RUTGERS FOOTBALL ADDS DELAWARE DB

June 23, 2008


Rutgers football recruiting is not just picking top players from the Cherry State locally, but they have branched into neighboring Delaware for a highly recruiting cornerback in Duron Harmon, a rising senior at Caesar Rodney High.

The Journal News reports that Rutgers Gets Riders' Harmon, a 6-foot-1 cornerback was also was offered scholarships by Connecticut, Maryland, Iowa, Pittsburgh, Temple and Stanford.

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RUTGERS SCORES ANOTHER FOOTBALL RECRUIT

June 23, 2008


For years Rutgers has been considered a 'sleeping giant' among major Division 1-A programs in football and basketball. The term was repeated often enough to the point where it became a mocking connotation towards the program.

Well, maybe the times are changing with head coaches Fred Hill Jr on the hoops side and Mike Schiano on the gridiron.

While Fred Hill is still waiting for the success on the court, Schiano's football program has seen their hard work pay off with results and bowl appearances. Now, the recruiting within the fertile grounds of New Jersey continues to roll along for the Scarlet Knights.

Rutgers University football program has received its third verbal commitment from a South Jersey high school player in less than a week. Logan Ryan, a cornerback from Eastern High School in Voorhees joins Gerald Hodges of Paulsboro, who is likely to play safety, and Aaron Hayward of Penns Grove, a probable WR for an in-state trifecta.

Eastern's Ryan Gives Rutgers a Verbal Commitment (Post-Courier) and the 5-foot-11, 175-pound Ryan is ranked 32nd nationally at his position by the football-recruiting Web site Rivals.com and 44th by another recruiting Web site, Scout.com.

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TARAN BUIE: 2010 PG HEARS FROM RUTGERS

June 15th represented the first day college coaches could call prospects of the class of 2010. Since that day, the phone of Taran Buie has had Coaches Calling Early and Often (NBE Basketball Report) to express their interest.

Buie, a 6-foot guard out of Bishop Maginn High School in Albany (NY) and standout for the City Rocks AAU program, is a name that has not generated a lot of attention nationally in the media to date. However, judging by the coaches that have reached out to him the first chance they were allowed to, college coaches are VERY aware of his talents.

“This week I’ve talked to Boston College, Notre Dame, Clemson, Rutgers, Cincinnati, Penn State, Miami, Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech, Virginia, Georgia Tech, Syracuse, Florida, Xavier, West Virginia, Marquette, and Maryland,” Taran Buie relayed to the NBE Basketball Report, doing the best he could to recall all of the coaches that have placed calls to him this week.

According to his high school coach, Rich Hurley, scholarship offers have already been extended by “Maryland, Penn State, Rutgers, Syracuse, Georgia Tech, Boston College, Virginia Tech, Miami, and Fordham.”

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RUTGERS 2008-2009 SNAPSHOT

June 12, 2008


Head Coach: Fred Jill, Jr
2007-2008 Record: 11-20 (3-15 in Big East)

Returning Players:
Anthony Farmer, Senior (Point Guard)
Jaron Griffin, Senior (Guard/Forward)
JR Inman, Senior (Forward)
Hamady N'Diaye, Junior (Center)
Corey Chandler, Sophomore (Guard)
Earl Pettis, Sophomore (Guard)
Mike Coburn, Sophomore (Guard)

Incoming Players:
Michael Rosario, Shooting Guard
Christian Morris, Center
Patrick Jackson, Guard/Forward
Greg Echenique, Center

Incoming Transfer:
Jonathan Mitchell, Junior (Forward)*


Graduated Players:
Byron Joynes, Senior (Center)
Courtney Nelson, Junior (Guard)

Players Transferring Out:
Justin Sofman (Guard)

*Not eligible until 2008-2009 per NCAA transfer rules

Open Items/Issues:
Fred Hill is quickly breathing life into the Rutgers program with some excellent recruiting work. Hill is laying an impressive foundation for the Rutgers program and it is certainly needed. The Rutgers basketball program is building from the ground up, at least now you can see the blueprint clearly.

There are still a couple scholarships open, but Fred Hill has shown he will be very selective in the process. He is not filling holes just to have bodies in the spring. Right now the Scarlet Knights are awaiting final word from the NCAA that Greg Echenique will be cleared academically to play in 2008-2009. Echenique was originally a huge recruiting coup for the class of 2009, but since he attended one year of high school in Venezuela, he decided to pursue the opportunity to enroll as part of the 2008 class.

Summary:
While these is a new sense of excitement around the Rutgers program, they can not escape the fact that they have won a total of six Big East games the last TWO seasons combined, or one less than they did in Gary Waters' final season as head coach.

The key, again, for a drastic improvement will likely lay again with the experienced trio of Anthony Farmer, Jaron Griffin and JR Inman. Waiting for this trio to emerge as a productive group has been frustrating to RU fans and their coach, Fred Hill. If this trio continues to struggle leading the Scarlet Knights to wins, a full blown youth movement will likely take place. Actually, Fred Hill does have a bit of a dilemma, does he play his veteran players he inherited from the Waters' regime at the expense of the younger talent he recruited? Or, does he begin preparing for better days ahead and getting the new crop experience in the rough and tumble Big East?

Saying Rutgers is likely the most improved squad in the league is not much of a stretch. After all, they lost 15 league contests last season, 10 by more than 12 points including seven by more than 18, won just once in the league at the once feared RAC and also lost to in-state opponents such as Rider and St. Peter's. So, improving should not come with much difficulty. Winning just six games in the Big East shows significant progress, anything else might be gravy at this point because the veterans have not shown much potential for more.

The strength in the Rutgers' club will center on their guards. Mike Coburn and Corey Chander had a baptism by fire as freshman and a healthier Chandler should take a major step up this year. Coburn will be helped at the point by senior Anthony Farmer, but the player causing most of the excitement is Mike Rosario, a McDonald's All-American from St. Anthony's in Jersey City. Rosario is a tremendous shooter and comes from one of the great high school coaches. Rosario will have to face the pressure of being hailed as a savior by many hungry RU fans, adding to the pressure to perform. He will be helped by a very competent group of guards, but expect some period of adjustment as the Big East is filled with tough, experienced and athletic guards.

The area of the most improvement for this club is likely in the paint, just having depth alone is a big lift to their prospects. JR Inman returns as their leading scorer and rebounder and will try to stay out of Coach Hill's doghouse. Second leading rebounder and one of the league's best shot blockers, Hamady N'Diaye also returns and their depth is enhanced by Greg Echenique, a big and strong center from St. Benedict's and NYC mountain Christian Morris. Like all freshman, facing players their size and strength night in and night out will be an adjustment, but the rewards in the future will be big.

Rounding out the line-up on the wings is historically inconsistent Jaron Griffin, versatile Earl Pettis and incoming freshman Patrick Jackson. Again, potential is definitely within this group, realizing that potential is what will be needed to help RU eclipse goals next season.

Rutgers is an interesting group heading into the summer. They have a roster of 11 players and all are very capable of contributing at a solid clip. Fred Hill will have to juggle the under-achieving senior group, who definitely still have potential, with the promising younger core to get the results that are best for the program, next season and beyond. Rutgers should be thinking NIT this year and hoping everything falls into place and be a team improving at seasons' end.

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2010 NJ STANDOUT HAS RU OFFER

June 2, 2008


The NJ Playaz U-16 AAU squad is loaded with talent and the star class of 2010 at Paterson Catholic is a big reason why. Future stars such as FuQuan Edwin, Trevor Clemmings, Jayon James and Shaquille Thomas all team up together with PC during the regular season and the Playaz on the AAU circuit. Ron Bailey recently caught up with Jayon James, Who Has Skills & Big East Offers already, even as just a high school sophomore.

James is a versatile 6'5 guard forward who can handle, pass, score in a variety of ways and defend multiple positions. These traits have caught the attention of Fred Hill Jr, of Rutgers and Bobby Gonzalez of Seton Hall as both local Jersey schools have tendered the class of 2010 prospect scholarship offers. Atlantic 10 schools such as Xavier, LaSalle and Fordham have also jumped on board with early tenders.

With his versatiling, expect James to get more looks from schools outside the immediate New Jersey area, in the Big East and beyond, as the College Basketball Odds of winning are MUCH greater with players like James' and all the skills he brings to the court.

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