PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Mayan Ahanotu arrived at Rutgers in the summer of 2020 as a transfer from Minnesota with just five career games and one career tackle to his name.

Heading into his fourth and final season "On the Banks," Ahanotu has developed into a preseason All-Big Ten selection by Phil Steele, been elected by his peers as team captain and received the Douglas A. Smith Award as the most improved defensive player during spring practice.

"It's really been an awesome experience," Ahanotu said of his time as a Scarlet Knight. "I feel like I've really grown from a boy into a man. That's a credit to the whole staff and everybody around here that works their butt off every single day to help the players grow."

Having committed to Rutgers in the spring of 2020, Ahanotu's playing career has lined up with head coach Greg Schiano's second stint at RU. Because of this, Ahanotu has had a front-row seat to the evolution of the program on and off the field under Schiano's culture, built around F.A.M.I.L.Y., TRUST and CHOP.

"I've really got the whole picture now – of what we're reaching for and what we're striving for," Ahanotu said of what he has learned in his time in Piscataway. "You want to win in every aspect of your life. If you're in school, make sure you're taking care of everything you're doing in school. If you're in the (football meeting rooms) learning, make sure you bring it out to the field and excel on the field. Every single thing you do is a test. You really want to excel at that test, you learn the big picture and everything comes together in the end."

While Schiano and his staff provided the majority of leadership to establish the culture early in Ahanotu's RU career, the program has evolved into a player-led group ­– something Schiano has taken notice of.

"Now we have a player-led team. That, to me, is what you need – a player-led team. If there's something they have a question about, they come to me with it," Schiano said during training camp. "Otherwise, they run the team. That allows me to do my job and it allows our assistant coaches to do their job."

As a team leader, Ahanotu is among the group that has taken an increased leadership position in the locker room and recognizes the role he and his fellow upperclassmen play in allowing the program to run smoothly.

"A football coach is a football coach ­– they don't need other small things on their desk – little things that the players can handle," he said. "We handle all the little, small stuff and that way the coaches can focus on just football and help us become the best football players we can be."

Thanks in part to Ahanotu's efforts on and off the field, the Rutgers football program is in a better place than it was when he stepped on campus over three years ago.

With an established team culture and a defensive line room filled with talent and depth, Ahanotu is looking to make the most of his final season in an RU uniform.

"I'm seeing a lot of hunger," he said. "A lot of guys are working together with great chemistry. We're going to be fresh, we're going to be hungry and we're going to be striving for excellence in everything that we do."

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