One of the biggest problems that Rutgers football has always faced is its inability to get the top high school players in New Jersey to go with their home-state school. Many top colleges, including Penn State and Ohio State, would constantly come in and take the top players. Now that Rutgers is making the big time, though, things are starting to change:
Piscataway offensive lineman Anthony Davis had already told Greg Schiano of his plans to become the first No. 1-ranked prospect in state history to attend Rutgers, but when the time came to make the announcement to a live national TV audience, he still managed to give Schiano a scare.
In announcing his choice on NBC at halftime of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio yesterday, Davis first grabbed the Ohio State hat placed before him, only to drop it and proudly put a white hat with a big Scarlet ‘R’ on his head.
The 6-5, 340-pound Davis then made the wood-chopping sign that Schiano made famous and said: “The program’s on the rise, it’s been getting better every year and I want to be a part of it.”
Convincing Davis to stay home rather than attend top-ranked Ohio State, which will face Florida in the national championship game tomorrow night, is seen as a major upset in recruiting circles.
It also gives Rutgers, which has received 22 verbal commitments, a chance to crack the top 20 recruiting classes in the country for the first time on national signing day (Feb. 6).
The day that the top player in the state picks Rutgers over Ohio State is the day you can tell that Rutgers has (finally) made it into the big time. The Greg Schiano era is really starting to pay off now.
And I’d be remiss if I didn’t note that Davis is from my hometown and high school alma mater.
