Football Game Program Features (1-4)
Oct 15 | Football
Paul James: Rushing Above the Competition
By Stephanie Mamakas
Oct. 10, 2015
It's easy to say that Rutgers running back Paul James' football journey began the day he was born. Entering into a family with a tremendous passion for the game, James immediately took to the sport and never looked back.
"I grew up with three older brothers and with them playing football and my dad loving football, it was just something I loved since I was young," said James. "My dad got us into it. He really pushed us for it. It was his favorite sport so it kind of just got passed down. We wanted to be like him so we picked it up. I think I started playing at about four years old and I never stopped."
It wasn't hard for James to stay involved in football, as it was a constant in his household.
"We played football literally anywhere we could, in the house, outside, in the street," James explained. "Anywhere we could play football, we would play."
Guidance from his father and friendly competition with his siblings translated to James becoming a four-year varsity starter at Glassboro High School. James helped guide Glassboro to a 44-4 record and three state championships during his time with the program. In addition to football, James was also a standout in track, becoming an all-state relay team member and all-county triple jumper. His versatility helped shape him into a well-rounded athlete.
"I actually did track to help with football, to get me a little faster and work on my speed," James said.
The extra work proved beneficial when he joined the Rutgers football program as a walk-on in 2011. After developing as a redshirt freshman in 2012, his speed and agility came to light in 2013, when James rushed over competitors and to the top of the stat sheets for RU. The redshirt freshman nearly eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards with a total of 881, leading the Scarlet Knights with nine touchdowns on the year to earn first-team all-conference honors.
James' momentum carried into the following season, as the 6-foot, 215-pound running back would go on to lead the nation with a total of six touchdowns across the first two weeks of play. However, James' progress was abruptly stumped when he suffered a season-ending injury in the fourth game of the year. With his dedication to the sport and the support of his squad, the Scarlet Knight fought through rehab to make sure he returned to the field with his teammates as soon as recovery would allow.
"My motivation was to get back with the team out on the field," James said. "Watching the games, coming out here every Saturday and watching them play without me were motivation enough to get back on the field and be with them again."
In addition to self-motivation, his teammates played a big role throughout rehab, remaining in his ear with words of encouragement and optimism. Breezing through his recovery with 'positive vibes' from his teammates, James returned to the field at the start of summer camp.
"It was amazing. It felt great to just be back out there," James exclaimed. "When I started practicing again it was just great to back on the practice field. I missed it a lot so it felt really good."
While his action on the field took a slight pause, James' performance in the classroom continued strong. The information technology and informatics major has been selected to three consecutive conference all-academic teams, most recently earning recognition on the 2014 Big Ten All-Academic Team. The key to James' success is his ability to balance his priorities across academics and athletics.
"School work is first. You always want to get the degree first. It is focusing on school work and then football also. You have to find a balance," said James. "It's hard being a student-athlete, so you have to find that medium that you can do both so you can really put your focus in academics and football and still succeed in both of them."
Throughout it all, James has remained prominent as a leader to the Scarlet Knights. Selected as a team captain this season, James continues to motivate the squad to build upon past achievements and to never settle until they are satisfied with their accomplishments. As James suits up with his teammates for his final games as a Scarlet Knight, he reflects on what he will miss most.
"I am going to miss the team - being around the guys all the time, being in the locker room, just hanging out," said James. "That is what I am going to miss the most. The relationships I made being with these guys all the time."
In addition to his F.A.M.I.L.Y., James will also miss looking up into the crowd and seeing the faces of his family members, as well as seeing them after each game. As he continues to cherish these moments in the remaining games of the season, the Glassboro, N.J., native will also focus on performing for his home state.
"It's great playing in front of New Jersey fans. I love my state so I love to play for them. Being able to come out here every Saturday and represent them," said James. "My favorite part is the game day atmosphere - being in front of the fans at home and the student section with how loud they get and how fired up the fans get us. That is what I will really miss out there."
Although the senior captain's career is coming to a close, the game of football and the Rutgers football program will still remain a family affair. While James turns his sights to a professional career in the NFL, Scarlet Knights' freshman defensive back Ronnie James, his younger brother, will carry on the family legacy on the Rutgers roster. When asked if he will be around in the coming years, James had no hesitation to his response.
"Definitely," said James. "I will definitely be back to watch a couple games for him. I'll be here to talk to him and everything so I will definitely be back."
Darius Hamilton: A Leader On and Off the Field
By Jimmy Gill
Oct. 10, 2015
Voted a team captain twice, Darius Hamilton is certainly a leader for the Rutgers football program. Despite a lower body injury that forced him to miss the first two games of the season, the senior defensive tackle suited up in the Big Ten opener at Penn State. He did not record any statistics, but his impact was still felt.
"Any chance I can get out there and help this team, this university in any way, I'm all for it," Hamilton said after the game.
Unfortunately for Hamilton and the Scarlet Knights, that appearance proved to be the only one for No. 91 on the field this season. It was announced that Hamilton will sit out the remainder of the 2015 season to rehabilitate the injury. The good news for Rutgers is that Hamilton has not taken a redshirt year and is eligible to apply for a medical redshirt to return for the 2016 campaign.
"[The Penn State game] obviously was way too soon to be back out there," Hamilton said. "I thought I'd be all right. We had been going over some things and I was good and my body felt all right. But when I got out there, things took a little turn for the worst. But I'll be all right. It's something that if I do the right thing and I heal properly, I'll be fine."
By returning in 2016, Hamilton will get a chance to play with most of the members of his incoming recruiting class one last time. A five-star prospect out of Don Bosco Prep, Hamilton played in 12 games as a freshman in 2012, gaining valuable experience.
In 2013, he became the starter at the three-technique spot on the defensive line and led the team with 11.5 tackles-for-loss. That season he had 2.5 sacks in a game at UCF and won the David Bender Trophy as the top defensive lineman on the team.
Hamilton elevated his game even further last year to earn All-Big Ten status and win Defensive Team MVP. Earning the title of captain, he played like it by starting all 13 games with 11.5 more tackles-for-loss to help the Scarlet Knights win eight games, including the Quick Lane Bowl, and capture the Lambert Cup as the top team in the East.
Hamilton was once again voted a captain in 2015, becoming the first RU defensive player to earn that honor since Eric Foster (2006-07). Despite being on the sidelines, fans will still notice Hamilton encouraging teammates. Redshirt junior Julian Pinnix-Odrick, who is now starting at the three-technique, has taken advantage of that.
"He's still out there on the sideline in my ear every play with what I need to do better, what I'm doing well," Pinnix-Odrick said. "He's definitely a captain out there. He doesn't have to be in pads."
The Scarlet Knights certainly look forward to seeing Hamilton return in pads in 2016.
"I hope to be back here playing for my coach, Coach Flood," Hamilton said. "That's the only guy I want to play for. Playing for (defensive line) Coach (Jim) Panagos, the only guy I want to play for, one of the best defensive line coaches you'll find in the country. All the other things are just noise, I'm tuning those out. We have a great group of guys and I'm really excited for the rest of the season."
Tight Ends Emerging for Rutgers
By Tom Luicci
Oct. 10, 2015
The awareness can happen any number of ways about the legacy of the position they're inheriting. For Nick Arcidiacono, it was being a Philadelphia Eagles fan as a youngster and watching L.J. Smith play.
For Matt Flanagan it was spending two years as an understudy to Tyler Kroft.
And for Charles Scarff it was something he learned after coming to Rutgers and having access to cutups in the film room of some of the school's former football greats, stretching back a couple of decades.
Tight end has evolved into a position with a lot of history and success for Rutgers, and it's one that carries responsibility to those next in line. The current trio of Scarlet Knights tight ends - Arcidiacono, Flanagan and Scarff - understands that fully now.
"I knew some of the names from the past. Then when you look into it and see what they accomplished at this position you're like `wow,' " said Scarff. "It's a long run of good tight ends here. You're impressed when you get to know more about it and what the standard is."
The departure of Kroft, a third round NFL draft pick, appeared to leave a void that would make it difficult to extend a run of tight end success that has produced Marco Battaglia, Smith, Clark Harris, Kevin Brock, D.C. Jefferson and Kroft. All but Brock were NFL draft picks.
The concern was compounded by the lack of production from the returning players from a year ago. Arcidiacono, Flanagan and Scarff combined for two catches for 17 yards last season.
But four games into this season, the position looks to be in good hands again. The trio is already close to matching Kroft's catch and yardage totals from 2014. More significant, they've made tight end play a key part of the offense again.
Kroft caught 24 passes for 269 yards a year ago without a touchdown. Flanagan (10 catches for 93 yards with three TDs), Scarff (nine catches for 69 yards) and Arcidiacono (5 catches for 29 yards) have already combined for 24 catches for 191 yards and those three touchdowns.
"Maybe to outsiders we've been a surprise. But not to us," said Arcidiacono. "We came into the year expecting to have a big role and I think we've proven that we can do it all.
"Right now, I think we're interchangeable."
The latter claim is surprising given the backgrounds of the three. The 6-5, 240-pound Arcidiacono arrived as a highly-regarded recruit with a reputation as a tough, physical player. Flanagan and Scarff were walk-ons, both former high school wide receivers who found their size and skill sets more suited to college tight end. Both are on scholarship now.
"They're both good players," said Arcidiacono. "It's not a surprise to me to see the success they're having. I see them work every day. I know how hard they've worked to get their chance. Now they're taking advantage of it."
Neither Flanagan, a 6-6, 240-pound third-year sophomore from Chester, N.J., nor the 6-5, 240-pound Scarff, a sophomore from Lancaster, Pa., can explain how they escaped the attention of college recruiters. But that's long in their past, they say.
"It's always a chip on your shoulder, I guess," said Flanagan. "But I wouldn't have come at this in any different way if I did get scholarship. If Rutgers gave me a scholarship I probably would have still come to Rutgers and done what I've done so far, I think."
Though the offense hasn't changed appreciably under first-year coordinator Ben McDaniels, the increase in tight end activity appears to have been ratcheted up. The way Flanagan sees it, that's because the tight end group has earned a bigger role.
"I think part of it is the competition. We're all pushing each other to the best of our abilities," he said. "I think coach (Phil) Galiano has done a really good job of taking over the tight end position after coach (Anthony) Campanile got moved to wide receivers. We've really been getting after it in the spring and in camp and it has carried over into the season.
"I think the coaches are becoming more comfortable with all of us because they've seen they can put us out there and we can perform at a high level."
All three say their goal remains to become a complete, every down tight end, one that is equally adept at run blocking and being a receiver, and all three are continuing to work with that as their primary goal.
"Last year coming into camp was a real wakeup call for me as far as blocking," said Scarff, who appeared in just one game in 2014. "I really struggled at first. In the spring I started to pick it up a little more and got better at it and coming into camp I feel like I'm getting the hang of it and doing much better with my blocking.
"I'm nowhere where I want to be yet. I have a lot of improvement to make. But I can see progress. It's something I need to work on every day."
Flanagan joked that he's already an every-down player at the position.
"I get in on third, first down and second down, so I think that's pretty much it," he said. "I'm on the punt team too, so I think that's pretty much all of the downs."
In a more serious vein, though, he admits that "one of things I want to get better at is being as versatile as I can be."
"Am I where I want to be with that? No. But I'm making strides," he said. "I have really high goals for myself. I'm still striving for that, trying to be the best overall player I can be. Blocking in the Big Ten is the hardest thing you can do at this level. You face the most physical defenses in football. And you're going against really physical guys."
Arcidiacono says the best is yet to come for all three of them -- and not just the rest of this season. They will all be back for 2016, making tight end an area of strength a year from now.
"Hopefully we'll do our part to live up to the legacy," he said.
Quentin Gause: Family Ties Bind Gause to Rutgers
By Jordan Ozer
Sept. 26, 2015
Quentin Gause has always been a proud member of the Rutgers F.A.M.I.L.Y. As his role gets bigger for his final season, his ties to the family have gotten deeper.
This season, Quentin has welcomed his younger brother into the Rutgers family. Joseph, known affectionately to family and friends as "JoJo," is a freshman wide receiver for the Scarlet Knights.
"It's awesome to have my brother here," Gause exclaimed. "It's good to have a blood relative right there. It's good to have him here. He comes down, and plays some video games sometimes, or we'll go get dinner and just talk."
Quentin played the role of wise older brother throughout the recruiting process. While not pressuring his younger sibling to join him, Quentin helped JoJo find a comfort level and a new home "On the Banks."
"I just let him know the process, what to expect and to really feel everything out," Gause explained. "Later down the road, he was very comfortable here. He had other choices, but he was very comfortable and just wanted to come here and be with his brother."
At any given home game this season, you are bound to run into a member of the Gause family. With two boys lacing up for Rutgers this season, the whole clan has flocked to Piscataway to see the brothers play.
"It saves them gas, to not have to drive to another school, so that's good," Gause joked. "It's just awesome. It's great to have my family around. A lot of my family comes down, now especially this year since it's my last year, and then JoJo's first year. Everybody has been asking me for tickets. It's just fantastic to have them there."
In addition to serving as a mentor to his younger brother, Quentin's leadership responsibilities grew when he was voted as a team captain. A proud leader and vocal presence, the redshirt senior is a stabilizing force on the field. Off the field, it is just as important to him to guide the younger players in the program.
"It was an honor for my teammates to vote for me, and name me team captain," Gause said. "That was awesome. I just continue to lead the same way I have been and keep everybody focused. I try to teach the younger players accountability. I really teach them to make the smart decisions, when you're on and off the field. You need to take in everything you can and learn, grow, each and every day, for the four to five years you're here. Lock in on the goals that you want to accomplish. Whether you make it to the NFL or not, this game of football helps you become a better father later in life, it helps you become a better man; it helps you become a better co-worker, anything. It helps you be strong, and I teach them those core values. They have taught me a lot here, and I just try to pass that knowledge on."
Beyond being verbose on the field and in the locker room, Gause hopes his loquacious personality translates into a future career. Quentin is determined to make a post-playing career out of being a sports broadcaster. Playing just a short drive from the nation's largest media market, Gause has been able to take advantage of the numerous opportunities that provides him. He had a summer internship with SportsNet New York (SNY), where he was able to get valuable firsthand experience in his desired industry.
"When I started, I was logging tape," Gause explained. "After that, I decided, 'You know what, let me branch out a bit more the last couple weeks I'm here.' I wasn't just there just to be there, I was there to learn and take as much as I could. I got into the recording studio. I got to help a couple of the broadcasters prepare their notes and work on the graphics. I met with people in studio, and in the sales offices, and just wanted to know about the business. I learned a lot, it really helped me out, and I really enjoyed the experience."
When not focused on football, Gause has been able to pursue his passion on campus, working with RVision, the Rutgers Athletics video production department. That gave him the opportunity to further his training and work in all aspects of television production. He also had a unique on-camera experience at the inaugural 'R Awards,' interviewing his fellow classmates for the red carpet show.
"That was awesome, because, they were kind of awkward when I was trying to interview them," Gause said. "They're like 'Uh. Why you have a mic in my face?' It's my job in a sense, but I'm still having fun with it. So it was definitely awesome to interview my peers and really cool to see how all the interviews came out afterwards."
There is no doubt that Gause's career at Rutgers has already been a success. A fixture at strong-side linebacker and a valuable run stopper, his on-field capabilities make him a key piece of the Rutgers defense. But with his hard work and positive demeanor, there is no question that his time at Rutgers has positioned him well for future success.
"I think Quentin's got a bright future and that future may be in professional football, but he has a desire one day to work in the TV-entertainment business and he'll be excellent at it," head coach Kyle Flood said. "He's a very well-spoken young man. Quentin Gause is the type of person, he can pick any profession and he'd be very successful at it."
Joey Roth: From the Classroom to the Gridiron
By Stephanie Mamakas
Sept. 26, 2015
As the old saying goes 'you'll always find your way back home,' it was a mix of academics and football that guided Joey Roth's return to the Garden State. The Basking Ridge, N.J., native followed a journey through his studies and love for the game to lead him to time as a Scarlet Knight.
Similar to many young athletes, Roth found his passion for football through inspiration from his elders, however, in a slightly less traditional way. As an only child, Roth lacked any older siblings to guide him towards a certain sport. While others may turn to legends of the greats in professional sports, the senior punter found motivation elsewhere.
"Back when I was really young, my mom worked with a woman whose sons were older than me and they played football. I looked up to them as older brothers and I wanted to do what they did. That's what made me want to play," Roth reflected.
Although too young to have ever played with them, Roth followed his honorary brothers to the gridiron. Once he found his sport, it was time to see what role he was destined to fulfill. Punting became the position he would ease into.
"When I was in Pop Warner, my coach made me kick off the tee, just regular kickoffs. I was decent at it. Then he made me hold it and punt it one time and I was pretty good," said Roth. "I started to take it serious in high school. I got a personal coach and that is what led me here."
With a natural skill for the position and a humble attitude, Roth settled into the role. After two years as the starting punter at Ridge High School, Roth began his collegiate football career at the College of Canyons, a junior college in California. Following the fall semester, the New Jersey native would return home to the east coast.
Although his football career was put on hold, Roth stayed focused on his academics and immediately enrolled at Raritan Valley Community College the spring semester of his return. Roth diligently completed his Associate's Degree, reaching for his next step of transferring to Rutgers University to further his education.
While academics played a definitive role in guiding Roth to the state school of New Jersey, football remained on the punter's mind. After concentrating on his studies during a year off, the labor studies and employment relations major wanted to bring his cleats out of retirement.
"I wanted to come here since high school," Roth said. "My punting coach went here so he made me want to come here. After taking that year off because Raritan Valley didn't have a football team, it made me want it even more. I was watching guys my age doing what I wanted to do. It made me work harder to finish at Raritan Valley, graduate on time and transfer here."
While Roth cherished the opportunity, it is safe to say his number one supporter was also grateful for the transfer.
"When I was in California, my mom only missed one game. She flew out every single weekend," Roth explained.
Roth certainly made the commute an easier trip for his mother, Joanne, and family. Travel time transformed from a six-hour plane ride to a short drive up the road.
"My mom and my stepdad come to every single game," Roth said. "Every other family member tries to come to every game. One of my cousins, Lindsay Smoot, comes to every single game. She will not miss one game. She is there early, tailgating early. She says she is my number one fan."
With family in the stands, Roth has become the starting punter for the Scarlet Knights - a role he longed for during his time off from the sport. As hard as his break from football was before, suiting up for battle every game will not be what he misses the most, spending time with his teammates will.
"Honestly, I am going to miss just being around all the guys," Roth said. "I wasn't around during the summer because I didn't have any classes so I couldn't work out here. I would work out on my own, but I would see all the guys on social media all together doing everything and it made me want to be here more."
Roth will miss the moments he shares with his football family the most, but there is another group that has made his time at Rutgers an unforgettable experience. Each fan Roth has played in front of in High Point Solutions Stadium has contributed to memories the punter will never forget.
"I'll miss being around all the fans (on game day). In that stadium, hearing everybody yelling and screaming, it is unlike anything else that you will ever experience in your life. It is a once in a lifetime thing to experience," said Roth.
While Roth can join the stands as a fan himself, Roth isn't done with the game quite yet. The 6-foot, 180-pound punter looks forward to Rutgers' Pro Day, where the Scarlet Knights showcase their skills in front of NFL scouts.
"After graduating in December I'll get ready for Pro Day. I want to get certified to be a trainer. With me training for Pro Day, I hope to get a job and work somewhere in training. I would love to be a personal trainer and eventually study to be a strength coach to work with athletes in a team setting and go on from there and see what is down the road."
While the road ahead remains unknown for now, there is no doubt Roth's journey to success in his profession will be steered by his desire to remain connected to the game, just as it has in leading him to forever being a Scarlet Knight.
Djwany Mera: Leading by Example
By Bradly Derechailo
Sept. 12, 2015
If you're looking for eye-popping stats along the defensive line, you're not going to find them with Djwany Mera, who registered 18 tackles and 1.5 sacks last fall.
Mera's perfectly okay with that. He's worried about bigger things.
"The way I look at it is that if we win, that's all that matters," said the senior defensive lineman. "I'm taking it one day at a time. I try not to look at the stats. I just look at my effort towards the play and the way I do my job."
Those efforts have not gone unnoticed by the Rutgers football team. Last season, Mera started all 13 games for the Scarlet Knights at the defensive end position, earning the "Defensive Swarm and Finish Award" during the team's annual banquet. The previous season, Mera collected the "Iron Knight Award."
In total, the Hollywood, Fla., native has started every game since the beginning of the 2013 season. While his stats don't necessarily jump off the page, there's no question that his effort is top-level.
"He's not underrated by us,'' said head coach Kyle Flood."Maybe he doesn't have the name recognition that some of the other players on our team have, but if you ask those coaches on defense he is without a doubt one of the most valuable pieces of that puzzle. He plays at a very high level very consistently and he does his job as well as anybody else on our defense.''
One of the Scarlet Knights' most valuable players, Mera will look to keep his consistent play going during RU's second season as a member of the Big Ten Conference. But football wasn't always a priority for the defensive leader.
At 6'4" and 265 pounds, Mera utilized his size on the basketball court, not playing football until his sophomore year at South Broward High School. It took a little convincing from others around him to get him to suit up on the gridiron.
"I started off playing basketball as a child," Mera said. "It wasn't until my sophomore year where I was just sitting on a bench at my high school and my coach, Allen Held, came up to me and was like, 'you're pretty big and have good size. You should try coming out for the football team.
"At first I was like 'nah, maybe not. I'll just stick to basketball.' But then the security guard at my school, who also coached my brother in track, also said I should play football. I just gave it a shot and went off from there on."
He made the right choice. Mera blossomed into a two-way star, collecting 103 tackles, 38 tackles-for-loss and a school-record 21 sacks during his senior season in 2009. For his efforts, he was named the team's defensive most valuable player and Second Team All-Broward County by the Miami Herald.
A four-star recruit by Rivals.com, Mera played one season at Hargrave Military Academy in Virginia before enrolling at Rutgers for the 2011 season. During his rookie year, Mera admitted it was a bit of a transition.
"The biggest difference [from my first year to now] is strength and my knowledge for the game now has changed," Mera said. "Like, when I first got here, I didn't really know the playbook too well and I just got with a couple coaches and a couple of the leaders at the time and we just went over the playbook."
The work ethic Mera has practiced during his time "On the Banks" has paid off, as he has become a mainstay in the defensive front seven and will be counted on to be one of the leaders for the Scarlet Knights this fall.
And while he might not collect those headline-grabbing stats like some of his fellow teammates, Mera's role as a consistent presence on the team is paramount to the program's potential success in 2015.
"I'm usually the type of guy that leads by example," Mera said. "I try to do everything right. I try to go extra hard on a play and the younger guys on the team right now, they just follow that. We're trying to win a Big Ten championship. That's all there is to it."
Sam Bergen: Gridiron Grinder
By Anthony Hernandez
Sept. 12, 2015
Just like sixth-year senior fullback Sam Bergen will tell you there is no substitute for hard work, there's also no substitute for the game he loves.
So when the possibility of returning for a rare sixth year of Division I football arose, there was no decision to be made.
"I came back to play football," Bergen said. "I came back to win a Big Ten championship and to play at the highest level in collegiate athletics at a top-notch university."
Bergen's approach to the game is no different now than it was in his middle school days back home in East Stroudsburg, Pa., a town as football crazed as they come.
Before he ever snapped on a helmet or played a single snap of organized ball, Bergen's father, Bill, instilled the values still engrained in him today.
"My dad is a huge role model for me," Bergen said. "Growing up, he told me 'if you get in the weight room and you're a strong athlete, it doesn't matter what sport you play. It will give you a better chance of being successful.'
"That's something I still take to heart. It's pretty much the idea of leaving no stone unturned. Working hard at everything you do can make you the best player you can possibly be."
Those lessons drive Bergen to this day.
With a bachelor's degree in economics under his belt and a master's degree in labor studies and employment relations on the way, it's clear those values extend beyond the football field.
You'll find the same attitude from Bergen if you follow him into the weight room, where the 6-foot, 250-pound load's impressive lifting numbers are highlighted by a 605-pound squat and 350-pound power clean.
No matter what Bergen is doing, his work ethic will never be questioned.
"I try to get better every day," he said. "Whether it's improving my strength in the weight room or getting better with my techniques, or with film study or whatever it is. I just try to get better every day and I've been doing that for a long time. I'm looking forward to seeing it all pay off."
The first leg of the payoff figures to take place early in the season as Bergen entered as the starter at fullback on the depth chart. He takes over the role previously held by Michael Burton, a fifth-round draft pick of the Detroit Lions last spring.
Bergen has seen action in all 13 games of a season two times in his career as a redshirt sophomore and last year as a senior, both times operating as the backup fullback and critical special teams player.
Filling the void left by Burton, however, is less of a concern to Bergen than simply doing his job.
"I really don't care too much about the individual credit," Bergen said. "Football is the ultimate team sport. If you're in it for anything else other than to win, I think you're in it for the wrong reasons. As long as we win games and I can go out there and do my job and help us win games, that's more than enough for me."
Bergen has been doing his job soundly on the gridiron for years, the same way his brother, cousin and father before him.
Behind the football lore of his hometown is East Stroudsburg University, where Bergen grew up attending Warrior games in addition to watching his brother play high school ball. Neither his father, an ESU alum, his brother, or his cousin, Adam Bergen, who played with four teams in the NFL, forced him to play football.
Football, in a sense, chose Bergen.
"I grew up around the game. I'd say it was a combination of people I grew up around and the area I grew up in," Bergen said. "I've always loved playing the game from a very young age. I didn't start playing football until junior high, but leading up until then I always wanted to play and always watched football and my older brother. I was very fortunate to grow up with great role models - my dad, my brother, my cousin."
His passion for the sport grew with each snap, hit and season until it ultimately led him to Rutgers. Injury setbacks to his knee derailed his senior season at East Stroudsburg South High School and stalled his ability to play at the next level after his commitment to Rutgers.
But in the only way Bergen knows how, he worked hard, rebounded, and continued to go about his business.
"I'm thankful for the opportunity I've had and thankful for my family for all the support they've given me over the past six years," he said.
Football will always be a part of who Bergen is, in his blood and in his heart. Six years later, it's obvious there will never be a substitute for Rutgers football, either.
"Rutgers is one of the greatest programs in the nation. Just looking around it's easy to see," he said. "We have top-notch facilities. We have some of the best coaches in the country. We have some of the best staff in the weight room and in academics and in training and equipment. It's just a great program all around.
"We're playing at the highest level possible in best conference in the country. It's a great school academically. It's really everything you want in a university, so it was a really, really easy decision for me to come here."
Keith Lumpkin: Paving the Way
By Jordan Ozer
Sept. 5, 2015
Fifth-year senior left tackle Keith Lumpkin has become a fixture on the Rutgers offensive line, entering his third full season as a starter. However, the football star was equally as talented when it came to his basketball career.
Lumpkin started playing both sports at seven years old, and was an accomplished center for St. Peter's Prep in Jersey City. He started on the varsity team from his freshman year on, and led the team to four consecutive county championships. By the time he wrapped up high school, Lumpkin had scored over 1,000 points and earned numerous all-county and all-state honors.
"My basketball career was pretty good," Lumpkin mused. "My father thought I was even better in basketball than I was in football."
While on the football field Lumpkin's 6-8 frame makes him a mountain of a man to protect the quarterback's blindside, that height left him undersized for taking his hoops career to the next level.
"A lot of people sat me down and told me 'how many 6-8 tackles are there and how many 6-8 centers are there?'" Lumpkin recounted. "One of my good friends from my AAU team was J.R. Smith's little brother, so I had the chance to be around those types of NBA guys. And I realized that I'm the same height as some of these superstars, with me playing center and them playing small forward. So, I chose football."
So, Lumpkin abandoned the hardwood in favor of the gridiron. The Montclair, N.J., product was highly recruited for football, but when it came to decision time, he never looked to stray too far from home.
"I'm a Jersey guy," Lumpkin said. "I love being in New Jersey. So the decision to play at Rutgers wasn't too hard. Plus - I'm a momma's boy so I had to stay close to mom."
The first two years at RU served as an apprenticeship for Lumpkin. During a redshirt season in 2011 and limited action in 2012, Lumpkin observed the veterans in practice and learned the team's doctrine of hard work.
"My freshman year I was around Mohamed Sanu a lot. He was a part of my recruiting process and then became a big influence. After he left I had Kaleb Johnson and Antwan Lowery to guide me through the process. They helped me develop into the man I am today."
In 2013 it was Lumpkin's turn to emerge, taking over as the starting left tackle in spring practice, and making 26 consecutive starts at left tackle since then. Now as he enters his final season on the banks of the Old Raritan, Lumpkin has become the mentor. As Rutgers breaks in three new starters on the offensive line, their stalwart shares his guides as the group develops into a cohesive unit.
"I try and share the same message with the younger players that Kaleb and Antwan shared with me," Lumpkin explained. "You have to work hard when its time to work hard. You have to study the film, break down the opponent, the defenses, be a student of the game. That was something that they taught me early. They had great careers at Rutgers, played a lot of games, and shared that knowledge with me. Everybody as they get older needs to keep passing down the hard work that you need to put in to achieve your goals. That's what I'm trying to instill in the younger guys, just that knowledge and what to prepare for so they know how much harder they have to work to achieve what they want."
The nature of the offensive line position is one that doesn't bring great glory. They rarely touch the ball, don't score touchdowns, don't rack up statistics. In fact, some of the best toil in anonymity.
"I think offensive linemen, in general, it's a good thing when you're not noticed," said former offensive lineman and current head coach Kyle Flood. "It's means you're doing your job. It means the quarterback, the running back and the receivers are getting the credit, and that's okay. That's kind of the life of an offensive lineman."
That lifestyle suits Lumpkin just fine. The work that he puts in each and every day paves the way up front for the team's success.
"A little recognition goes a long way for us offensive lineman," Lumpkin remarked. "It just shows that you have worked hard, but you still have to continue working hard to achieve your goals. My goal is to make sure that when I look back at my career here, I leave with no regrets. I just want to finish out on top, put Jersey on the map where it belongs and make sure that the legacy that I'm a part of continues."
Lumpkin will compete for the final time in a Scarlet Knights' uniform this season. He has already fulfilled a promise he made to his mother of earning his degree. He now has his sights set on the NFL, but is well prepared with a Plan B and Plan C.
"My goal is to make the NFL," he said. "That should be everybody's goal out here. Just to be the best football player you can be.
I just got my bachelor's degree in labor studies and union management. I would like to try and intern with the NFLPA after football's done for me.
My backup after that - I always wanted to be a fireman. One of my dad's good friends is a fire chief. When I was a kid I was always around the fire house, playing on the trucks, doing just the little fun things as a kid. Ever since then I thought it would be cool, being a fireman, saving lives and rescuing people."
How fitting for a massive offensive tackle. After all his hard work, it's not hard to envision him out there protecting the public from fires the way he has protected the quarterbacks blind side for so many years.
Kyle Federico: Through the Uprights
By Jimmy Gill
Sept. 5, 2015
Having played soccer since the age of four, Kyle Federico stopped by a local football field with his father to test his leg in another way one day in junior high school. He had driven past this field numerous times, but this time decided to stop by and kick some field goals.
"I had a lot of friends who played Pop Warner and I wanted to give football a try," he said. "I just started kicking field goals for fun and moved further back and back to see how far I could make them from."
That afternoon turned out successful as Federico decided to try out for football in high school and ended up making the team as a kicker and punter, while also competing as a star soccer player for Ponte Vedra High School. Federico scored 13 goals as a junior, but decided he wanted to pursue kicking footballs in college.
Making 12 fields goals combined as a junior and senior, including a long of 50 yards and a game-winner to secure the school's first playoff win, Federico attended several college camps and received interest, but was instantly attracted to Rutgers. He was born in New Jersey and moved just outside of Jacksonville to Ponte Vedra, Fla., at the age of one, but still had family in the Garden State.
"I remember seeing Rutgers games on television when I was growing up - that was something I wanted to be a part of," Federico said. "Plus my grandfather went here and I have extended family living in New Jersey. It ended up working out great."
With an opening at placekicker following the graduation of San San Te, Federico finished high school a semester early and enrolled at Rutgers in the spring of 2012 to get a head start. That ended up working to his advantage after a strong spring and summer as he earned the starting nod in his first collegiate game. He hit his first career field goal right at the end of the first half at Tulane, as the Scarlet Knights picked up a victory in a season that culminated with a Big East championship.
The 2012 season was also memorable to Federico as he nailed a career-long 52 yard field goal at USF - tied fourth-longest in Rutgers history - that swung momentum in a win. Federico suffered an injury later that year, but still picked up many lessons as head coach Kyle Flood put his confidence in a true freshman.
"I learned a lot my freshman year," Federico said. "I had success in high school and I knew it would carry over into college, but didn't know the feel and what college football would be like. I learned how to train and be detail-oriented. I grew up a lot that season."
In addition to the physical challenges of booting a ball through the uprights, kicking can bring mental pressure, especially when a game is on the line.
"We go through the different scenarios all the time and I learned how to think of everything as the same kick," he said. "The game-winner is the same as an extra-point in the first quarter. No need to put extra thinking into it when really it is the same thing you have always done."
That mentality came into play in 2014 when Federico hit a at least one field goal in 12 games and converted 11-of-12 inside 40 yards on his way to being named Rutgers Special Teams MVP at the annual team banquet. He made 16 overall, the eighth-most in a season in school history, and his season percentage of 76.2 ranks third-best in the RU books.
"In terms of his performance, I think he's had a good year," Flood said of Federico at the end of 2014. "He's come up big in some big games in terms of consistency and making field goals. You look at the Michigan game or the Maryland game, those are games that we win them by a field goal and he didn't miss one in those games. He gave us an opportunity to be 1-0, which is his job."
In the Michigan win, the Scarlet Knights' first as a member of the Big Ten Conference, Federico made both of his attempts, while the Wolverines went 1-of-2 in what turned into a 26-24 victory. Then in the school-record 25-point comeback triumph at Maryland, he connected late in the first half and then broke a 38-38 tie with 6:15 left in the game to give RU a lead it would not relinquish.
"Last year we had a bunch of close games and if you look at the final score, you know if you didn't make one the result could have been different," Federico said. "I really believe in me doing my job for this team and just focusing on every kick. Every kick is a new kick. If I can go out there and do my job, that will bring success."
Entering his final season for Rutgers, Federico ranks sixth in the program record books with 34 field goals, while sitting fifth with a 68 percent success rate.
"All we expect from him is consistency," Flood said. "If he can give us the consistency he's given us in the past, we'll be very pleased. He's been a guy we've been able to count on late in games. I expect that will be the case this year."
Following the season, Federico plans to return to Florida to train for a possible NFL career. He will also have options in the work force since he will graduate in December with a human resource management major, making the academic all-conference team twice.
"It has always been a dream of mine to play professional sports. It was soccer, but now football," Federico said.
