Kordell Young has earned another start vs. UNC as per Sargeant. He looked decent in game one, but still has some things to work on. Dennis Campbell may get the nod as kick returner over Mason Robinson. That update also has some news on the whereabouts of Jourdan Brooks.
RU Men's Basketball released their schedule for the upcoming season.
When reading this article about UConn's struggle to land in-state talent, I saw a mention of RU verbal Mark Harrison (who did not have a UConn offer when he committed):
And then Harrison. Just soak in these numbers for a second: 6-foot-4, 221 pounds, 39-inch vertical leap, 4.38 40-yard dash. Harrison's coach at Bunnell High, Joe Bruno, says that he has the frame to add about 35 more pounds of muscle, which would make him an Antonio Gates-like specimen at the next level. UConn didn't sign Harrison - and that's not even the worst part.
He signed with Rutgers. That's right, the Huskies couldn't get Connecticut's version of Terrell Owens to make the 90-minute trip north for college. Not even considering Harrison attended the same high school as current UConn receiver Marcus Easley. Not even considering he played on the same high school team as Easley's brother, Michael. Instead, he was snatched up by the arch-rival Scarlet Knights.
Maybe some hyperbole there, but Harrison does have a lot of raw athletic ability. Speaking of UConn, they have just announced a home and home series with Tennessee. I wonder if each school's basketball program helped facilitate this arrangement. Can Rutgers arrange a similar deal in the future with a high profile opponent?
Marcus Witherspoon's high school coach says that Witherspoon is a half credit short of qualifying, and that he is getting calls from all over the country. This followup article from today's Courier Post reiterates that, straight from Marcus's mouth, he will end up at Rutgers or Tennessee.
It would be wonderful to add another talented athlete to the football program. Before that happens though, his issues with the clearinghouse will have to be settled once and for all. RU is somewhat tight on open scholarships this season too. With the limited information available to me, I would definitely want to bring him aboard however.
Baltimore offensive coordinator Cam Cameron is well versed in coachspeak.
Ravens running back Willis McGahee could be a game-time decision for Sunday's season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals, offensive coordinator Cam Cameron said today.
McGahee, who had arthroscopic surgery on left knee Aug. 11, was sidelined for the entire preseason. He returned to practice this week but has had limited participation.
"You can see that he's getting close," Cameron said. "Whether that'll mean this week or not, I don't know."
"That's the plan, but it all depends on how the knee reacts on Saturday. If it's not ready to go, then it doesn't make any sense to go out there and play on it. So it's about 50-50," McGahee said.
With rookie QB Joe Flacco starting, and a shaky offensive line, Rice could be in for a long day. One positive will be if the Ravens can sign free agent tackle Willie Anderson. Maybe Janet Rice in the stands will help get the crowd into the game. Ravens/Bengals will not be aired on CBS-2 in the NY area due to a conflict with the Jets.
Darnell Stapleton has a knack for sticking around in Pittsburgh. Reading this blurb (and about Gary Gibson with the Panthers over the summer), I can't help but think of another former UDFA in Gary Brackett, who stuck around long enough and eventually became indispensable.
Last year, it was Chukky Okobi. This year it was Sean Mahan. For a guy who wasn't even drafted, Darnell Stapleton sure has been running off a lot of centers. That is testament to what the coaches think of the 6-foot-3, 305-pounder from Rutgers.
"I think they have pretty good confidence in me to play guard and center and be a versatile backup," said Stapleton, a rookie free agent in 2007.
Stapleton appeared in only two preseason games as a rookie because of injury, but he impressed the coaches enough that the Steelers released Okobi, a seven-year veteran, in the final cut.
This year, after newcomer Justin Hartwig beat out Mahan, the starter last year, the Steelers traded Mahan to Tampa Bay and made Stapleton the backup. <!-- Matt Freed/Post-Gazette Dallas Baker is listed as the Steelers' No. 4 receiver. -->
While Rutgers fans hope and expect Jeremy Zuttah to do well as a starter for the Bucs, he is replacing a very good player in Davin Joseph, and that's a cause for uncertainty.
Brian Leonard is listed on St. Louis's injury report, but did practice on Wednesday.
Navy/Ball State tonight may not get much of an audience, but it should be a good matchup. There's not a ton of news on the UNC front, just as it's been a quiet few days for Rutgers.