Scarlet-White Game Set for Friday
Apr 19 | Football
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers football hosts its annual Scarlet-White Game, presented by PNC, Friday at SHI Stadium. The action is set to begin at 7 p.m., with free parking and admission. Big Ten Network will broadcast live with Chris Carlin, Eric LeGrand and Krystle Rich on the call.
Gates open at 5:30 p.m. and a pregame autograph session will take place with NFL Knights including Blessuan Austin, Michael Burton and Saquan Hampton on the south concourse below the video board. Fans will have the opportunity to pick up a 2022 schedule poster, join Sir Henry in the photobooth and meet the Cannon Crew and the horse, Excalibur. Kids activities and games will also be up on the south concourse.
In addition, the Touchdown Club will be running an auction behind sections 125-127. Items include a helmet autographed by head coach Greg Schiano, an overnight stay at Embassy Suites, a round at the Rutgers Golf Course, club tickets to the game against Iowa in September and tickets to the Mets, Phillies and Yankees.
Throughout the evening, fans are encouraged to share their pictures and videos by tagging the new fan Twitter page @RutgersFBfans or using the hashtags #CHOP and #GoRU.
The Scarlet-White Game, which comes at the conclusion of 15 spring practice sessions, offers fans the first opportunity to see the Scarlet Knights in 2022. Season tickets are on sale for the six-game home slate this fall, which features five Big Ten opponents. Click here for more information on season tickets.
The roster includes 43 players who saw action in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl, including eight starters on both offense and defense. In addition, 26 return who made their Rutgers debut in 2021, while 20 come back after making their collegiate debut last season.
The Scarlet Knights have nine players on the roster set for their sixth season of college football: DB Rani Abdulaziz, DB Christian Braswell, RB Parker Day, OL J.D. DiRenzo, TE Connor Hebbeler, WR Shameen Jones, DL Ifeanyi Maijeh, DB Keenan Reid and QB Noah Vedral.
P Adam Korsak leads the active roster with 46 games played for Rutgers, all consecutive since 2018.
Second Team All-America
• P Adam Korsak: Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America, Phil Steele, Walter Camp
All-Big Ten
• P Adam Korsak: First (Coaches), Third (Media)
• DB Christian Izien: HM (Media)
• QB Noah Vedral: Sportsmanship Award
Phil Steele Postseason Big Ten Honors
• P Adam Korsak: First Team All-Big Ten
• PR Aron Cruickshank: Second Team All-Big Ten
• KR Aron Cruickshank: Fourth Team All-Big Ten
• DB Max Melton: Fourth Team All-Big Ten
Pro Football Focus All-Big Ten Honors
• DB Kessawn Abraham: First Team
• PR Aron Cruickshank: Second Team
• P Adam Korsak: HM
Rutgers Football Banquet Awards
• P Adam Korsak: Homer Hazel Award/MVP – Special Teams
> Awarded to the team's Most Valuable Player/Awarded to the individual whose performance had the greatest impact on the Rutgers special teams unit
• DB Kessawn Abraham: MVP – Defense
> Awarded to the individual whose performance had the greatest impact on the Rutgers defensive unit
• QB Noah Vedral: Bender Award
> Awarded to the player who has demonstrated an exceptionally high level of mental and physical toughness throughout the season
Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week
• P Adam Korsak (Sept. 13)
• WR Aron Cruickshank (Sept. 20)
• P Adam Korsak (Nov. 1)
Campbell Trophy
(recognizes an individual as the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation for combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership)
• QB Noah Vedral
Rutgers signed its highest-rated recruiting class in the Big Ten era in 2022 (sixth in the league by ESPN, eighth by 247Sports). ESPN rated the class No. 26 nationally, the highest mark for the Scarlet Knights since 2012. RU signed 42 student-athletes, with 21 from New Jersey. Twelve states were represented overall. The class includes the top recruit from New Jersey (OL Jacob Allen), New York (LB Moses Walker) and Kentucky (QB Gavin Wimsatt). Thirteen signees for the offensive line marked the highest for any position group.
Nine freshmen from the recruiting class enrolled in January and have participated in spring practice: WR Thomas Amankwaa, OL Kwabena Asamoah, OL Dantae Chin, DL Kenny Fletcher, TE Mike Higgins, LB Anthony Johnson, DL Q'yaeir Price, WR Rashad Rochelle and LB Moses Walker.
Head coach Greg Schiano is in his third season back and 14th overall leading the Scarlet Knights. He owns 76 victories, two shy of matching Frank Burns (78) for the most wins in program history.
Schiano has directed the Scarlet Knights to seven bowl appearances, coached 85 RU players who signed NFL contracts and guided the program to the top APR score in the nation so far during his time leading Rutgers football. That hallmark of standout academic performance proved to be the difference maker in sending Rutgers to the 2021 TaxSlayer Gator Bowl. The 2006 National Coach of the Year owns three nine-win campaigns and coached 18 Rutgers All-America selections.
On offense, Augie Hoffmann (offense line) and Andrew Aurich (running backs) switched position groups, while Damiere Shaw was elevated from director of player development to wide receivers coach. Shaw has previous coaching experience with the Carolina Panthers, Fordham, Baylor and Temple.
Joe Harasymiak takes over as defensive coordinator after spending parts of the last four seasons at Minnesota. A native of Waldwick, New Jersey, he has experience as a head coach at Maine. Marquise Watson (defensive line, last at Ole Miss and a New Jersey native), Corey Hetherman (linebackers, 2021 AFCA FCS Assistant Coach of the Year at James Madison), Mark Orphey (cornerbacks, last at Alabama) and Drew Lascari (safeties, fifth year at Rutgers and previously a head coach at Cardinal Mooney High School in Florida) make up the rest of the new-look defensive staff.
The staff features eight members who played at Rutgers for head coach Greg Schiano: Scott Vallone (offensive assistant), Damaso Muñoz (defensive assistant), Charlie Noonan (defensive assistant), Will Gilkison (associate athletic director/football), Chas Dodd (strength and conditioning), Kaleb Johnson (strength and conditioning), Jamaal Westerman (strength and conditioning) and Ramel Meekins (academic advisor).
The emphasis on academics continued with a program-record 57 named to the Academic All-Big Ten list in 2021 after 46 honorees in 2020, including 11 earning distinguished status (3.7 GPA or better). The program highest recorded GPA in team history during the spring 2020 semester.
The Scarlet Knights will wear a patch with the initials REM on their uniforms in remembrance of former Rutgers Athletic Director Robert "Bob" Mulcahy, who passed away in February. The 10th athletic director in Rutgers history, Mulcahy became the third to be inducted into the school's Athletics Hall of Fame in 2017 following an 11-year career leading the Scarlet Knights.
Mulcahy, who served as Director of Athletics from 1998 to 2009, was a visionary in New Jersey athletics and was instrumental in building Rutgers University football toward national prominence. Coming off a winless season the year before his arrival, Mulcahy worked steadfastly to improve conditions for the football program. His hire of head coach Greg Schiano led to resurgence in the program which snapped a nearly 30-year postseason drought to advance to the Insight Bowl in 2005.
Rutgers opens the season traveling to former Big East rival Boston College for the first time since 2004. The home slate features six games, including five against Big Ten opponents.
Sept. 3 at Boston College
Sept. 10 vs. Wagner
Sept. 17 at Temple
Sept. 24 vs. Iowa
Oct. 1 at Ohio State
Oct. 7 vs. Nebraska
Oct. 22 vs. Indiana
Oct. 29 at Minnesota
Nov. 5 vs. Michigan
Nov. 12 at Michigan State
Nov. 19 vs. Penn State
Nov. 26 at Maryland
The Scarlet Knights continued to make progress in 2021 with the first 3-0 start since 2012, improving to 43-20 in non-conference games overall under Schiano. In Big Ten action, RU won two road games, a come-from-behind victory at Illinois that saw a late fourth-down stop and a five-touchdown triumph over Indiana, the program's largest margin of victory in a Big Ten game.
The defense finished second in the conference in third-down conversions against, while the offense reached 300 total yards in nine games. Led by All-American Adam Korsak, the punt unit set the NCAA record for net punt (45.25). Rutgers went 5-0 when committing no turnovers, with seven from the 2021 roster earning invitations to postseason all-star games.
With just nine days' notice, Schiano led the Scarlet Knights to the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl on New Year's Eve, battling top-20 Wake Forest in front of a national television audience of over three million on ESPN. TE Johnny Langan garnered Rutgers' MVP for the game after contributing in numerous ways, as the Scarlet Knights gained valuable experience and exposure participating in the nation's sixth-oldest bowl game.
WR Bo Melton and RB Isiah Pacheco represented Rutgers football at the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine held in March at Lucas Oil Stadium. Both impressed across the board, with each running the fastest 40-yard dash in their position group among Big Ten peers. Pacheco's 4.37 finished as the top mark for a running back overall, with Melton racing to a 4.34. Melton also showed off his skills at the Reese's Senior Bowl in Alabama. Twelve Scarlet Knights worked out in front of over 30 NFL personnel at Pro Day, held on campus in March.
Former Rutgers football player Sebastian Joseph-Day and the Los Angeles Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals, 23-20, to win Super Bowl LVI at Sofi Stadium in Los Angeles. Joseph-Day became the 16th player in program history to win a Super Bowl. Joseph-Day, who had been inactive due to injury since Week 8 of the regular season, logged three snaps at defensive tackle on Sunday. It was Joseph-Day's second Super Bowl, as he was a member of the Rams' 53-man roster as a rookie in Super Bowl LIII. Prior to his injury, Joseph-Day tallied 38 tackles and a career-high three sacks in seven games during the 2021 season, all starts.
Rutgers football fan interest is continually growing and requires a Twitter account devoted to the fans. @RutgersFBFans will create elements targeted to fans with different content than @RFootball. Stay tuned...
Follow Rutgers football on Twitter (@RFootball & @RutgersFBfans), Facebook (/RFootballShow) and Instagram (@rfootball) for the latest news and updates. Also subscribe to the YouTube channel.
Gates open at 5:30 p.m. and a pregame autograph session will take place with NFL Knights including Blessuan Austin, Michael Burton and Saquan Hampton on the south concourse below the video board. Fans will have the opportunity to pick up a 2022 schedule poster, join Sir Henry in the photobooth and meet the Cannon Crew and the horse, Excalibur. Kids activities and games will also be up on the south concourse.
In addition, the Touchdown Club will be running an auction behind sections 125-127. Items include a helmet autographed by head coach Greg Schiano, an overnight stay at Embassy Suites, a round at the Rutgers Golf Course, club tickets to the game against Iowa in September and tickets to the Mets, Phillies and Yankees.
Throughout the evening, fans are encouraged to share their pictures and videos by tagging the new fan Twitter page @RutgersFBfans or using the hashtags #CHOP and #GoRU.
The Scarlet-White Game, which comes at the conclusion of 15 spring practice sessions, offers fans the first opportunity to see the Scarlet Knights in 2022. Season tickets are on sale for the six-game home slate this fall, which features five Big Ten opponents. Click here for more information on season tickets.
| RETURNING EXPERIENCE |
The Scarlet Knights have nine players on the roster set for their sixth season of college football: DB Rani Abdulaziz, DB Christian Braswell, RB Parker Day, OL J.D. DiRenzo, TE Connor Hebbeler, WR Shameen Jones, DL Ifeanyi Maijeh, DB Keenan Reid and QB Noah Vedral.
P Adam Korsak leads the active roster with 46 games played for Rutgers, all consecutive since 2018.
| RETURNING AWARD WINNERS |
• P Adam Korsak: Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America, Phil Steele, Walter Camp
All-Big Ten
• P Adam Korsak: First (Coaches), Third (Media)
• DB Christian Izien: HM (Media)
• QB Noah Vedral: Sportsmanship Award
Phil Steele Postseason Big Ten Honors
• P Adam Korsak: First Team All-Big Ten
• PR Aron Cruickshank: Second Team All-Big Ten
• KR Aron Cruickshank: Fourth Team All-Big Ten
• DB Max Melton: Fourth Team All-Big Ten
Pro Football Focus All-Big Ten Honors
• DB Kessawn Abraham: First Team
• PR Aron Cruickshank: Second Team
• P Adam Korsak: HM
Rutgers Football Banquet Awards
• P Adam Korsak: Homer Hazel Award/MVP – Special Teams
> Awarded to the team's Most Valuable Player/Awarded to the individual whose performance had the greatest impact on the Rutgers special teams unit
• DB Kessawn Abraham: MVP – Defense
> Awarded to the individual whose performance had the greatest impact on the Rutgers defensive unit
• QB Noah Vedral: Bender Award
> Awarded to the player who has demonstrated an exceptionally high level of mental and physical toughness throughout the season
Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week
• P Adam Korsak (Sept. 13)
• WR Aron Cruickshank (Sept. 20)
• P Adam Korsak (Nov. 1)
Campbell Trophy
(recognizes an individual as the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation for combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership)
• QB Noah Vedral
| RECRUITING SUCCESS |
Nine freshmen from the recruiting class enrolled in January and have participated in spring practice: WR Thomas Amankwaa, OL Kwabena Asamoah, OL Dantae Chin, DL Kenny Fletcher, TE Mike Higgins, LB Anthony Johnson, DL Q'yaeir Price, WR Rashad Rochelle and LB Moses Walker.
| APPROACHING RECORD |
Schiano has directed the Scarlet Knights to seven bowl appearances, coached 85 RU players who signed NFL contracts and guided the program to the top APR score in the nation so far during his time leading Rutgers football. That hallmark of standout academic performance proved to be the difference maker in sending Rutgers to the 2021 TaxSlayer Gator Bowl. The 2006 National Coach of the Year owns three nine-win campaigns and coached 18 Rutgers All-America selections.
| STAFF UPDATE |
Joe Harasymiak takes over as defensive coordinator after spending parts of the last four seasons at Minnesota. A native of Waldwick, New Jersey, he has experience as a head coach at Maine. Marquise Watson (defensive line, last at Ole Miss and a New Jersey native), Corey Hetherman (linebackers, 2021 AFCA FCS Assistant Coach of the Year at James Madison), Mark Orphey (cornerbacks, last at Alabama) and Drew Lascari (safeties, fifth year at Rutgers and previously a head coach at Cardinal Mooney High School in Florida) make up the rest of the new-look defensive staff.
| RUTGERS FAMILY |
| ACADEMIC SUCCESS |
| REM PATCH |
Mulcahy, who served as Director of Athletics from 1998 to 2009, was a visionary in New Jersey athletics and was instrumental in building Rutgers University football toward national prominence. Coming off a winless season the year before his arrival, Mulcahy worked steadfastly to improve conditions for the football program. His hire of head coach Greg Schiano led to resurgence in the program which snapped a nearly 30-year postseason drought to advance to the Insight Bowl in 2005.
| 2022 SCHEDULE |
Sept. 3 at Boston College
Sept. 10 vs. Wagner
Sept. 17 at Temple
Sept. 24 vs. Iowa
Oct. 1 at Ohio State
Oct. 7 vs. Nebraska
Oct. 22 vs. Indiana
Oct. 29 at Minnesota
Nov. 5 vs. Michigan
Nov. 12 at Michigan State
Nov. 19 vs. Penn State
Nov. 26 at Maryland
| 2021 RECAP |
The defense finished second in the conference in third-down conversions against, while the offense reached 300 total yards in nine games. Led by All-American Adam Korsak, the punt unit set the NCAA record for net punt (45.25). Rutgers went 5-0 when committing no turnovers, with seven from the 2021 roster earning invitations to postseason all-star games.
| BOWL APPEARANCE |
| NFL COMBINE |
| SUPER BOWL CHAMPION |
| @RutgersFBFans |
Follow Rutgers football on Twitter (@RFootball & @RutgersFBfans), Facebook (/RFootballShow) and Instagram (@rfootball) for the latest news and updates. Also subscribe to the YouTube channel.
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/ FootballTight Ends Coach Scott Vallone - 04/02/26
Thursday, April 02
Defensive Coordinator Travis Johansen - 03/31/26
Tuesday, March 31
Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach Kirk Ciarrocca - 03/28/26
Saturday, March 28
Head Coach Greg Schiano Spring Press Conference - 03/27/26
Friday, March 27
