Schiano talks impact of experienced transfers
College football players around the country in recent years have been more open to transferring out and joining new teams.
The transfer portal, as it's known, is chock full of student-athletes.
For Rutgers football’s 2020 recruiting class, head coach Greg Schiano had already announced signings of two transfers in December - defensive lineman Malik Barrow from Ohio State/UCF and athlete Peyton Powell from Baylor - along with JUCO offensive lineman Cedrice Paillant, and the Scarlet Knights dipped into the portal again four more times, the program announced Wednesday.
Boston College defensive lineman Ireland Burke, Wisconsin wide receiver Aron Cruickshank, Michigan defensive lineman Michael Dwumfour, and Ohio State defensive back Brendon White have officially joined the fold.
Rutgers’ class is now up to 23 players
“We have 23 guys that have signed or transferred and they've increased our talent level, height, length, speed and athleticism. So those are all important things,” Schiano said during a teleconference. “We were able to get to know some guys in a very quick manner, and identify them as people that had the right characteristics and character that we were looking for in addition to the athleticism. So we're pleased that we, you know, we really feel like we've signed 23 guys that are a group of Rutgers men that we think will be very successful over the years here.”
Schiano believes getting players who already have experience at the college level is a plus.
“One of the things about our transfers that I think is really pretty important is the amount of experience they've had at the power five level. We have 104 games under their belt, those transfers, at the power five level which is important,” Schiano said. “We immediately become a more experienced football team. But when you look at those guys as a whole, you know, again it's a bigger, longer, faster group.”
Cruickshank, who played at Erasmus Hall in Brooklyn, N.Y., was used sparingly on offense with the Badgers. In 14 games, including the Big Ten Championship and the Rose Bowl, he scored just once on offense on a 27-yard run out of the Wildcat formation against Purdue in a November. He also returned two kickoffs for scores - tying Wisconson’s single-season and career records. One of them was an 89-yarder against Nebraska and the other was against Oregon, good for 95 yards, in the Rose Bowl.
“Aron Cruickshank is certainly a quality player from the Big Ten Conference and guys that's done things on the biggest stages and been very effective,” Schiano said. “And, again, just a quality young man that made a decision that he wanted to come home needed to come home, and we're thrilled to have him.”
Cruickshank has three years to play two, and while he needs a hardship waiver to play right away, he has a good shot at getting one. Should he be out on the field, expect to see him used in multiple ways.
“The way you know he's gonna serve so many purposes, you know, first and foremost as a wide receiver in our offense, but you know it's well chronicled what a tremendous return man he is. So we're going to utilize all his talents. He's a special guy too. He's got that great look in his eyes and he has been working very hard.”
Burke appeared in nine games on the interior of the defensive line last year for the Eagles where he recorded six tackles.
“When I talk about Ireland specifically I think you know he is a very athletic big man, that's going to play on our defensive line, and the guy that's going to be able to help us in several different ways, both as an early down player and a pass rusher,” Schiano said. “He's a guy from the state of Rutgers. He's a New York City guy but played at Pope John in New Jersey. Right in the heart of the state of Rutgers.”
Dwumfour is another piece for the d-line that will be eligible to play immediately as a graduate transfer and help the Rutgers unit that has gotten pushed around some. Dwumfour played in 10 games and made nine tackles last season.
“We just hit the ground running as hard and as fast as we could to find quality athletes and quality young men, because we have needs as most positions,” Schiano said. “There's a few that maybe aren't, but we just tried to find the best players available and that fit our criteria as far as character and academics and those things. And I am pleased with what we were able to do in a short period of time.”
As for White and Barrow, two players that spent time under Schiano while he was the defensive coordinator with the Buckeyes, those two will be key contributors in 2020. Barrow appeared in four games UCF a year ago and in three games for the Buckeyes from 2016-18 due to injuries before leaving. White was the Rose Bowl MVP in the 2019 Rose Bowl. He finished with 46 tackles and an interception as a junior before having 19 stops a season ago as his position was phased out.
“Malik Barrow I think is a really explosive defensive lineman. I go way back with him, he played against my sons when he was at Tampa Catholic and my sons were at Berkeley Prep. So I saw him as a high school player and he was one of the first guys I saw when I walked into Ohio State. He was there on his visit,” Schiano said last month. “He’s had an unfortunate run with some injuries, but he’s healthy now. I’ve seen some video of him and he’s going to be a force.
“Then Brendan, I actually coached him as a position coach. He’s a tremendous athlete, big safety that can run, great range and I’m excited. He’s been a productive player in the Big Ten Conference and I think that’s a tremendous get. We won’t have him for a long time, only one year so we have to make the most of it.”
Follow Chris Nalwasky on Twitter @ChrisWasky.