Rutgers Scarlet Knights: Difference between revisions

On the sidelines at the Rutgers vs. University of New Hampshire football game played on 11 September 2004 at Rutgers Stadium in Piscataway, New Jersey.

The impact of Athletics at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey (also known as Rutgers University) is associated chiefly to its heritage as the "Birthplace of College Football"—hosting the first ever intercollegiate football game on 6 November 1869 in which Rutgers defeated a team from the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University) with a score of 6 runs to 4. Among the first American schools to participate in intercollegiate athletics, Rutgers' flagship campus in New Brunswick—Piscataway presently fields 27 teams in the Big East Conference which participates in Division I-A competition as sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletics Association in the following sports: Baseball, Basketball, Crew, Cross Country, Fencing, Field Hockey, Football, Golf, Gymnastics, Lacrosse, Soccer, Softball, Tennis, Track and Field, Swimming and Diving, Wrestling, Volleyball.. The athletic programs compete under the name Scarlet Knights, after the Rutgers University mascot which was chosen in 1955 by the student body. Rutgers campuses in Newark and Camden field fewer teams and participate in intercollegiate competition sanctioned by the NCAA's Division III under the name Scarlet Raiders and Scarlet Raptors, respectively.

Athletic heritage at Rutgers University

Main article: History of Rutgers University

The Rutgers College football team in 1882.

Rutgers was among the first American institutions to engage in intercollegiate athletics, and participated in a small circle of schools that included Yale University, Columbia University and long-time rival, Princeton University. At first, the circle of schools that participated in these athletic events were located solely in the American Northeast, but by the turn of the century, schools across the United States would participate.

The first intercollegiate athletic event at Rutgers was baseball game on 2 May 1866 against the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University) in which they suffered a 40-2 loss. Rutgers University is often referred to as The Birthplace of College Football. Rutgers and Princeton played the first intercollegiate football game on 6 November 1869 in New Brunswick, New Jersey on a plot of ground where the present-day College Avenue Gymnasium now stands. Rutgers won the game, with a score of 6 runs to Princeton's 4. According to Parke Davis, the 1869 Rutgers football team shared the national title with Princeton.

In light of the schools beginning to engage in athletic games in the 1860s, these four schools met at the Fifth Avenue Hotel in Manhattan on 19 October 1873 to establish a set of rules governing their intercollegiate competition, and particularly to codify the new game of football. Though invited, Harvard chose not to attend.

The first intercollegiate competition in Ultimate Frisbee (now called simply "Ultimate") was held between students from Rutgers and Princeton on November 6, 1972 to mark the one hundred third anniversary of the first intercollegiate football game. Rutgers won 29-27.

Rutgers University, founded as Queen's College in 1766, declined an invitation to join the Ivy League at its formation in 1954.

The Rutgers Men's Basketball Team was among the "Final Four" and ended the 1976 season ranked fourth in the United States, after an 86-70 loss against the University of Michigan in the semifinals, and a 106-92 loss against UCLA in the consolation round of the 1976 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament.

Since 1991, Rutgers is a member of the Big East Conference, a collegiate athletic conference consisting of 16 colleges and universities from the East Coast and Midwestern regions of the United States. The Big East Conference is a member of the Bowl Championship Series. Rutgers currently fields 27 intercollegiate sports programs and is a Division I-A school as sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. The Rutgers-Newark and Rutgers-Camden campuses compete within NCAA Division III. Rutgers fields thirty teams in NCAA Division I-A sanctioned sports, including Football, Baseball, Basketball, Crew, Cross Country, Fencing, Field Hockey, Golf, Gymnastics, Lacrosse, Soccer, Softball, Tennis, Track and Field, Swimming and Diving, Wrestling, Volleyball.

Since joining the Big East, the Scarlet Knights have won two conference tournament titles: men's soccer (1997) and baseball (2000). Several other teams have won regular season titles but failed to win the conference's championship tournament. Most recently, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights' football team has achieved success on the gridiron after several years of losing seasons, being invited to the Insight Bowl on 27 December 2005 in which they lost 45 to 40 against Arizona State University's Sun Devils, This was Rutgers' first bowl appearance since the 16 December 1978 loss against Arizona State, 34-18, at the Garden State Bowl.

The 2006 football season also saw Rutgers being ranked within the Top 25 teams in major college football polls. After the 9 November 2006 victory over the #3 ranked, undefeated Louisville Cardinals, Rutgers jumped up to seventh in the AP Poll, eighth in the USA Today/Coaches poll, seventh in the Harris Interactive Poll, and sixth in the Bowl Championship Series rankings. This was Rutgers' highest rankings in the football polls since they were ranked fifteenth in 1961. Rutgers ended the season 11-2 after winning the inaugural Texas Bowl on 28 December 2006, defeating the Wildcats of Kansas State University with a score of 37 to 10.

Rutgers maintains athletic rivalries with other collegiate institutions. The university has a historic rivalry with Princeton University and Columbia University (formerly King's College) originating from the early days of college football. While they maintain this rivalry in other sports, neither of them have met in football since 1980. Rutgers has a Baskeball rivalry with Seton Hall University, and has developed a growing rivalry with the University of Connecticut.

School spirit at Rutgers

Rutgers Scarlet Knights fullback No. 23 Brian Leonard (class of 2007), pumping the crowd at Senior Day events during the Rutgers vs. Syracuse football game, 25 November 2006.

Main article: Traditions at Rutgers University

Colors and mascots

Rutgers University's school color is scarlet. Initially, students sought to make orange the school color, citing Rutgers' Dutch heritage and in reference to the Prince of Orange. The Daily Targum first proposed that scarlet be adopted in May 1869, claiming that it was a striking color and because scarlet ribbon was easily obtained. During the first intercollegiate football game with Princeton on 6 November 1869, the players from Rutgers wore scarlet-colored turbans and handkerchiefs to distinguish them as a team from the Princeton players. The Board of Trustees officially made scarlet the school color in 1900.

In its early days, Rutgers athletes were known informally as "The Scarlet" in reference to the school color, or as "Queensmen" in reference to the institution's first name, Queen's College. In 1925, the mascot was changed to Chanticleer, a fighting rooster from the medieval fable Reynard the Fox (Le Roman de Renart) which was used by Geoffrey Chaucer's in the Canterbury Tales. At the time, the student humour magazine at Rutgers was called Chanticleer, and one of its early arts editors, Ozzie Nelson (later of Ozzie and Harriet fame) was quarterback of the Rutgers team from 1924 to 1926. The Chanticleer mascot was unveiled at a football game against Lafayette College, in which Lafayette was also introducing a new mascot, a leopard. However, the choice of Chanticleer as a mascot was often the subject of ridicule because of its association with "being chicken." In 1955, the mascot was changed to the Scarlet Knight after a campus-wide election, beating out other contenders such as "Queensmen", the "Scarlet", the "Red Lions", the "Redmen" and the "Flying Dutchmen." When Harvey Harman, the coach of the football team, was asked why he supported changing the Rutgers mascot, he was quoted as saying, "You can call it the Chanticleer, you can call it a fighting cock, you can call it any damn thing you want, but everybody knows it's a chicken." Harman later is said to have bought the first "Scarlet Knight" mascot costume for the 1955 season, which was to be his final season as football coach at Rutgers.

School songs and chants

Several school songs are connected with the school's athletic heritage. The alma mater of Rutgers University is On the Banks of the Old Raritan with words written by Howard Fullerton (Rutgers Class of 1873) and adapted to an old Scottish melody On the Banks of the Old Dundee. It is typically performed at the close of athletic events by the Rutgers Marching Scarlet Knights, at Rutgers University Glee Club concerts, commencement and other important school events. The university's fight song, The Bells Must Ring, is performed often during athletic events especially in recognition of notable scores. Between the verses of the fight song, the spirit chant is shouted.

R-U Rah Rah! R-U Rah Rah!

Hoo-Rah! Hoo-Rah!, Rutgers Rah!

Upstream Redteam, Redteam upstream

Rah! Rah! Rutgers Rah!

This chant is one of many recited during Rutgers athletic events. Another popular chant, where one side of the crowd yells out "R" and the other "U" antiphonally, is often performed. Though has not been performed in the modern era, the original spirit chant used at Rutgers was "Bow-wow-wow!"

Other notable songs include Nobody ever died for Dear Old Rutgers from the musical High-Buttoned Shoes parodies an 1890s game in which one Rutgers football player, being taken from the field because of injuries, states that he would "die for dear old Rutgers." Other's sources state that the player stated "I would die for a cigarette." The song Loyal Sons which exhorts Rutgers athletes (particularly football players) to "hit the line and run the ends boys...Score once more. Oh score once more."

Football

Rutgers' Scarlet Knights' tight end Clark Harris catches a touchdown pass from Quarterback Ryan Hart in a game against the Navy Midshipmen (United States Naval Academy), on 20 November 2004.

Despite being the "Birthplace of College Football" and sharing the 1869 national championship with Princeton University in the first year of intercollegiate play, Rutgers has not had an overly successful heritage in the sport through the years. Especially in the last three decades, Rutgers was regarded as one of the worst teams in Division I-A, posting several losing seasons in a row and raising discussion of possibly reducing the team to Division I-AA competition. For most of its existence, the football team was not associated with any formal football conference and remained independent even when the first football leagues were forming. At present, Rutgers participates in Division I-A and is a member of the Big East Conference (since 1991). The current coach of the football team is Greg Schiano.

Head Coaches

Coach	Dates	Record
George Sanford	1913 – 1923	56-32-5
Wilder Tasker	1931 – 1937	31-27-5
Harvey Harman	1938 – 1955	74-44-2
Terry Shea	1996 – 2000	11-44-0
Greg Schiano	2000 – present	30-41-0

2 September 2006 || || University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Tar Heels || Win || 21 – 16 |- | 9 September 2006 || || University of Illinois Fighting Illini || Win || 33 – 0

From 1938 to 1955, he coached at Rutgers, where he compiled a 74-44-2 record.

2006: Rutgers' "Cinderella Season"

In 2006, Rutgers boasted its best season in three decades, beginning its first nine games undefeated. Sports commentators and writers began referring to the 2006 season as Rutgers' "Cinderella season" as each week passed in victory, and Rutgers gained nationwide attention and raised discussion of a possible national championship appearance. Rutgers ascended the major college football polls from starting the season unranked to achieving its highest ranking ever after the Scarlet Knights' 9 November 2006 victory over the third-ranked, undefeated Louisville Cardinals. After this game, Rutgers jumped to seventh in the AP Poll, eighth in the USA Today/Coaches poll, seventh in the Harris Interactive Poll, and sixth in the Bowl Championship Series rankings. Finishing the regular season with a record of 10-2, with losses against only University of Cincinnati's Bearcats and West Virginia University's Mountaineers. With a 37–10 victory over the Kansas State Wildcats in the inaugural Texas Bowl, Rutgers finished the 2006 with a record of 11–2 and were ranked twelfth in the nation in final season polls. This was Rutgers' highest rankings in the football polls since they were ranked fifteenth in 1961.

The 2006 team featured players such as Maxwell Award finalist, All-American halfback Ray Rice, quarterback Mike Teel, fullback Brian Leonard, tight end Clark Harris, wide receiver Tiquan Underwood, All-American defensive tackle Eric Foster, safety Courtney Greene, kicker Jeremy Ito, and punter Joe Radigan. Rice, who during the season broke several Rutgers football records, and with 1,794 rushing yards set the Big East's single-season record, came in seventh in elections for the 2006 Heisman Trophy. Head Coach Greg Schiano was awarded the 2006 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award, the Home Depot Coach of the Year Award and the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year award from the Football Writers Association of America. Results for the 2006 season are, as follows:

Date	Special Event	Opponent	Result	Score
2 September 2006		University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Tar Heels	Win	21 – 16
9 September 2006		University of Illinois Fighting Illini	Win	33 – 0
16 September 2006		Ohio University Bobcats	Win	24 – 7
23 September 2006		Howard University Bison	Win	56 – 7
29 September 2006		University of South Florida Bulls	Win	22 – 20
14 October 2006		United States Naval Academy Midshipmen	Win	34 – 0
21 October 2006		University of Pittsburgh Panthers	Win	20 – 10
29 October 2006		University of Connecticut Huskies	Win	24 – 13
9 November 2006		University of Louisville Cardinals	Win	28 – 25
18 November 2006		University of Cincinnati Bearcats	Loss	30 – 11
25 November 2006		Syracuse University Orangemen	Win	38 – 7
2 December 2006		West Virginia University Mountaineers	Loss (3OT)	41 – 39
28 December 2006	Texas Bowl	Kansas State University Wildcats	Win	37 – 10

Championships and bowl games

In 1869, when Rutgers and Princeton met for the inaugural intercollegiate football game, they were the only two teams playing. Rutgers won the first game with a score of six runs to Princeton's four, on 6 November 1869. However, Princeton was victorious in the next game, played the following week, with a score of eight to zero. A planned third game, scheduled 29 November 1869, did not occur as the faculties of both schools presumably thought that the game would interfere with the studies of the respective school's student bodies. Other sources claim that it may have been cancelled due to disagreement over what set of rules to play under. While some might consider the awarding of a championship in the 1869 "season" to be disingenuous—as there were only two teams playing "football" at the time, both showing 1-1 records—Princeton and Rutgers have been regarded as having shared the 1869 national championship.

From 1946 to 1951, Rutgers was a member of the Middle Three Conference, winning that conference's championship in the first four years as a member, in 1946, 1947, 1948 and 1949. Rutgers became an independent team again in 1952. Rutgers was a member of the Middle Atlantic Conference from 1958 to 1961. The college won the conference championship in three of those four years (1958, 1960, and 1961). The 1961 season was particularly remarkable as it was the Scarlet Knights' first undefeated season (9-0)—with Alabama, one of only two undefeated teams in the nation—and the team was captained by future college football hall-of-famer Alex Kroll. In 1961, Rutgers was considered a contender for the Rose Bowl, but was not selected because university president Mason Welch Gross did not express interest with the Rose Bowl's organizers. The following year, Rutgers once again went independent, and remained so until it joined the Big East Conference in 1991 In 1976, Rutgers declined an invitation to play an unranked McNeese State University at the Independence Bowl, feeling snubbed by more prestigious bowls despite its undefeated 11–0 season. Rutgers has gone to three bowl games in its 137-year history in college football of which it has won one. . The results are, as follows:

Date	Bowl	Opponent	Result	Score
16 December 1978	Garden State Bowl	Arizona State University Sun Devils	Loss	34 – 18
27 December 2005	Insight Bowl	Arizona State University Sun Devils	Loss	45 – 40
28 December 2006	Texas Bowl	Kansas State University Wildcats	Win	37 – 10

Controversy and debate

Regarding "bigger time" athletics

Rutgers University's seventeenth president, Edward J. Bloustein (1921-1989) envisioned a drive for success at Rutgers that involved participation in "bigger-time" athletics. Several of the nation's colleges became associated with Division I-AA when that designation was established in the late 1970s, including many of Rutgers' historic rivals like Princeton, Columbia, Lehigh and Lafayette College. Bloustein decided that Rutgers ought to pursue developments that woud place the university on par with comparable state universities both academically and athletically. This led to Rutgers opting for inclusion among Division I, and later, under president Francis L. Lawrence, to join the Big East Conference in 1991.

William C. Dowling, a University Professor in the Department of English, and a few other like-minded faculty, students and alumni organized a group known as "Rutgers 1000" in 1993, favoring downgrading the school's football team to Division I-AA. This group disbanded in 2003 after Professor Dowling expressed dismay at President Richard McCormick's decision to continue supporting the athletic program.

Rutgers efforts to upgrade the quality of its football program have raised criticism of several alumni, faculty and students regarding the size of athletic department's budget, wishing to divert its funds elsewhere. The athletic department's budget is $35.5 million compared to a $1.6 billion budget for the entire university. A large portion of the athletics budget comes from mandatory student fees enacted in recent years. The rest comes from self-generating revenue (ticket sales, merchandise, broadcast rights) and from the general university budget. In addition, many argue that having a very visible football program increases the connection of alumni and members of the community at large, thus increasing donations to the athletic department and even the university as a whole. For this reason it is difficult to quantify the positive impact that a strong football program has on the university in a variety of areas.

Critics claim that the focus on Division I-A athletics lowers admissions and academic standards. However, at 980, Rutgers team had the third-highest Academic Performance Rate (APR) score of any Division I-A football team in 2005. Critics also claim that off-the-field criminal incidents will damage the university's reputation, believing that big-time athletics inevitably fosters corruption. These concerns have not been empirically tested, and incidents have been less frequent at Rutgers than at other major state universities. A final complaint was that the upgraded football schedule would prevent competing against long standing rivals Princeton, Columbia, Lehigh, and Lafayette. However, supporters of the move claim it would make Rutgers more comparable to large, prestigious state universities such as the University of Michigan and University of California and private institutions such as Stanford University which have been touted for balancing their academic reputation with athletic success.

Budget cuts and lean times

In the writing of New Jersey's 2006 state budget, the state legislature cut $66 million from the government's appropriations to Rutgers. The university responded by reducing several classes, laying off staff and junior faculty, and closing several programs. The athletic department announced that it would be ending six athletic programs beginning in the 2007-2008 academic year. These athletic programs affected are the lightweight and heavyweight Crew, the swimming and diving team, mens' tennis teams.

Venues

File:RUStadium.jpg

A panorama view of Rutgers Stadium, as seen from its southeastern corner

New Brunswick/Piscataway

Main articles: Rutgers Stadium, Louis Brown Athletic Center, and College Avenue Gymnasium

Rutgers University fields 27 sports teams from their New Brunswick-Piscataway Campus for NCAA Division I-A competition. Most of the university's 14 athletic venues and facilities are currently located in Piscataway on the Busch and Livingston campuses, with two facilities in New Brunswick (the College Avenue Gymnasium and the Class of 1914 Boathouse). Though the College Avenue Gymnasium has hosted a large variety of athletic events—including memorable games in the 1976 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament in which Rutgers advanced to the "Final Four", subsequently ending the season fourth in the nation—it was also the site of conventions to revise the New Jersey State Constitution in 1947 and 1966.

One hundred and twenty-five years after Rutgers and Princeton first inaugurated the tradition of American football, Rutgers Stadium, a 42,000 seat facility, was opened during the 1994 football season. The field at Rutgers Stadium is large enough to host national and international soccer matches. The Louis Brown Athletic Center, commonly known as the RAC (for its original name of Rutgers Athletic Center), is home to the Rutgers men’s and women’s basketball programs and has a capacity of 8,000 seats. The RAC is often considered one of the toughest places to play by opponents because of the shape of the facility and the volume and intensity of the crowd.

Soccer and Lacrosse are both played at Yurcak Field, which accommodates over 5,000 fans. Built in 1994, this site, recognized as one of the premiere collegiate venues for these two sports in the United States, was named in honor of Rutgers alumnus Ronald N. Yurcak, a 1965 All-American Lacrosse player. Rutgers also operates an 18-hole 6,000-yard, par 71 golf course, designed by Hal Purdy and awarded four stars in 2004 by Golf Magazine and ranked by Golf Digest as "Best Place to Play".

Newark

Rutgers-Newark fields teams for NCAA Division III competition in Men's and Women's Soccer, Basketball, Tennis, Volleyball (women), Baseball (men) and Softball (women). The Men's Volleyball team is the only NCAA Division I sport on the campus. Their teams are known as the "Scarlet Raiders." Built in 1977, the Golden Dome Athletic Center is the hub of Rutgers-Newark athletics, seating 2,000. Soccer and softball games are held on Alumni Field, while the Rutgers-Newark baseball team plays at Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium, a 6,200-seat ballpark that is home to the Newark Bears, a minor-league professional baseball franchise.

Camden

Rutgers-Camden fields teams for NCAA Division III competition in Men's and Women's Crew, Cross Country, Golf, Soccer, Volleyball, Basketball, Indoor Track, Baseball (men), Softball (women), and Track and Field. In 2006, Rutgers-Camden won the NCAA Division III Softball championship, defeating two-time defending champion St. Thomas, 3-2 to capture the school's first national title. Rutgers-Camden basketball also holds the unfortunate distinction of the longest losing streak in college basketball, set in 1997. The team was disbanded, but student outcry lead to a re-instatement. Then Athletic Director "Pony" Wilson coached the team to its first win in 117 games over Iona College. Though yet to post a winning season, the team has returned somewhat to respectability.

Notable athletes from Rutgers University

Main article: List of Rutgers University people

Several alumni who participated in athletic programs during their undergraduate years at Rutgers University have continued their atheletic careers professionally. A few became coaches, managers or owners of professional teams, including Alexi Lalas, Class of 1991, a former U.S. Soccer National Team member who is the current President & General Manager of the Los Angeles Galaxy, Eddie Jordan, Class of 1977, who was Head Coach of the Washington Wizards, Sonny Werblin, Class of 1932, who was founder of the New York Jets in the National Football League, and Jeff Torborg, Class of 1963, a Major League Baseball Catcher with the Los Angeles Dodgers and California Angels who went on to manage several teams in Major League Baseball and coaches of college athletic teams, including Jim Valvano, Class of 1967, who while coach at North Carolina State University won 1983 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. Also notable, David Stern, a member of the Class of 1963, who is the current commissioner of the National Basketball Association (NBA)—a post he has occupied since 1984.

John Conway, Class of 1999, is the current goalkeeper for Red Bull New York and Josh Gros, Class of 2003 is a midfielder for D.C. United in American Major League Soccer. Players that went on to the National Football League include: Deron Cherry, Class of 1980, (Kansas City Chiefs) member of the NFL 1980s All-Decade Team, Quarterback Ray Lucas, class of 1996, (New York Jets, Miami Dolphins 1996-2002), Quartback Mike McMahon, Class of 2001 (Minnesota Vikings) , Center Shaun O'Hara, Class of 2000, (New York Giants) , Tight End L.J. Smith, Class of 2003, (Philadelphia Eagles) and Tight End Marco Battaglia, Class of 1996, (Pittsburgh Steelers) Current Rutgers football players Brian Leonard (Class of 2007), and Heisman Trophy candidate Ray Rice (Class of 2009) have been regarded by sportswriters as being potential in-demand by teams in the National Football League. David DeJesus is currently a center-fielder for Kansas City Royals . Rutgers' successeful Women's Basketball program have sent several women to the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), including Sue Wicks, Class of 1988, who played for the New York Liberty from 1997 to 2002, and was a member of the American team in the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, Korea, and most recently Cappie Pondexter, Class of 2006, of the Phoenix Mercury and Tammy Sutton-Brown, Class of 2001, with the Charlotte Sting. Among Rutgers Men's Basketball, Roy Hinson, class of 1982, has been a long-time player in the league, and recent student Quincy Douby is currently a Guard for the Sacramento Kings.

See also

• Rutgers University
• Rutgers-Newark
• Rutgers-Camden
• Colonial colleges
• Public ivies
• Big East Conference

References

Online resources

• Division I-A Historical Scores Index by James Howell.

External links

• Rutgers University
• ScarletKnights.com: Official Site of Rutgers University athletics
• Rutgers Touchdown Club