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Football

Rutgers football coach Greg Schiano, coming off a 1-11 campaign and owner of a 3-20 career record, received a vote of confidence from University President Dr. Richard L. McCormick and Athletics Director Bob Mulcahy in the form of a two-year, $1 million contract extension on Wednesday.
The move, which guarantees Schiano $500,000 annually through the 2007 season, surprised some Rutgers followers, especially after the Scarlet Knights opened this year with disappointing losses to Division I-AA Villanova and Division I-A newcomer Buffalo.
Schiano given two-year extension

Immediately after Rutgers opened the season with a program-busting loss to Villanova, Union Hill lineman - and Scarlet Knights recruit - Pedro Sosa feared Greg Schiano might be fired.
Wednesday, athletic director Bob Mulcahy took measures to make sure no other recruits worry about who the Scarlet Knights coach will be, giving Schiano a two-year extension on a contract that wasn't scheduled to expire until the 2005 season.
Schiano receives another 2 years

Bob Mulcahy not only bet $1 million of Rutgers' money yesterday on his belief that Greg Schiano is the right man to turn around the school's downtrodden football program, Mulcahy may have staked his legacy as athletic director on it.
Having recently extended two previous head coaches -- Terry Shea in football and Kevin Bannon in basketball -- only to fire them shortly afterward, Mulcahy rolled the dice again by announcing he had tacked on two more years to Schiano's contract.
A victory for Schiano -- 2-year extension

There are things in this world that rational, well-adjusted people simply should not be asked to do. It ain't easy, for example, being green -- unless, of course, you are a frog or a string bean. It is even harder to roll a 200-pound boulder up a hill without winding up looking like a herniated pretzel.
But it is positively impossible to be a fan of Rutgers football and get through the day without using the word "why" at least 25 times a day.
Yesterday was the mother of all Why-Days. It was also a What-Day, as in "He did what?" and a How-Day as in "How could he do that?"
The word on the street about RU's move: Why?

The skeptics, a group whose number seems to increase yearly, will jump on yesterday's news that Rutgers has extended Greg Schiano's contract for two years, through 2007, as evidence that the young football coach's recruiting is stagnating and needed the vote of confidence to assure any player thinking of coming to The Banks that Schiano will be there throughout his career.
The detractors, a group whose number seems to increase yearly, will see nothing but despair in the news, a further conviction on their part that football at Rutgers has reached a dead end that no longer even has an easy option of changing coaches if things don't turn upward in a hurry.
Schiano deal is worthy of a thumbs up

In a show of support for its beleaguered head coach, Rutgers extended the contract of Greg Schiano for two years to bring him under contract through the 2007 season.
The announcement was made by Rutgers Director of Athletics Bob Mulcahy, who has been an ardent supporter of Schiano despite his 3-20 record as coach of the Scarlet Knights.
Rutgers extends Schiano’s contract

Head Football Coach Greg Schiano’s contract has been extended for an additional two years, Rutgers Director of Athletics Robert E. Mulcahy announced today.
With the two-year extension, Schiano’s contract will continue through the 2007 season. Schiano’s extension is under the same terms and agreements of his original contract, which was made when he was named the 28th head coach in Rutgers history on Dec. 1, 2000.
Rutgers Extends Schiano Contract

University football coach Greg Schiano called Justise Hairston right after the Miami game and told the 6-foot, 210-pound running back from New Britain, Conn., that if he had him, the Scarlet Knights would have won. Leading 17-14 heading into the fourth quarter, the Scarlet Knights eventually were overmatched in a 42-17 loss.
Hairston was no stranger to Schiano. After his senior season in 2001, Hairston committed to Rutgers but changed his mind and signed with Iowa. When he failed to qualify academically, he attended Milford (Conn.) Academy this fall, playing in only four games.
Two football recruits commit to Rutgers

Tight ends, from Marco Battaglia to L.J. Smith, have been prominent recently in Rutgers football, and that trend may continue after two much-sought recruits yesterday gave commitments to coach Greg Schiano and his staff yesterday.
The list of committed future Scarlet Knights climbed to 12 with the disclosure that a halfback who got away is coming a year later. Justise Hairston, the No. 1 running back in Connecticut last year who gave Rutgers a verbal then failed to follow up on signing day, has joined the new class. Hairston, who was recruited last year by Iowa among others, failed to qualify academically and is spending this year at New Milford Prep, where he again played with fellow New Britain resident Marcus Mitchell, a safety who gave Rutgers his verbal commitment on Monday.
Rutgers adds back, tight end

Men's Basketball

As a basketball fan and player, Todd Billet experienced some of the fondest memories of his life inside the Rutgers Athletic Center. When he is introduced as a member of the visiting Virginia Cavaliers on Saturday, his experience may not be so pleasant.
From John Celestand to Troy Murphy to Paterson's own Tim Thomas, the Rutgers faithful have a history of haranguing native sons who got away with a chorus of boos. Billet, who transferred from Rutgers to Virginia in 2001 seeking greener pastures, could face the toughest reception of them all.
Billet ready for rude welcome at RAC

Todd Billet can't even begin to count how many games he has played or watched at the Rutgers Athletic Center. At least 100, he estimates. "Probably more," he said.
Throw in two years' worth of practices, and there isn't a basketball arena in the country in which he feels more comfortable. Except Saturday night, of course. For one thing, he has no idea what the visitors' locker room even looks like.
Billet expecting RAC-style homecoming

Todd Billet lives just 20 minutes from the Rutgers campus, and he used to attend as many of Geoff Billet's home games as possible when his older brother played for the Scarlet Knights.
Geoff - a four-year starter - was one of the most popular players ever to wear a Rutgers uniform, and his family - who bled scarlet and black - could always be spotted sitting behind the home-team bench at the Louis Brown Athletic Center.
Todd Billet coming home

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All-Star Teams

This is the New Jersey AP All-State Team
AP All-State Football Team

Pope John defensive lineman Devin Perez was selected to The Associated Press’ New Jersey All-State football team on Wednesday.
Joining Perez were Joe Sandberg of Bergen Catholic and Joe Kedra of Camden Catholic, who made the team for the second straight year. Undefeated Don Bosco Prep placed three players on the first team that was selected by sports writers from around the state who covered high school football this season.
Perez tops AP All-State squad

Prospects News

Elijah Robinson, an Inquirer first-team all-South Jersey offensive lineman from Woodrow Wilson, has made an oral commitment to attend Tulane University. Robinson told the Tulane coaching staff of his decision after visiting there over the weekend.
"The school has what I want to major in, and I like what the football program has to offer," said Robinson, who is looking to major in criminal justice.
Wilson lineman Robinson gives oral commitment to Tulane

Around the Big East

The Syracuse University football team has dipped into Texas again to land a tight end.
Beau Davidson of Blinn (Junior) College in Brenham, Texas, said he will sign an early letter-of-intent today to play for the Orangemen. Davidson said he will enroll at Syracuse in January and have three seasons of eligibility remaining, plus a redshirt year.
Texas JC tight end commits to Orange

Around the Nation

Former UCLA wide receiver Karl Dorrell was hired Wednesday night as the Bruins' 15th head coach, becoming the fourth African-American coach in Division I.
In his third year as wide receivers coach for the Denver Broncos, the 39-year-old Dorrell succeeds Bob Toledo -- fired nine days earlier after seven years on the job.
Former Bruin Dorrell named UCLA coach

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