New Jersey sports teams could miss out on playoffs

There are five prominent teams that are truly identified with New Jersey: the Devils, Nets, Seton Hall men’s basketball, and Rutgers football and basketball. With apologies to the Rutgers basketball team, which is a respectable 10-7 through Wednesday, they’re all in rough shape. This is looking like the first time in 15 years that all five Jersey teams will miss the postseason, and quite possibly the second time ever that all five finished below .500. (Rutgers’s record figures to dip as the Scarlet Knights, who went 9-3 in nonconference play, proceed through the unforgiving Big East schedule.) — Wall Street Journal

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January 21, 2011, 7:04 am

Big East football coaches stink at bigger school

It’s far too early to give up on Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly, of course. But the Fighting Irish’s decisive loss to Navy on Saturday is the latest reminder that Big East coaches—no matter how brilliant they looked in that conference—are by no means a sure thing. The Big East’s current membership has had six permanent head coaches go on to lead other college or NFL teams since 1991, when the conference began play in football. Of those, only Mark Dantonio (who previously was at Cincinnati) has had much success. Mr. Dantonio is 30-17 at Michigan State, including an 8-0 record and No. 5 Associated Press ranking this season. And former Rutgers coach Doug Graber won the 2003 NFL Europe title. Otherwise, it’s mostly been ugly at the coaches’ next college job. Former Pittsburgh coach Paul Hackett lasted three years at Southern California. Walt Harris, another former coach of the Panthers, got just two at Stanford, going 6-17. Rich Rodriguez, formerly of West Virginia, is 13-18 through 2½ seasons at Michigan. Ex-Louisville coach Bobby Petrino went 3-10 with the Atlanta Falcons before bolting for Arkansas. Although the Razorbacks are ranked 19th in the AP poll, he’s 7-13 in Southeastern Conference games. — Wall Street Journal

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October 25, 2010, 6:53 am

Greg Schiano: Rutgers had I-AA players when I arrived

One could argue that Greg Schiano’s rebuilding project at Rutgers was, perhaps, the most difficult in Big East football history. Before Schiano was hired, Terry Shea went 11-44 from 1996-2000, and, after two bumpy seasons when the Scarlet Knights did not win a conference game, he started building. Since then, Rutgers has been to five consecutive bowl games and won at least eight games the past four seasons. “Every takeover job is different,” Schiano said. “This one was an extreme. And the reality is, when we got here, Division I-AA schools were out-recruiting Rutgers. So, when we got here, we had a lot of I-AA players. That’s nothing personal; that’s what it was. “I know one thing, it is hard, especially if you come from somewhere where you are used to winning. It really tests your resolve and your faith.” — Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

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October 14, 2010, 4:47 am

Rutgers QB’s father involved in “misunderstanding” with fan during game

University police investigated an incident involving the father of sophomore quarterback Tom Savage and an unidentified fan during last Saturday’s football game at Rutgers Stadium. Thomas Savage, whose son stars on the Rutgers football team, was involved in an altercation with another fan during North Carolina’s 17-13 victory over the Scarlet Knights, according to Rutgers officials. While an attempt to obtain the incident report from university police Monday night was unsuccessful, Rutgers athletics communications director Jason Baum said neither Savage or the unidentified fan were charged or ejected from the game. — Courier-News

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September 28, 2010, 8:03 am

Miami Hurricanes may face Rutgers at Yankee Stadium in 2013

The Miami Hurricanes are facing their first Big East opponent Thursday since leaving the conference in 2003. They are nearing a deal to face their second. UM athletic director Kirby Hocutt dined with a group of school officials and John Mosely from the New York Yankees on Wednesday at Lidia’s in Pittsburgh. Hocutt said “a deal could be imminent” for the Hurricanes to play Rutgers in 2013 at Yankee Stadium. “It would be a fun matchup, wouldn’t it?” Hocutt said, referring to facing former UM defensive coordinator and current Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano. “I’d like to have a presence in New York every four or five years. It makes sense for us.” — Miami Herald

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September 23, 2010, 6:19 am

Syracuse, Rutgers, UConn, Army and Notre Dame battle to own NYC

The relationship between college football and the city is one of the wackiest things in New York sports. The last significant game played in the area was in 2002. Only one market in the entire country had a lower TV rating for last year’s BCS national-championship game (New York was 55th, Providence, R.I., was 56th). So there’s a case to be made that being New York’s college-football team in recent years is a bit like being Albuquerque’s curling team. But a confluence of new stadiums, new strategies to take New York and even a bowl game has resulted in something the city hasn’t seen in years: a crowded college-football landscape, a heightened battle to be the region’s team and, dare we say, a college-football renaissance in New York.

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September 2, 2010, 4:36 am

Pitt lands prep defensive back recruit away from Rutgers

Terrell Chestnut, one of the nation’s top college football prospects, had any number of reasons to choose Pitt over Rutgers. But it came down to academics. Specifically, the Pottstown native committed verbally to Pitt on Thursday, largely because of the university’s pre-med program. Chestnut, a 5-11, 175-pound two-way player at Pottsgrove High School in Pottstown, has ambitions of being a pediatrician. For now, his more immediate goal is playing defensive back for the Panthers. Chestnut, ranked 26th nationally among all defensive backs by Rivals.com, acknowledged yesterday that his campus visit last month influenced his decision. Even though he narrowed his choices to two schools, Chestnut considered several others — including Pitt’s Big East rivals Syracuse and West Virginia; Michigan State, Michigan and Boston College. “I was very comfortable at Pitt,” Chestnut said. “When I had a chance to tour the campus and visit the pre-med department, it made my decision a lot easier. “I’ve been interested in medicine my whole life. I’ve always wanted to be a pediatrician, so I can give back to kids.” — Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

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July 30, 2010, 3:11 am

Rutgers QB Savage is Big East’s most experience signal caller

Rutgers QB Tom Savage, a sophomore, isn’t the oldest quarterback in his conference, but he’s started more games than anyone else he’ll face in a Big East game this season. Eleven starts are all it takes to be the wily veteran in this league this season. Savage’s development will be a theme for the upcoming season. Most preseason magazines have pegged Rutgers in the middle of the Big East – Rivals.com picked the Scarlet Knights fifth – but the top six teams in the league look to be competitive. At least Savage will face the challenge against a backdrop of youth, both in the league and on his team. Of the 85 scholarship players on Rutgers’ roster, 63 have used two years or fewer of their eligibility. “It’s easier to lead on a young team when you’re young,” Rutgers coach Greg Schiano said. “We’re a young football team.” – Rivals.com

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July 8, 2010, 7:16 am