PISCATAWAY, N.J. – A versatile athlete, Robert Longerbeam was not sure which side of the ball he would play when he first joined the Scarlet Knights in 2020. Injuries forced the Virginia native to defense, a move that has more than worked out.

He saw his first collegiate defensive action in the 2020 win over Maryland in a game that saw RU make a late comeback to force overtime on the way to a victory. Four years later, Longerbeam picked up eight tackles and two pass breakups in the same stadium in College Park to help Rutgers secure bowl eligibility for the second straight season.

"Robert Longerbeam has meant a ton to the program," head coach Greg Schiano said. "Forget just the pure production as a player, he's made an impact culturally and with leadership. Beam is one of us."

A late flip in the signing class out of T.C. Williams High School, which is known as the setting and inspiration for "Remember the Titans," Longerbeam is another example of the player development success within Rutgers football. He ranks fourth among all active FBS players with 39 career passes defended (35 breakups and four interceptions). His latest pick sealed the win at Virginia Tech, which was a homecoming of sorts in his home state.

"I didn't really have a lot of offers coming up and once Rutgers offered and I talked to Coach Schiano, it was the ideal fit," Longerbeam said. "He knows what he's doing, he's a guru in the college football world, so once I got an offer from him, I was like, 'yeah, I have to play for him.'"

Schiano is well known for developing defensive backs to the next level, a list that includes Max Melton, Christian Braswell, Christian Izien, Avery Young, Tre Avery and Brendon White during his most recent stint, but also features standouts such as Logan Ryan, Duron Harmon, Courtney Greene, Nate Jones, Devin McCourty, Jason McCourty and more during the first tenure.

Longerbeam is in line to add to the legacy.



"With Coach Schiano, he's so smart," Longerbeam said. "He has tips whenever you come asking a question and you need some advice. He has so many ideas and he's seen so much football, he can help you with anything. So, his coaching and being able to pick his brain while having Coach Orphey is just a bonus. They're both such smart and talented coaches that I feel like I'm always prepared when I'm talking to them. They give me so many tips and tendencies and different tricks to use. I feel like they have us well-prepared. The older guys that were before me, I can always call on them or ask them for advice, so it helps both ways."

The Big Ten features talented wide receivers week after week, a challenge that Longerbeam embraces.

"You have to have a next play mentality," Longerbeam said. "You're going against a lot of scholarship guys that are good athletes. When you're on the island, they might catch something, but you have to remember they could throw the ball at you next play. You have to forget that last play and lock in on that next play. Everything has to be a next play mentality, whether you get scored on, whether you give up the big play, because the ball's going to come back again. Maybe the next time you catch an interception or something like that. It's a tough position, but your mindset has to be next play and just lock in on that moment."

Longerbeam, a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree, has used that mentality to improve each season. He was voted honorable mention All-Big Ten last season as one of two players in the league with at least 10 pass breakups. But as Schiano mentioned, his leadership has been just as impactful and led to being voted a captain.

"It means the world to me because we have so many vet guys that could've been captain," Longerbeam said. "I wear that with tremendous pride. I want to do everything I can to be the best captain I can be."

That includes mentoring younger players, teaching the culture, setting an example on how to handle business and understanding the expectations of the program.

"Robert is a great guy," sophomore defensive back Bo Mascoe said. "He's shown me the right way to study and prepare. It's been great learning from him."

"When he told us he was going to come back (after the 2023 season), I think the building almost exploded," cornerbacks coach Mark Orphey said. "We're a different team when he's out there. I enjoy working with him every day and will be sad when he leaves."

But before he leaves, Longerbeam and the Scarlet Knights still have more work to do. That starts with the home finale on Saturday versus No. 24 Illinois, another test against a skilled wide receiver corps as Rutgers seeks its third consecutive win. The day will start with honoring the senior class during the Scarlet Walk, a chance for the fans to support a group that started during the uncertainty of the pandemic and has since built and established a culture of success on and off the field in Piscataway.

"It's a lot of emotions because I've been here for so long," Longerbeam said. "My favorite thing is the Scarlet Walk, just seeing the fans and stuff, so I'm going to miss that kind of stuff. Being in front of Rutgers Nation means the world because they're so supportive, no matter what we're going through, how we're doing. They're always so supportive."

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