The History of Rutgers University Football
And Why They Will Continue Recent Success
August 10th, 2007
By: Kirk Herbstreit
ESPN College Football Analyst
New Brunswick, New Jersey -- We start out in the year 1869, when Princeton traveled to New Brunswick to take on Rutgers University in the first ever intercollegiate football game. The two teams played on a field on College Avenue in New Brunswick, in front of very little fans, without a scoreboard, no elaborate athletic equipment, and no television cameras. Give that description to a person today and the last place they would guess it would be was a college football game. However, on that day, the students who participated in that game established the school spirit that continues at Rutgers University, the birthplace of intercollegiate football.
After several difficult years of football for the "R U" fans, the team slowly started turning it around in the early 1900's. It wasn't until 1913 when Rutgers hired
George Foster Sanford to be their coach that the football program would consistenly show signs of winning. Sanford would post a 56-32 record in 10 years, but left after the 1923 season: and in came
John Wallace for two years, where he ended with a 12-14 record. Two coaches after Wallace came
Harvey Harman, who coached for 13 years. Harman compiled a 74-44 record, and a .625 win percentage, ranking third all time only behind Sanford and
Frank Burns, who would later lead Rutgers to their first ever bowl game. After Harman left in 1955, John
Steigman and
John Bateman combined to coach until 1972 and post a 95-66 record, and continue Rutgers winning ways. With 1972 gone, new head coach Frank Burns was approaching, and ready to make a statement for Rutgers football. Burns would post a 78-43 record over the next 10 years, lead the team to their first ever Bowl appearance, losing 34-18 to Arizona State in the Garden Sate Bowl, and compel the best winning percentage in Rutgers football coaches history at .643. However, once Burns left things went down hill, and in a hurry. The next three coaches would combine to go 67-114 from 1984-2000. Rutgers had quickly fallen to a laughing stock of the college football world, often considered an easy victory for opposing teams.
Then on December 1st, 2000, Rutgers University made the announcement that they had hired former University of Miami defensive coordinator
Greg Schiano. Schiano said that since the moment he was hired his main goal was to build one of the nation's top programs on a rock solid foundation - both on the field and in the classroom, and to win a National Championship. He has successfully completed one of those goals, and the second remains to be seen. At his introductory press conference, Schiano stated
“We're going to win at Rutgers and we're going to do it the right way.”
The football world heard his message loud and clear after Schiano and his Rutgers squad posted an 11-2 record in 2006, tying for 2nd in the Big East. Schiano would also lead Rutgers to a 37-10 victory over Kansas State in the Texas Bowl, the University's first ever Bowl championship. Schanio, the 2006 National and Big East Coach of the Year, has successfully transformed the Rutgers program into one of the nation's best. They will enter the season with a 580-580-42 all time record, hoping to put the team over the .500 mark for good. The University will also seek it's first ever Conference Championship, and National Championship.
They certainly have the roster to compete for the Big East Title, as well as the National Title. Junior halfback
Ray Rice returns after being named a second team All American as a sophomore. Rice finished second in the nation his sophomore year with 1,794 yards rushing. Senior
Mike Teel returns as the quarterback of a team destined to win. Even bigger things are expected out of junior wide receiver
Tiquan Underwood after a huge burst last season where he was given the starting receiver's role after a broken ankle was sustained to then starter Shawn Tucker. Senior
Ron Girault and junior
Courtney Greene give the Scarlet Knights two very good safetys, and junior linebacker
Kevin Malast will be the focus of the linebackers. Of course, honorable mention All American place kicker
Jeremy Ito returns, and looks to put up even better numbers this season.
While the Scarlet Knights chances to compete for a National Title may be better next season, assuming the junior class players return for one more run, they certainly aren't out of it this season. I'd watch the Scarlet Knights closely this year, as they could be a team not to reckon with.