Tag: Kyle Monangai

Kyle Monangai answers the big question of this offseason: Would he win a dance-off with Isiah Pacheco?

Kyle Monangai of Rutgers football talks dancing.

PARSIPPANY, N.J — What is it about running backs and dancing? The touchdown dance moves of running back Isiah Pacheco, well-known to Rutgers fans, have taken over the NFL over the past two years.

And now it is Kyle Monangai gaining notoriety for his post-game dance celebrations.

Rutgers running backs just seem to love busting a move. And Monangai, the leading rusher in the Big Ten last year, certainly made waves with his dancing.

Last month, after a long interview where he was asked numerous questions about his season and the success of Rutgers football, Monangai was asked about his dancing.

Specifically, the question was: Who would win a dance battle between [autotag]Kyle Monangai [/autotag]and [autotag]Isiah Pacheco[/autotag]?

“I honestly have not been dancing recently as much but you know, Pop dance is what it feels like every day,” Monangai told Rutgers Wire. “So he probably has me right now. But if I started dancing again, I don’t know I might have him.”

Well, that is nice and all that, but who would win right here, right now?

“It’s 50-50, you might have to see who woke up better that day,” Monangai said.

All kidding aside, Rutgers fans love to see Monangai cutting up the rug as it usually means a touchdown or a Scarlet Knights win. He spoke in mid-February at an NIL event, the Morris County Card Show, where he signed autographs for fans.

 

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As for his ability to get jiggy wit it, the dance moves come naturally for Monangai, but they always come with emotion.

He remembers growing up and dancing, something that he says is very much engrained in who he is.

“I’ve been dancing since I was young. I think it is a Jersey thing,” Monangai said.

“I think me and Pop grew up dancing, it is something we love doing. It is something that I carry into adulthood and now. It is something that is in him, something that is in me. Something that we love to do.”

Pacheco had plenty to dance about this past season with the Kansas City Chiefs. The former All-Big Ten selection at Rutgers now has two Super Bowl rings in as many years in the NFL.

He scored a touchdown in each Chiefs’ NFL playoff game leading up to the Super Bowl. He had 935 rushing yards and seven touchdowns in the regular season.

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In the 2022 NFL draft, Pacheco was a seventh-round pick out of Rutgers. He won the starting running back job with the Chiefs midway through the regular season of his rookie year.

He scored a second-quarter touchdown in the Super Bowl to cap off his rookie year with the Chiefs.

Scroll down and check out the best photos from Kyle Monangai’s season with Rutgers football, one where the running back led the Big Ten in rushing!

Exclusive interview with Kyle Monangai on returning to Rutgers football: ‘Seven wins was never our goal…we have bigger aspirations and dreams’

Rutgers football running back Kyle Monangai discusses his Rutgers football future.

PARSIPPANY, N.J. –Kyle Monangai acknowledges that the best thing for his NFL future was for him to return for one more year of college football, The driving force for Monangai and many of his teammates to return for a last dance with Rutgers football isn’t as much about bettering their position to play on Sundays.

After all, the Big Ten’s leading rusher last season was a sure-fire NFL draft pick. Instead, there was a deeper motivation and drive that came into play for Monangai to return to Rutgers.

What spurred this decision for Monangai, is the feeling that Rutgers football hasn’t yet taken the big step their star running back believes they can. This, despite the obvious perception that 2023 was a stepping-stone season for Rutgers.

Last year, by nearly every measurement, was a huge step forward for Rutgers. Validating head coach Greg Schiano’s vision for the program, Rutgers finished the season 7-6 and capped off the year with a Pinstripe Bowl win over Miami.

For Rutgers, without a winning season or a bowl appearance since 2014, checking off both accomplishments was significant.

The Pinstripe Bowl in particular was the signature win that Rutgers has been looking for in what is now the fourth season of Schiano’s return to the banks of the Raritan. And for Monangai, who ran for 163 yards and a touchdown on his way to becoming the Pinstripe Bowl MVP, it is certainly all good.

But there is still much more to be done, he says.

“I wanted to come do another year with my guys and I thought it was probably best for me personally to come back and do that,” Monangai told Rutgers Wire on Saturday.

“But then also for the team, it’s like why miss out on an opportunity to be able to do something special? And I think this coming season, we’re going to be able to take it even a step further than we were able to this year.

“But I think you ask anybody in the building and that seven wins was never our goal. And, you know, we have bigger aspirations and dreams for ourselves. So to get there, we just had to work harder and keep doing what we’re doing because we’re obviously working in the right direction.”

The return of Monangai, along with many key players from last year’s team including defensive end [autotag]Aaron Lewis[/autotag] and linebacker [autotag]Mo Toure[/autotag] among others, signals that there is a sense within the team that Rutgers can take a significant step forward in 2024. The schedule is challenging, but not nearly as difficult as last season when the Scarlet Knights had the second-toughest schedule in college football.

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As for Monangai, he is slowly and steadily rising up the program’s rushing charts and records. The leading rusher in the Big Ten last season, he has the chance to write his name near the top of the program’s rushing records.

He has 1,942 career rushing yards, putting him just outside the program’s top 10 all-time rushers.

For now.

Another season like in 2023 (where Monangai had 1,242 yards) would see him supplant Terrell Willis for second all-time in Rutgers history.

Ray Rice at 4,926 yards seems well out of reach.

Legacy is certainly important for Monangai, but a push into the record books isn’t the reason for a return in 2024.

“I think it comes with it. I don’t think it was something that weighed into my decision. I’m blessed even to be in the same conversation with some of the guys that I’ve been in the same conversation (with) the Ray Rices and Brian Leonards…I’m grateful for it,” Monangai said.

“I think for all of us, especially my class, the 2020 class, we’ve seen so much being in our fifth year now being at Rutgers, that we just want to lead this program with the right way and just be able to say that we were the ones that kind of turned this thing around.”

Monangai spoke on Saturday afternoon following a signing at the Morris County Card Show (Parsippany, New Jersey) at the Police Athletic League building. It was Monangai’s first exclusive autograph signing using Name, Image and Likeness (NIL).

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“This is my first autograph signing on my own for sure and it’s been a fun experience,” Monangai said.

“It’s my first time doing something like this. Being able to interact with the fans that came out wanting to see me and supporting me. It’s been an awesome experience.”

Ziyare Addison on Rutgers football offer: ‘They smashed Miami in the bowl game’

Ziyare Addison breaks down his recent Rutgers football offer.

Ziyare Addison was offered by Rutgers football on Thursday, with the four-star offensive lineman already intrigued by the Big Ten program.

A  6-foot-4 and 280-pound offensive tackle from Sumner High School (Riverview, Florida), Addison was offered both by Rutgers and USC on Wednesday. He is ranked as the No. 244 player in the nation.

An offer list that includes Duke, Florida, Florida State, Louisville, Miami,  Oklahoma and Ole Miss among others speaks to a recruitment that continues to grow for Addison.

Wednesday’s offer by Rutgers is one that Addison already has done his homework on.

“Came by my school before the dead period. [autotag]Mark Orphey[/autotag] – the cornerbacks coach – said they were going to go back and watch my film,” Addison told Rutgers Wire.

“He loved my length and athleticism but had to talk to the offensive staff and the head coach. Once we all connected on the phone – the offered was triggered. The one thing about coach Greg Schiano – he used to coach for the Bucs (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) and coached at Berkeley Prep.”

Schiano, after two years as head coach in the NFL with the Buccaneers, volunteered as a coach at Berkeley Prep (Tampa, Florida).

One of the intriguing parts for Addison is [autotag]Pat Flaherty[/autotag]. In his second season back at Rutgers, Flaherty has one of the best resumes of any position coach in college football.

He spent over two decades in the NFL as an offensive line coach, where he won two Super Bowls with the New York Giants.

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Last year, Flaherty did a miracle job with the Rutgers offensive line, turning around a unit that had been the worst in the Big Ten the last five years into a group that paved the way for the Big Ten’s leading rusher, [autotag]Kyle Monangai[/autotag].

Addison said that Flaherty “is a guru (with) over 15 plus years in the league.”

The offer from Rutgers is new, but Addison is aware of the Big Ten program and the rebuilding project under Schiano.

“They smashed Miami in the bowl game. Plus the head coach has a proven track record of players in the NFL,” Addison said.

“Plus, he was a NFL head coach. Loved the energy they played with against Miami in the bowl.”

Rutgers defeated Miami 31-24 in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl. Rutgers finished the season 7-6 (3-6 Big Ten) while playing the second-toughest schedule in college football.

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In the bowl game, the offensive line was impressive against Miami. They didn’t give up a sack and they opened up holes for Monangai to run for 163 yards and a touchdown.

Monangai was named the bowl game’s MVP.

Of the four toughest schedules in college football, Rutgers was the only team to make a bowl game.

Sean Ashenfelder reacts to Rutgers football’s newest commit, three-star Talibi Kaba

Sean Ashenfelder talks about the commitment of Talibi Kaba.

Rutgers football added a second commitment to the program last week in athlete Talibi Kaba. For Sean Ashenfelder, the first commitment in the 2025 class, the addition of Talibi to Rutgers is “big news.”

The commitment of Kaba gives the program its first New Jersey commitment of this cycle. He is also quite the player; he is being projected by Rutgers to play either as a linebacker or as a safety.

Kaba is ranked the No. 12 prospect in New Jersey by 247Sports and nationally, he is the No. 39 linebacker in the 2025 recruiting class.  He has been offered by Boston College, Duke, Kent State and Iowa State.

For Ashenfelder, a quarterback from Florida, adding Kaba to the class is a big piece of momentum.

“It’s big news. He’s a great player. We’re building something special at Rutgers,” Ashenfelder told Rutgers Wire last week.

“He’s great on both sides of the ball. Quick and strong.”

As for Ashenfelder, he is coming off a strong junior year at Creekside (St. Augustine, Florida). A three-star quarterback, his offer list includes Power Five programs Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech and West Virginia among others.

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He has kept an eye on Rutgers and likes what he saw from the offense’s growth and development.

This past fall was the first season under offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca. What was an offense that had been bottom of the Big Ten in the previous five years was much improved under Ciarrocca.

They were eighth in total-offense last year and featured [autotag]Kyle Monangai[/autotag], the Big Ten’s leading rusher.

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“I thought the offense had a great year for his first year as offensive coordinator,” Ashenfelder said. “I liked his scheme and personnel usage.”

Who from Rutgers football got ranked in the Top 101 Players from 2023 College Football?

Kyle Monangai was ranked on the PFF College Top 101 Players rankings.

On Monday, Rutgers running back Kyle Monangai ranked No. 81 in PFF College Top 101 Players rankings from 2023 College Football. The Scarlet Knights’ star running back finished in the top 10 in the FBS in rushing grade, yards after contact, and forced missed tackles.

Monangai finished second in the Power Five overall grade behind Notre Dame Audric Estime. The 2023 Pinstripe Bowl MVP and First Team All-Big Ten (Pro Football Focus) running back logged 242 carries for 1,262 rushing yards with eight touchdowns for the Scarlet Knights, averaging 5.2 yards per attempt. Also, Monangai added eight catches for 78 yards to his 2023 resume.

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In 13 games last season, Monangai recorded seven games with 100+ rushing yards, with his best performance coming in Week 2 against Temple. Monangai finished the game with 165 rushing yards on 28 carries and one touchdown in a winning effort against the Owls.

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Monangai followed his stellar Week 2 performance with a three-touchdown game against Virginia Tech in Week 3. For his efforts in Week 3, Monangai was recognized with the weekly Doak Walker Award for the top running back in the nation.

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In four seasons with the Scarlet Knights, the Roseland, New Jersey native has recorded 413 carries for 1,942 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns in 41 games, averaging 4.7 yards per attempt. With one year left of eligibility, the former Don Bosco Prep prospect has elected to return to Rutgers for his final season.

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Watch: Four-star running back, Rutgers football recruit Jabree Coleman is a playmaker

Rutgers recruit Jabree Coleman is a huge talent.

On Sunday, Rutgers football will be hosting Jabree Coleman, a running back from Philadelphia. Coleman is a dynamic talent out of the backfield and one of the best running backs in the class of 2024.

He is a four-star running back and ranked as the No. 164 player in the nation in the ESPN 300.

Getting Coleman on campus again is another solid step for Rutgers. Coleman is a big-time recruit who had committed to Georgia in July of 2022. He opened up his recruitment again last month.

What stands out about Coleman, who checks in at 6-foot-1 and 210 pounds, is the combination of speed and elusiveness along with power. Many running backs at the Power Five level don’t have Coleman’s ability at the second level, making him a very intriguing prospect:

Coleman holds offers from Cincinnati, Georgia, Michigan, Ole Miss, Penn State, Tennessee and Texas A&M among others.

 

Coleman is one of several highly ranked recruits who will be visiting Rutgers football on Sunday for an unofficial visit.

 

Rutgers has had success with developing running backs in recent years.[autotag] The starting running backs in the AFC Championship Game, [/autotag]Gus Edwards (Baltimore Ravens) and[autotag] Isiah Pacheco[/autotag] (Kansas City Chiefs) are former All-Big Ten running backs from Rutgers.

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And last year, [autotag]Kyle Monangai [/autotag]was the Big Ten’s leading rusher. His performance in the Scarlet Knights’ win over Miami in the Bad Boy Mowers Bowl saw him named the game’s MVP.

Rutgers finished the season 7-6 after playing the second-toughest schedule in the nation.

 

Rutgers football: Kyle Monangai is among the best running backs in the nation per PFF

Kyle Monangai graded out among the best running backs in the nation.

The tremendous season by Rutgers football running back Kyle Monangai was among the best of the very best according to Pro Football Focus.

This past fall, Monangai ran for 1,262 yards with eight rushing touchdowns on the season, In the 31-24 win in the Pinstripe Bowl over Miami, Monangai was the game’s MVP with 163 rushing yards and a touchdown.

Pro Football Focus, an analytics and data-driven media outlet, ranked MOnangai as the third-best running back in Power Five college football. He was the top-ranked running back in the Big Ten on the list.

Topping the list is Notre Dame running back Audric Estime, who is from New Jersey.

 

Monangai came in with a grade of 91.8 according to PFF. The only other Big Ten running back to crack the top 10 list was Ohio State‘s TreVeyon Henderson who graded out at 89.6 and was eighth in the nation.

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Only six running backs in Power Five football had a rating greater than 90.0.

Prior to the bowl game, Monangai announced his return to Rutgers football for a final season in college.

Former NFL general manager Randy Mueller talked with Rutgers Wire last week about Monangai and his NFL draft potential:

“For me, he’s more straight line and less powerful than Rice,” said former NFL general manager Randy Mueller. “He has quick feet and some north-south acceleration but the lack of ideal size will bother some at the NFL level when it comes to getting behind his pads and running with power.

“Obviously, he is best in space, having good vision for running where ‘they’re not’.”

Bringing sexy back? Kyle Monangai says there is a ‘sexiness to being a homegrown guy’ with Rutgers football

Kyle Monangai discusses what it means to stay at Rutgers

BRONX, N.Y. – On his bucket list for 2023, it is doubtful that Kyle Monangai had ‘making Rutgers football sexy’ as one of his task items. But here, in the season of resolutions, is Monangai apparently doing just that.

The Big Ten’s leading rusher in the regular season, Monangai has certainly helped put Rutgers football back on the map. His performance this past year helped Rutgers to a record of 7-6 (3-5 Big Ten) and a bowl win over Miami. In fact, his 163 rushing yards on 25 carries and a touchdown were influential in Rutgers getting their first bowl win since 2014.

In fact, one could make the argument that the Pinstripe Bowl is Monangai’s first statement of intent for the 2024 season. His development at Rutgers is certainly a wake-up call to New Jersey’s top high school talent that Rutgers can develop players for the next level.

All of which led to an interesting question following the Pinstripe Bowl, directed at Monangai. Here is the full question followed by Monangai’s answer:

Question: Kyle, back on the subject of recruiting. Rutgers just won a bowl game at Yankee Stadium. Tommy DeVito was a quarterback at the Giants for a few weeks, and Anthony Volpe, shortstop of the Yankees, and Dylan Harper just committed to Rutgers. Do you think there’s a new sexiness to being a homegrown New Jersey athlete that influenced your decision to come back and could help Rutgers on the reciting trail?

KYLE MONANGAI: That’s an interesting way to put it, sexiness. If you want to put it that way, yeah, sure, there’s a sexiness to being a homegrown guy.

I think it’s just interesting — I love the fact that I can say I’m from Jersey, I go to school in Jersey, I was raised here, grew up here, and I was able to do things well in my home state. And now getting this win at Yankee Stadium, I know it’s New York, but it’s like it feels like home still, just across the water.

Yeah, to answer your question.

The interesting phrasing aside, and notwithstanding that DeVito and Volpe are not products of Rutgers, it is a reflective question, to say the least. Harper, alluded to in the question above, committed to Rutgers basketball in December, is a five-star guard and the No. 2 player in the nation.

It was a commitment that certainly opened some eyes about the future of Rutgers basketball and athletics in general.

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Rutgers, if it can continue to do well with the top players in New Jersey, can absolutely be a solid program in the Big Ten. [autotag]Greg Schiano[/autotag], now in his second stint as head coach, has repeatedly called Rutgers football a “developmental program.”

They don’t get the ready-made players, he has said, but they will find talent and develop it.

Out of high school, Monangai was ranked the No. 26 player in New Jersey by Rivals. He was a three-star and held just two offers from Power Five programs.

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And yet here he is, atop the Big Ten’s rushing charts.

“The developmental part of the program, the pipeline that I speak about, I’m thrilled. Can’t wait,” Schiano said after the Pinstripe Bowl.

“I love bowl games as a program developer because we had seven practices were strictly developmental. That’s half of spring ball, right, seven practices that we got to develop those young guys. They got all our coaching. They were the ones on the video. Not the older players and not the guys that have played.

“To be able to coach them off of those tapes and to have them all winter, we can make cut-ups for them. It’s huge. That’s why winning begets winning at this level. When you win and get to go to bowl games, it pushes it forward…yes, we need to get better at everything, but I don’t think it’s anymore (that) every position has to get better.

“We need to improve as a program but I love doing it with another trophy in the case.”

Heisman? Doak Walker Award? Kyle Monangai closed 2023 with an opening salvo for next year

Kyle Monangai might be getting some national award buzz next year.

BRONX, N.Y. – In his last game of the season, Rutgers football running back Kyle Monangai started his campaign for the Heisman and the Doak Walker Award in 2024.

Monangai, the Big Ten’s leading rusher in the regular season, ran for 163 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries as Rutgers beat Miami in the Pinstripe Bowl this past Thursday. The performance was an emphatic statement from Monangai, who announced earlier in December his intention to return to Rutgers next year.

With 1,262 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns on the season, Monangai will likely be the top returning running back in the Big Ten next year. It puts a target on him, but also a spotlight that is unique to the program.

In deciding to come back for one more year, Monangai has said that he wants to complete some “unfinished business” at Rutgers. But his return also signals that Monangai has the potential to be the program’s first Heisman candidate since Ray Rice in 2007.

“What went into my decision was I just felt like there was more left to be done,” Monangai said after the bowl game.

“When guys make that step to go to the next level and whatever they want to do, not come back, whatever it may be, I feel like that’s them saying they’ve done everything they can, and they’re ready to move on. I just feel like there’s more to be done.”

Now, to be a Heisman candidate, Monangai would have to do a lot of things right. First off, he would need to not just replicate his 2023 season, he’d have to improve and really rattle off some big games. He would also have to stay healthy and Rutgers would also need to take a step forward as a program.

But it isn’t far-fetched to think Monangai could be the type of player that come October next season is getting some national buzz. After all, there aren’t many Power Five running backs returning who have led their conference in rushing.

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The decision to return was also fueled in part to better help his stock in the NFL draft. Another strong season could see Monangai vault into being a sure-fire draft pick.

“For me, he’s more straight line and less powerful than Rice,” said former NFL general manager Randy Mueller. “He has quick feet and some north-south acceleration but the lack of ideal size will bother some at the NFL level when it comes to getting behind his pads and running with power.

“Obviously, he is best in space, having good vision for running where ‘they’re not’.”

A former general manager with the New Orleans Saints and the Miami Dolphins, Mueller spent a decade as senior executive for football operations with the Los Angeles Chargers before leaving that role in 2018.

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Mueller thinks that were he to come out for this April’s draft, Monangai would have likely been a late-round selection or even an undrafted free agent. If he performs like this past season in 2024, then Mueller believes he can be “Maybe a mid-rounder if he stays heathy.”

“He might fit some systems better than others,” Mueller said.

“I think in his case, he’s going to have to show he can compete on special teams and in other areas besides just carrying the ball.”

For Monangai, the Pinstripe Bowl win over Miami was a bit of validation for his decision to return for his senior season. Rutgers finished the year 7-6, marking the program’s first winning season since 2014.

It was also the first bowl win for Rutgers since that very same 2014 season. Now having completed their fourth season under head coach [autotag]Greg Schiano[/autotag], Rutgers appears to be going in the right direction of what has been an extensive and at times painful rebuild.

Monangai was one of the first commits to Schiano when he returned to the program in December of 2019. A three-star recruit out of New Jersey powerhouse program Don Bosco, Rutgers was one of two Power Five programs to have offered Monangai.

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He was just the No. 26 recruit in New Jersey.‘s class of 2020 Now, he could be lining himself to be in contention for some national awards.

Undoubtedly, he is the face of the program in many ways, not only for his production but also because he worked and fashioned himself from an under-recruited prospect into a player who might just be the best running back in the Big Ten.

“The win today I think is a huge impact. Being able to go 7-6, that’s not the goal we set for ourselves in the beginning of the season, but to finish over .500 is a big step for this program,” Monangai said after the Pinstripe Bowl.

“To win the last game of the season is definitely something positive to build off going into the offseason.

“Recruiting-wise…I think that is something to show the high school guys, like, hey, these guys know how to win, they’re taking steps in the right direction, so it’s somewhere I want to come play.

“Like I said all the time to the guys, it’s not easy to play here. It’s definitely a hard place to play. But that’s just because coach Schiano demands of us, and he knows what it takes to win. We have to be willing to step up to the plate and do the day in and day out.

“It’s a huge impact, this win.”

A Rutgers football fan? A fan of Kyle Monangai? Scroll down and check out the best photos from the 2023 season of Rutgers running back Kyle Monangai!

A Pinstripe Bowl victory is big for Rutgers football: ‘Definitely something positive to build off of’

Rutgers football got a win that could be program-defining in the Pinstripe Bowl.

BRONX, N.Y. — Since becoming bowl-eligible in mid-October, Greg Schiano had spoken a lot about progress being seen as a mile-marker for his program. The Rutgers football head coach sees Thursday’s win in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl in much the same way.

For Schiano, the 31-24 win over Miami is a sign of progress. But for a program that was used to getting to bowl games – and winning them – in Schiano’s first stint with the program, the Pinstripe Bowl was another step forward.

With the win, Rutgers is now 7-6 (3-5 Big Ten) on the season. It is the most wins for Rutgers since 2014.

It was also their first bowl win since that season as well.

“Miami is one of those programs that whether they’re there right this second, I don’t know, it’s not my place to judge that, but they’re a traditional blue blood program. We had an opportunity to win a game against them today,” Schiano said following the game.

“We’re not there yet, no. But this is a big mile marker because I think we do a good job in bowl games. I learned from the best. Coach Paterno (former Penn State head coach Joe Paterno) was the best at preparing his teams for bowl games. You just look at his record. We do it the same way. We work really hard when we work, and when we don’t, it’s a lot of fun.

“You develop. You have fun. You learn a lot. We learned a lot in this trip together. Then to win, that’s what makes it special. Thrilled.”

It was the first bowl for Rutgers since the return of Schiano in 2020. It also marks an important mile marker for the program in terms of who they beat.

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Miami, as Schiano noted, is one of those programs that has been among the best in college football over the past four decades. Since 1983, they have five national championships.

Running back Kyle Monangai, named the MVP of the game following 163 rushing yards and a touchdown, sees the bowl victory as a big step forward for a program that defied expectations this season.

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“The win today I think is a huge impact. Being able to go 7-6, that’s not the goal we set for ourselves in the beginning of the season, but to finish over .500 is a big step for this program,” Monangai said.

“To win the last game of the season is definitely something positive to build off going into the offseason.”