spring meetings in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., starting next Monday, May 21. Have a great week, everyone!Source: Yahoo! NCAAF
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