PISCATAWAY, N.J. — For Mohamed Toure, a season-ending injury last spring has given him a new perspective on the Rutgers football defense. It also presents him with an opportunity to play college football with his brother.
Something that, but for the injury, wasn’t supposed to happen.
Last spring’s injury, which required surgery, cost Toure what was supposed to be his final season of college football. But now after a medical redshirt, the Rutgers defensive standout is back for one final season of college football.
And in a twist, the injury allowed him to play with his brother, Famah Toure, who joined Rutgers as part of the 2023 recruiting class.
“This is amazing, honestly, it’s a dream come true,” Mohamed said on Thursday.
“If I didn’t get hurt – that’s why I feel like everything happens for a reason, if I didn’t get hurt I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to play with him.”
Famah, a wide receiver, was a consensus three-star recruit and the No. 14 player in the state according to Rivals. He held offers from programs like Boston College, Duke, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Pittsburgh and Syracuse among others.
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As for the older brother in the Toure clan, Mohamed is looking to build on a 2021 season where he had 51 tackles and 4.5 sacks. In the Gator Bowl loss to Wake Forest that season, he had six tackles and 1.5 sacks.
The injury wasn’t ideal for Mohamed, but he acknowledges that it gave him the chance to look back last fall and learn.
“I got to really sit back and evaluate not only us but other teams to see how we like set-up towards certain teams and just understand their offensive concepts and things like that,” Mohamed said.
“So it definitely helped a lot. Definitely on the mental aspect.”
This is an important season for Rutgers as a program. Now in their fourth year under head coach Greg Schiano, Rutgers has a deep roster that is definitely improved.
For Toure, who has legitimate NFL ambitions, this season is all about going out as a winner.
There are expectations that last year’s 4-8 team will take a step forward.
“Individual goals – honestly I just want to win,” Mohamed said.
“Whatever I can do to help my team win, that’s what I’m going to do.”
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