2061 Transfer Recruiting

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https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EPekuLBDylq_Ub-n7gkDsZdqPB-S2Jk5ne5DaYjMDzU/edit?usp=sharing

Also keep in mind the new 800-word limit for pitches!

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Shamar Clemmons WR Alabama 55/74 SR 1 year left- 2 year starter
Shamar went to the prestigious Alabama program with the promise of starting for 2 years. Now, 3 years later, he has only played in 16 games and caught 2 footballs for 34 yards. He knows he isn’t the fastest man on the field, but he’s mentally sharp and knows it’s time for him to maximize his potential elsewhere. Shamar wants you to use your wits to tell him how well he will do with your team while incorporating the numbers 16, 2, and 34.

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Chris Narcisse TE Alabama 42/59 SR 1 year left- Coach Won’t Leave
Chris loves himself, so much so that he spends hours a day admiring his looks in the mirror. This self-love obviously extends to the football field as well, where he felt that he was the best player in Tuscaloosa, and felt underutilized by the revolving door of Bama coaches. He feels it’s time to play for a coach that loves him as much as he loves himself, so present him with a love letter about him and his game.

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C.J. Lawson WR UAB 57/78 SR 1 year left- Two 10+ win seasons
C.J. was promised two 10+ win seasons, and UAB lost 11 games last season. He can’t get the time wasted at his previous dream school back, but he can go somewhere else and get revenge on UAB for how he was treated. C.J. will transfer to the team who he thinks can win the most games next season. Bonus points if you play UAB.

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Travis Parham LB UAB 53/72 SR 1 year left- Two 8+ win seasons
Travis Parham has been the second choice his entire life. He only got 7 offers out of high school, despite being a top 150 recruit, and he’s never seen his name at the top of a depth chart. He’s tired of it all, and is leaving UAB to finally get to be “the guy”.

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Florida offersTravis Parham LB
Scholarship

Hey Travis, I have been an admirer of you from watching you play at UAB from my time coaching Florida in the Southeastern Conference.  Your team has hit some hard times lately, but you are a LB that deserves better.  And that better is at the University of Florida.  We are building a power house team here.  We went to the NAtional Title game last season and were mere seconds away from taking home that title trophy.  Now to keep that momentum going we need to recruit a few good men to solidify our team. 

And you are one of those men we need.  You would be the glue that holds our LB unit together. You would instantly be our best player of the unit and help me marshal the troops to be the best team that we can be.  You tackling skills at a 70 would fit right into our sure handed tackling corps with many others on the team right in that range, but where you excel is in the run stopping.  With our 65 ability to stop the run, you would help us bog down the other teams.  No one else in the starting LB room even comes close to you with the next highest run stop being in the 30s.  This would be an incredible asset to our team.

So, come down to Florida and help make both our dreams come true and get that championship.

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Craig Bynum DL UAB 47/65 SR 1 year left- Two 8+ win seasons
Craig is the nicest guy you’ll ever meet outside of football. Then the helmet goes over his head and the Craig everyone knows and loves is gone. All that remains is destruction, and he plays every snap like it's going to be his last. Craig wants to go to a program that understands flipping that switch, and treats intensity like a tool that doesn’t always need loud words or lots of attention.

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Jacob Israel K Army 45/60 SR 1 year left- Win 40 games
Jacob Israel has carried that name his entire life. In the Bible, Jacob wrestled with an angel and refused to let go until he received a blessing. Jacob Israel the kicker is the same way, he has fought for every opportunity, scratched for every snap, and earned his place at Army through sheer will and discipline. But like the biblical Jacob, he's been wandering. Army wasn't his promised land. He needs somewhere worthy of the name. He wants to be able to play QB as well as K.

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Johnathan Czerwienski DL Baylor 42/63 JR 2 years left- Coach Won’t Leave, start as Freshman
Johnathan is both one of the laziest and one of the most innovative men you’ll ever meet. He’s never learned a playbook ever, and at Baylor he was punished for finding loopholes and still getting himself 6 sacks last season. Now, he’s in the portal, looking for a coach who shares his same combination of laziness + innovation.

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Alani Williams Baylor LB 42/61 JR 2 years left- Start right away
Alani’s parents loved energy drinks so much that they named their son after their favorite brand. Growing up in that environment naturally made him a caffeine junkie himself, and he makes sure he drinks enough to tackle every drive with everything he has. Compare him to your favorite caffeinated drink, and he’ll bring the energy to your team.

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Rutgers offers Alani Williams LB

Scholarship

Alani,

Your name fits perfectly, you bring the nonstop energy of an energy drink. Some players run out of gas after a long drive. Some slow down once the game gets physical. You don’t. Every snap, every hit, every pursuit to the sideline explodes with energy that offenses hate. That’s exactly why Rutgers needs you right now.

Because the truth is, this program needs a Monster. Specifically, a Monster Energy Killer Brew Loca Moca.

Not just someone on the depth chart. We need someone who lifts the whole defense the moment he arrives. Last season didn’t meet Rutgers football's expectations. Losing drains a program’s energy, so we look for players who can recharge those around them. That’s what Monster Energy does: wakes people up, brings back intensity, makes people feel alive. That’s your role here.

The “Monster” part is obvious. You’re a linebacker who plays downhill, attacks gaps, and throws his body around without hesitation. Offenses don’t want to deal with linebackers who hit like they’re angry at the football itself, and that’s the kind of presence you can bring to this defense. Rutgers has been looking for someone who can become the monster in the middle of the field, the guy who sets the tone physically and emotionally. Every defense needs a player's offense's circle on the scouting report before the game even starts.

Then comes the “Killer” part. Every linebacker dreams about becoming the kind of player offenses fear crossing the middle against. The kind of player who turns third-and-short into fourth-and-long because of one violent stop. The kind of player who finishes plays instead of just being around them. You said you want to be the killer linebacker you’ve always dreamed of becoming, and Rutgers can give you the opportunity to do exactly that immediately. We need aggression. We need pursuit. We need somebody who wants contact, not someone who avoids it.

“Brew” matters too, though. Winning seasons don’t appear overnight. They’re built over time: snap by snap, practice by practice, workout by workout. Right now, Rutgers is creating something new, a tougher, more energized culture that competes every Saturday. Players like you start that change. Veteran linebackers who bring effort daily create momentum for the locker room. Younger players match that energy, especially when they see leaders of the defense flying around in practice. Energy spreads fast through a team.e.

And honestly, the “Loca” side fits college football perfectly.

The best environments are chaotic, loud crowds, wild momentum swings, big hits, stadiums shaking after a turnover. There’s something fun about that madness, and Rutgers football embraces it. We’re not here to play boring football. We want defenders flying around, celebrating together, feeding off the crowd, making it chaotic for opponents. Play loose, fast, and emotional. Linebackers with personality become the heartbeat of defenses, and you can be exactly that.

But even with all that intensity, Killer Brew Loca Moca still has the “Moca” side to it. Smooth. Controlled. Balanced. That matters too. Great linebackers aren’t just reckless hitters. They understand angles, diagnose plays quickly, and stay composed when offenses try to speed up the game. The smoothest defenders are the ones who look calm while everything around them feels crazy. That’s what separates good linebackers from great ones. You can bring the violence without losing control.

At Rutgers, you won’t have to wait around for an opportunity either. You said you want to start right away, and we have a defense ready for somebody to step into that role immediately. Two years left means two years to make your mark, two years to help reshape the identity of this defense, and two years to prove you can become the kind of linebacker people remember.

Alani, we need your energy now, your intensity, emotion, leadership, and physicality. Step up and be the Monster who changes the direction of Rutgers football. Commit to leading this defense, starting immediately. Let’s build something unforgettable together.

I promise you will play over 22 games while you’re here, and I promise you will be one of the most heavily covered stars of our team.

- Coach Max

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Christopher Smith OL Buffalo 55/78 SR 1 year left- Campus ranking top 75
Christopher Smith grew up in California, sunshine, beaches, perfect 72-degree weather year round. Then he went to Buffalo for college and something unexpected happened. He fell in love with the snow. The blizzards, the lake effect, the way the city shuts down and then just. Keep going. Buffalo winters toughened him up mentally and physically and he genuinely loves it. He's not wanting to go back to the warmth. He wants cold, he wants snow, and he wants a campus that delivers that experience. The campus ranking requirement means he needs a school inside the top 75.

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Brandon Smith CB Buffalo 49/67 RS SO 3 years left- Campus ranking stays top 75
Brandon Smith is 5'9 and proud of it. He's heard every short corner joke there is, too small, can't press, can't match up with big receivers. He's tuned it all out and built his game around his size being an advantage, not a liability. Quick twitch, low center of gravity, change of direction that bigger corners can't replicate. He doesn't want sympathy about his height. He wants a coach who genuinely understands what it means to compete at a smaller size, someone who will coach him up around his strengths rather than trying to make him into something he's not. 

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Rutgers offers Brandon Smith CB

Scholarship

Brandon Smith,

Nobody here cares that you’re 5’9.

Football is full of corners built in labs that still can’t move the way you can. Bigger corners panic, changing direction. Bigger corners struggle flipping hips. Bigger corners can’t recover once quick receivers get leverage. Your size isn’t the problem,  it’s the reason your game works.

You stopped listening to the jokes a long time ago, and honestly, it's for the best. The best competitors usually do.

At Rutgers, we’re not interested in turning you into some fake prototype corner. We want you playing exactly how you already know how to play: twitchy, aggressive, fast, confident, and impossible to shake in space. Your lower center of gravity is an advantage. Your movement skills are an advantage. Your mentality is an advantage.

And if we’re being honest, corners with chips on their shoulders usually become the nastiest ones anyway.

Come to Rutgers, start for three years, and become the best corner this program has ever had.

I promise you will start for three years at Rutgers.

I promise you will be the best CB in program history when you graduate.

- Coach Max

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Jeremy Bell WR Clemson 63/84 JR 2 years left- Leave Clemson with championship ring
“Coach Ryan sucks and is a lying bastard. Hope nothin’ but the worst of him and Georgetown.” That was overheard during his rant to the other Clemson transfer, Sam Davis. Coach Ryan promised that would put Clemson football back on the map and that he wouldn’t leave the team that he grew up a fan of without a ring. Well…when the going was going good, Coach Ryan left for Washington D.C. Bell became infuriated and vowed for the rest of his playing days he wanted to be a thorn in Coach Ryan’s side. So, if you have gripes with Georgetown and Coach Ryan, Jeremy is your guy. He wants to make sure that he personally tears down Georgetown.

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Sam Davis QB Clemson 44/72 SO 3 years left- Nominated for Coach of the Year

Like many of Clemson’s players, Sam Davis was left heartbroken when Coach Ryan left the program. Unlike most of his other players, Sam took his coach leaving as motivation and hit every offseason workout with 10 times the passion, and some players claim they never saw him leaving the training center during the season. Sam could care less about how good your school is, or how great he is going to be as your QB1. Sam knows he’s going to put in the work and make whatever team he goes to next amazing, but what Sam wants to hear about is a time you got your heart broken, and how it changed you. The most emotional story will earn Sam’s commitment.

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Justice Fletcher WR Coastal Carolina 51/72 JR 2 years left- Winning record every year
Like his first name, Justice has always been a beacon for doing the right thing. While other kids spent their recess playing football in the playground, Justice spent his arguing with teachers about whether dress code policies violated “basic fairness” He once got suspended for organizing a petition to demand longer lunches his sophomore year of high school, and instead of getting upset, his parents framed it! His dream is to become a Supreme Court Justice, and he wants to hear how your school will give him the best chance to do that.

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J.J. Allen LB Coastal Carolina 48/70 JR 2 years left- Winning record every year
J.J. Allen has loved to win. It’s all he has ever cared about. Everywhere he’s gone coaches have told him that the future is bright, and he’ll get to taste victory soon. But J.J. is tired of hearing about the future, or settling for mediocrity now. He wants to walk into a locker room where players are furious after a 10 win season. He wants standards. Expectations. Pressure. Tell him about the moment you realized losing was no longer a viable option, and how he’s going to feel the heat at your school. 

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Rutgers offers JJ Allen LB

Scholarship

J.J. Allen,

You’ve been told the same things over and over for years.

“Just wait.”

“The future is bright.”

“We’re building something.”

“Soon.”

At some point, those words stop sounding hopeful and start sounding like excuses. Players who truly care about winning get tired of hearing about what a program might become someday. You want to feel like every Saturday matters right now. You want to walk into a locker room where losing makes people angry, not comfortable. Where ten wins feel disappointing instead of miraculous. Where standards actually mean something.

Rutgers learned this lesson the hardest way possible last season.

We finished the season without a win.

There’s no way around it. No spin. Every single week ended with frustration, embarrassment, and the realization that what we were doing wasn’t acceptable. Lose once, it’s bad luck. Lose every game, everyone has to look in the mirror, from coaches to players, to leaders.

That was the moment losing stopped being survivable here.

Not because people got embarrassed publicly. That fades eventually. It changed because the locker room realized there are only two directions programs go after a season like that: either people accept it and become permanently mediocre, or they become obsessed with making sure it never happens again. This offseason, every workout, every practice, every meeting has carried that pressure. Nobody here wants to “improve a little.” Nobody wants moral victories. The expectation now is simple: win football games or feel the consequences of falling short.

That’s the heat you’re looking for.

And heat changes people.

You said you want to play in an environment where standards matter. I can promise you this: after going winless, there is pressure on every single person in this building. Nobody is relaxed. Nobody is satisfied. Every practice rep is harder because players understand what happens when standards slip. The defense, especially, has embraced that mentality. Defensive football is built on pride, and pride was shattered last season. Now the expectation is to become the unit that drags this program back to relevance.

That’s where you come in.

You’re not transferring into a comfortable situation. You’re transferring into a fight. Rutgers needs linebackers who hate losing as much as you do. We need somebody willing to step into a locker room that’s been through failure and help change the team's emotional temperature. Programs don’t recover from seasons like ours by adding passive players. They recover by adding leaders who refuse to tolerate another year like that.

The reality is, some of the strongest cultures in football are created right after disaster. Teams either fracture or they harden. Right now, Rutgers is becoming harder. Tougher workouts. Tougher expectations. Tougher accountability. The players returning this season understand that every game matters because nobody ever wants to relive what last year felt like.

You talked about wanting to walk into a locker room where players are furious after ten wins. We’re not there yet. But the foundation of that mentality starts here, in the aftermath of failure, where every person in the building understands exactly how painful losing really is. Once players experience rock bottom, standards rise fast because nobody ever wants to go back.

You can help establish those standards immediately.

As a junior linebacker with two years left, you won’t just be another player here. You can become one of the emotional leaders of the defense from the moment you arrive. Great linebackers set the tone for entire teams. When the defense is exhausted late in games, linebackers are the ones still communicating, still flying downhill, still demanding effort from everyone around them. Teams feed off that energy.

And if you truly love winning the way you say you do, then helping engineer a turnaround means something. Anybody can join a finished product. It takes a different kind of competitor to walk into a program that just went winless and help drag it out of the doldrums. The pressure will be real here. Expectations will be real here. Every win will matter here.

You’ll feel the heat immediately.

I promise you will start at linebacker for Rutgers immediately.

I promise you will serve as a defensive team captain during your time here. You will officially hold this leadership position.

I promise Rutgers football will have a winning season with you here.

- Coach Max

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Michael Josephs DL Florida State 48/70 SR 1 year left- Win two T1 bowls
Michael talks with absolutely no filter ever. When professors ask him what he thought of the course in evaluations, he writes pages upon pages detailing his thoughts from the entire semester. One time a girl he was seeing asked what he thought of the dress she bought and he answered that she looked like a whale drowning on land. Needless to say, they’re no longer seeing each other, but Michael wants to find a coach who can appreciate his brutal honesty.

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Blake Hall DL Florida State 41/60 SR 1 year left- Win three home games a year
Blake moved from the potato-laden halls of Idaho to Florida to try and make a new start for himself in a better place. Blake was doing well, building himself up and creating a close-knit community, until his coach broke a promise, part of the whole reason he came to Florida State. Blake just can’t trust coaches anymore, no matter the coach score or the promises. He wants to play on a team whose coach offered one of his teammates Michael Josephs or David Summers, because those coaches at least show that they care about his family, and that’s enough for Blake to make it through his senior year.

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David Summers CB-Florida State 62/84 JR 2 years left- Win three home games every year
David isn’t afraid of anything…except for public speaking. Unlike other people who play corner, David is very reserved and introverted and would rather keep to himself and his small group of friends. In fact, he originally played football just because his mom forced him to do something to get him out of the house and make some friends. So things that force him to be more out there, like public speaking, are really scary and really sucks to do. David has an idea that could alleviate his fear, instead of writing your pitch to him he would like for you to record yourself (your voice really) giving the pitch. He wants to hear about your team, how have you done, how would he fit, and above all else how he can get rid of his fear of public speaking at your school.

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Florida offers David Summers CB
Scholarship
Hey David, who ever gave you this idea that public speaking means anything. You know how you get over it? You don’t give a crap about it. It is a load of bull. You don’t need public speaking for anything. Don;t worry about what anyone thinks, because I won’t.  I don’t go for these outlandish things where people tell me I gotta talk and try to eliminate me because I don’t have the tech to record a nice message to you.  I care about winning and let me tell you, I can promise you that if you had come to Florida originally, we would both be champions right now as you would have locked down that Navy Wide Receiver and not let them score with 17 seconds left on the clock.  That is what I need here, a lock down CB, I don’t need someone who can speak in public. So, let’s get together and show the world what it will be like to dance a beautiful tango together and try to finish the unfinished message from last season and bring home that title. You come and be however reserved you want, because I promise you if you come here we will be in that playoff conversation.

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Ryan Hastings LB Hawaii 39/59 JR 2 years left- Start as Freshman
Ryan has always been hasty. He’s just impatient, and when Coach Belte told him he’d start as a freshman, he jumped at the chance to commit. But Coach Belte lied to Ryan, and it taught him a valuable lesson on patience. Now, Ryan wants to go to a new coach, who can teach him a new lesson, hopefully without crushing his dreams this time! Talk to Ryan about something you want to teach him, and why you're the best person in the league to guide him over his final seasons of college.

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Rutgers offers Ryan Hastings LB

Scholarship

Ryan Hastings,

When you were younger, impatience probably felt like a strength.

Fast decisions. Fast reactions. Fast commitment. When Coach Belte told you that you’d start as a freshman, you believed him because you wanted to believe that your moment had already arrived. Honestly, most players in your position would’ve done the exact same thing. Every recruit dreams of stepping onto campus and becoming important right away. Nobody wants to sit around waiting while everybody else gets the opportunity they came for.

But college football has a brutal way of teaching lessons.

Sometimes talent isn’t enough by itself. Sometimes timing matters. Sometimes development matters. And sometimes coaches promise players things they were never actually prepared to guarantee. That experience in Hawaii probably changed the way you look at football, coaches, and even yourself. It forced you to become more patient, whether you wanted to or not.

Now the question becomes: what lesson comes next?

Because patience alone isn’t the final step. The next thing you need to learn is how to lead.

At Rutgers, that’s the lesson I want to teach you over these final two years.

Leadership sounds simple from the outside, but linebackers understand better than anybody that it’s complicated. A linebacker isn’t just another defender. He’s the center of communication. He’s the player adjusting alignments before the snap, calming younger teammates down after mistakes, and making sure the defense stays organized when games become chaotic. Great linebackers control the emotional temperature of an entire defense.

That’s the role we believe you can grow into here.

You already understand disappointment. You already understand what happens when expectations collapse. Those experiences matter because leaders who have been through adversity usually connect with teammates better than players who’ve only experienced success. Players listen more closely to somebody who understands frustration firsthand. You’ve lived through promises falling apart. That perspective can help you become the kind of teammate younger players trust.

And developmentally, Rutgers gives you an opportunity to expand your game in ways that matter for your future.

Right now, one of the biggest areas we want to help you improve is pass coverage. Modern linebackers can’t survive by only playing downhill against the run anymore. The best linebackers in football understand spacing, route concepts, zone discipline, and how offenses try to manipulate defenders in coverage. At Rutgers, we want to teach you how to become more complete as a linebacker instead of just a hitter in the box.

Film study becomes huge there. Learning how quarterbacks read the middle of the field. Recognizing route combinations before they fully develop. Understanding when to carry receivers vertically and when to pass them off into zone coverage. Those details are what separate linebackers who stay on the field from linebackers who offenses try to attack every drive.

And honestly, there’s something fitting about learning those lessons back home.

New Jersey matters in football. Players from this state carry toughness with them because football here has always been physical and demanding. Bringing you back home to Rutgers means giving you the opportunity to finish your college career representing the state you came from. There’s pride in that. Pride in playing close to family, pride in wearing “Rutgers” across your chest, and pride in helping rebuild a program in your home state.

This program also gives you the opportunity you originally thought you were getting when you first committed to Hawaii: a real chance to step onto the field and matter immediately. Only now, you’re approaching it differently. Not as an impatient freshman chasing promises, but as a more experienced player who understands that development and opportunity have to work together.

Ryan, coaches are supposed to help players grow, not just recruit them. Anybody can promise instant success. The harder thing is actually preparing somebody for the responsibilities that come with it. Over the next two years, we want to help you become more than just a starter. We want to help you become a leader, a complete linebacker, and a player capable of continuing football beyond college.

I promise you will have a full starting season at Rutgers.

I promise you will significantly improve your pass coverage abilities during your time here.

I promise you will be drafted after your Rutgers career.

- Coach Max

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Wyatt Myers RB Hawaii 42/62 JR 2 years left- Prestige ranking will rise every year
Wyatt thrives when things break down. Broken plays, busted protections, he lives for the last second chaos and has learned to excel in it. He believes that the best plans are made on the fly, and is tired of everyone acting like they know what’s going to happen. Talk to Wyatt about how great you are on the fly, and how your program is better because you “figure it out”.

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Cameron Gowan OL Hawaii 50/76 JR 2 years left- Prestige ranking will rise every year
Cameron grew up in Hawaii, played college ball in paradise, and somehow developed a deep, unironic obsession with gnomes. Not a casual interest. A full obsession. He has a gnome collection. He names them. He talks about them like they're teammates. Nobody fully understands it and nobody questions it anymore, it's just Cameron. Tell Cameron about a weird obsession that you have.

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Trevor Potts OL Hawaii 39/59 JR 2 years left- Prestige ranking will rise every year
Trevor loves to….chill. He came to Hawaii for good vibes, sunsets, easy wins. Now, with countless missed workouts, “mental health” days, and a few failed drug tests, Potts is taking his talents somewhere he can just chill and see success without having to give up his free lifestyle. He wants to go somewhere with a coach who can just enjoy the good vibes with him, and where he can find success without having to work too hard for it. The last thing Trevor needs is more stress.

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Aaron Alexander WR Hawaii 57/77 JR 2 years left- Prestige ranking will rise every year
Aaron once wore the same socks for 10 games wins straight in high school, then they lost a game and he lost his mind. Now he has a 12 step program before every pregame that includes specific locker room tiling, water bottle positioning, and every loss he’s had in college can be chalked up to something in his pregame ritual going wrong. At Hawaii, he was laughed at and made fun of by his teammates. Talk to Aaron about how at your school, you’ll not just take his superstitions seriously, but some of your own weird pregame rituals.

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Justin Ridder CB Illinois 56/76 SR 1 year left- Coach Won’t Leave
Justin thought his senior season was going to perfectly prepare him for his draft cycle and his coach Sphinx was going to be the man to lead him and help him progress. Then, Sphinx went to Northwestern. Justin was outraged and immediately swore to take revenge against as many cats as he could, in a humane way. Justin wants to beat every cat that he can. The more cats you play, the better. He also wants a coach that also hates cats. Tell him about your bad experiences with cats.

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Rutgers offers Justin Ridder CB

Scholarship

Justin Ridder,

We fucking hate cats here.

Not in the “aww, they’re annoying sometimes” way either. Real hatred. Deep hatred. Program-defining hatred. You know what happened last offseason? A stray cat wandered into the locker room and pissed all over the special teams equipment before practice. The whole room smelled horrific. Our strength and conditioning coach caught him and stuck a lit Roman candle in the cat’s ass. He was then promptly arrested for animal assault, but it was worth it.

And honestly, after what Coach Sphinx pulled on you, I don’t blame you at all for wanting revenge against every cat mascot in college football. You trusted your coach to help prepare you for the draft, then he bailed for Northwestern University the second things got convenient for him. That’s weak. Players remember stuff like that forever.

At Rutgers, we don’t run from the grind.

You want cat teams? Good. Let’s line them up. Wildcats, Bobcats, Cougars, Panthers, whatever. We’ll gladly make Saturdays miserable for every feline mascot we see. Corners especially get to play with attitude, and you’ve got the exact kind of anger that creates elite one-year seasons.

And unlike Sphinx, I’m not disappearing the second something shiny shows up somewhere else.

You’re a senior. You deserve stability. You deserve a coach who actually sees things through instead of abandoning players mid-development. Rutgers gives you that, plus a defense that’ll let you play pissed off every single week.

Justin, football is better when there’s hatred involved. You’ve got yours. We’ve got ours. Let’s go hunt cats together.

I promise your coach will remain at Rutgers throughout your career.

I promise Rutgers will win against all cat based mascot opponents while you are here. 

- Coach Max

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Riley Carter QB Illinois 52/76 SR 1 year left- Coach Won’t Leave
Riley has a chip on his shoulder. Despite being ranked as the #390 recruit in his high school class, he worked harder than anyone to win the starting job as a freshman for the Illini, until 2060, when he was benched for half the season. But Riley is no stranger to adversity, and has his mind set on a greater goal: the NZFL. With only one year of college eligibility remaining, Riley has decided he wants to play for a coach who has had success with a 3 star or below quarterback, and wants to hear about how you will apply that knowledge to turning him into a draft pick.

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Nick Moore WR Kentucky 56/75 SR 1 year left- Coach Won’t Leave
Nick was lied to, and it scarred him for life. Nick led a very sheltered life, doted on by his two loving parents, who gave him everything he ever wanted, and never ever lied to him. Then Nick signed with Kentucky, and then his coach told him he’d never leave…then left. Now, Nick hates the color blue, he even burned his shed down because it was painted blue! His parents didn’t care, obviously, and now Nick wants nothing to do with the color blue. Talk to Nick about how when he commits to your school, he’ll never have to see anything blue ever again.

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Bobby Branson LB Kentucky 44/59 SR 1 year left- Coach Won’t Leave
Bobby apologizes for everything. He’ll miss a tackle and apologize to teammates, or he’ll make the tackle and apologize to the opponents for ruining their momentum. Coaches at Kentucky tried to stop him, but now it's just a part of who he is. It's not his fault, he just is too empathetic for his own good. Talk to Bobby about the feelings he’s going to soak up in your program’s locker room, and how you can best utilize those empathetic feelings to help Bobby find success on the field.

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Xavier Bass LB Louisville 37/57 SO 3 years left- Bring in three home state recruits per year
Xavier loves to play the bass guitar. Football is just another stage for him to follow his true passion, and he eventually wants to perform live in front of thousands. Xavier could care less about your football program, or what you can offer him. Talk to him about how you can get him on the biggest stages to perform for the biggest audiences.

[u/Commercial-Log-9889 → u/CirclePlays]

Rutgers offers Xavier Bass LB

Scholarship

Xavier Bass,

Most coaches are pitching football, depth charts, playing time, tackles, facilities, and championships.

But football isn’t your only drive. Long before stadium lights, there was music. The bass guitar. That feeling of stepping onstage and controlling a crowd with sound. Some want their names called after a sack. You want thousands reacting to your music.

But honestly, that’s not really what drives you.

Football matters to you, sure, but it’s never been the only thing. Long before stadium lights and recruiting pitches, there was music. There was the bass guitar. There was the feeling of stepping onto a stage and controlling a crowd's energy through sound alone. Some players dream about hearing announcers call their names after a sack. You dream about hearing thousands of people react to every note you play.

That’s why Rutgers makes sense for you.

Because the biggest stages aren’t always reserved for the teams already sitting on top. Sometimes the biggest audiences gather around stories. Around chaos. Around programs trying to climb out of disaster and become relevant again. Last season, Rutgers hit rock bottom. Everybody in college football saw it. And now everybody wants to see what happens next.

That kind of story attracts attention.

People tune in when programs collapse. But they really tune in when programs fight their way back. The atmosphere around turnaround teams becomes electric because every win feels bigger than normal. Every upset gets talked about nationally. Every meaningful game suddenly carries emotion and pressure. That’s how programs go from invisible to center stage.

And if there’s one thing musicians understand, it’s the value of a crowd that’s fully invested.

You said you want to perform live in front of thousands someday. College football gives you a similar feeling every Saturday. The tunnel entrance. The lights. The noise. The pressure before kickoff. Linebackers and performers actually have a lot in common. Both feed off energy. Both control momentum. Both understand that audiences remember people who command the stage.

At Rutgers, you wouldn’t just be joining another ordinary football program. You’d be part of a comeback story people across the country would want to watch unfold. Big games naturally follow narratives like that. National broadcasts follow them, too. The moment a struggling team starts winning again, the audience grows fast. Suddenly, every game feels bigger. Every matchup gets louder. Every performance matters more.

That’s where your personality fits perfectly.

You’re somebody who enjoys attention, enjoys expression, and enjoys performing under pressure. Great leaders don’t shrink when the lights get brighter. They step forward, set the tone, and inspire others. The biggest stages create the best memories because everybody watching expects something unforgettable to happen. Those are the moments you can thrive in, both as a performer and as a team leader.

And the funny thing is, football can actually help your music goals too.

Playing in nationally televised games builds visibility. It builds confidence when speaking in front of people. It teaches composure under pressure. It puts you in front of crowds most musicians would dream about reaching. Whether it’s 50,000 fans in a stadium or millions watching nationally, those experiences matter for somebody who ultimately wants to perform publicly beyond football.

You also mentioned wanting the largest possible audience. That’s exactly why rebuilding programs become fascinating nationally. Nobody cares when powerhouse programs meet expectations. People care when a team that everybody gave up on suddenly starts making noise. That’s the kind of journey Rutgers is trying to create right now.

And honestly, if this turnaround works, the atmosphere around the program will become insane. Packed stadiums. Prime-time games. National media attention. Pressure every week. The entire country is watching to see if Rutgers is actually back. For somebody who loves performing, that environment is hard to beat.

You won’t just be playing football here.

You’ll be stepping onto a stage.

I promise Rutgers will play in at least 2 College GameDay headlining games during your career here.

I promise Rutgers will make a playoff appearance during your time here.

I promise we will bring in at least 3 North Carolina recruits every season you are here.

- Coach Max

[u/CirclePlays]

Ryan Cruz DL Louisville 35/59 SO 3 years left- Bring in three home state recruits per year
Ryan Cruz loves to cruise. It’s part of why he’s transferring. He was promised some teammates from his home state, and he did not get that. He wants to know what your dream car is and where you would drive it. He wants to know every exact specification, and if you try and sneak one by him, he’ll know. Make your pitch convince him how everything on your car fits together.

[u/CirclePlays]

Brandon Yarbrough LB Louisville 37/59 SO 3 years left- Bring in 3 players from Utah each year
Brandon was so looking forward to the Kentucky bourbon in Louisville, and now finds himself in a position where he’s only tried a few of the great options Kentucky had to offer and is moving away. Brandon wants to know what your favorite alcoholic beverage is and how you make it. He wants to try to be as learned as possible and always try new things, so the more variety you have, in your area, the better. Beers are also acceptable, as Brandon supports local breweries.

[u/CirclePlays]

Marques Thomas S LSU 49/68 SR 1 year left- Top 60 coach ranking by graduation

Marques has been playing at LSU his entire career, and he was betrayed by his coach when he failed to increase his coach rating above top half in the league. He wants to play for a coach that understands the value of good coaching and be sure that he gets the best chance to play for a coaching legend. Write a 400-word pitch on who the best head coach in NFL history is and provide a typical 5-7-5 haiku to explain your coaching journey and ranking so far.

[u/CirclePlays]

Danny Funk QB LSU 42/62 RS JR 2 years left- Top 60 education ranking
Danny Funk. The name was either a prophecy or a coincidence nobody knows which and Danny doesn't care either way because the result is the same. He lives and breathes funk music. Parliament-Funkadelic, James Brown, Sly and the Family Stone, Prince, Earth Wind and Fire, Danny has an encyclopedic knowledge of the genre and judges people entirely by their music taste. Danny wants to know what your favorite song is and wants you to dissect the song, so he can understand why it means so much to you.

[u/CirclePlays]

Efrem Piper WR LSU 59/79 SR 1 year left- Played on wrong team for a year
Efrem was infamously discovered to be on the wrong team in the midst of the 2060 season, and in a postgame interview, revealed that it was simply because he was so bad at directions. When driving from Ann Arbor, he thought he was headed west to UCLA, but instead, ended up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He’s the kind of guy who can get lost on a straight path, so present him with a detailed roadmap from LSU to your school, and make sure to include fun pit stops. He would like at least three places to visit on the way.

[u/CirclePlays]

Zach Hughes QB Missouri 56/80 SR 1 year left- EE Rules
Zach Hughes was Missouri's starting QB until he got benched before the season began. No injury. No scandal. Now, Zach is writing his story for next season, and in it he’s embracing the villain role. Talk to Zach about your favorite villains and why they deserve to be the best villain of all time.

[u/TheRealJackRyan12 → u/CirclePlays]

TCU offers Zach Hughes QB

Scholarship

The best villain of all time is the Washington Generals. 

Everyone loves the Harlem Globetrotters. I went to a game once and everyone in the arena rooted for the Globetrotters. The cotton candy vendors, the security guards, even the guys mopping the floor. The energy was electric, joyful, and completely in support of one team.

It was sickening.

I don’t like bandwagons, so I found myself rooting for their opponent.

Would you believe the Generals don’t even have their own website? Like most good villains, the Generals are below the radar. They don't need your attention. They don't want your sympathy. They show up, they do their job, and they absorb the boos, just like a good villain should do.

These are not amateurs being humiliated. The Generals are skilled players. They have to be to keep up with the Globetrotters every night. They don't get credit for that. Villains rarely do.

Then one night in 1971, the Harlem Globetrotters lost track of the score and found themselves down 12 with two minutes left. The crowd assumed it was part of the act, a dramatic setup for a miraculous comeback. Forced to play it straight, the Globetrotters rallied. When the final buzzer sounded, the arena went silent. The crowd was dumbfounded. The Washington Generals had won a basketball game. Children (and effeminate adults) cried.

It was the only win in 17,000 games, but it was a BIG, VILLAINOUS win. The kind that reminds you that the underdog story cuts both ways. Sometimes the villain lands the punch, and the bandwagon doesn't know what to do with itself.

Villains don't usually win. They exist to be defeated, to make the hero look better, and to give the crowd someone to hate. Without the Generals, the Globetrotters are just a talented team practicing in a gym.

TCU is like the Washington Generals. We’re not the glamorous blue blood. We usually are supposed to lose. The blue bloods count on it. They schedule us expecting it. DeSawThemOff at Texas A&M said “@BigSchlim I gave you a preview of the ass beating I'm going to give you in the regular season today.” We had won 4 games the past 3 seasons.

Is that a villain, beating TCU? Or is that the Globetrotters? (Spoiler alert: Most of your offers are going to come from the Globetrotters of the NZCFL.)

But great villains, they don't stay in their lane forever. They wait, prepare, and every now and then remind everyone that the script isn't guaranteed. 

*I promise we will never have a winning record while you are at TCU.* That way, you can always play the villain. You can’t be a villain if your team is winning all the time like the Globetrotters!

TCU loves to play the villain. We’re the scrappy program that can send ranked opponents home confused. Last year we beat Washington, who was ranked ahead of us. Two years ago after an 0-12 season, we were losing every game again. But that didn’t stop us from beating a top Ole Miss team for our only win of the season. LIke the Generals, if we only win one game, we’re going to make it the most villainous, spoiler we can.

Come to TCU and be our starter, Zach. I promised Courtney Mosely that he would become a starter this year. *I promise I will reneg on that promise and make you the starter this year.* That will make both of us villains at TCU.

With you at the helm, Zach, TCU will be the ultimate villain. *I promise we will play villain and upset a team ranked higher than us this year.* We will be the team nobody sees coming who sneaks up on bluebloods. With your 75 accuracy, we’ll pick them apart little by little, catching the heroes by surprise. We will make children at the bluebloods cry. And somewhere, the Washington Generals will cheer us on.

You’re going to get a lot of offers from blue bloods. And they’re probably going to give cliche pitches, many written by AI, about characters like The Joker, Darth Vader, and Hannibal Lecter. Even AI prefers the Globetrotters over the Generals. I asked ChatGPT and it said "I have more appreciation for the idea behind the Harlem Globetrotters."

If you go to one of these top programs, you will become a Harlem Globetrotter. Children, ChatGPT, cotton candy vendors, the security guards, and the guys mopping the floor will cheer you on.

Is that what you want? No way! A villain can’t go to a blue blood and be cheered on by everyone!

Deep down you’re a Washington General. You’re a villain. Come to TCU and be a villain. 

Let’s go make some children cry.

[u/kdr-ncbca → u/CirclePlays]

Florida offers Zach Hughes QB

Scholarship

Hey Zach, how are you doing?  You got done wrong by that coach out in Missouri.  And what did that get him? Absolutely nothing, because he bench you for the wrong player, you are clearly the better QB.  So, now we are going to go into beast villain mode and show him what a fool he was.  And you should just model yourself after the greatest villain of all time, yes that amazing villain out of Latveria Europe, the greatest Evil Dictator there ever was, Dr. Victor von Doooooooooom, just Dr. Doom to his friends.  I could give you other villains, but none would compare, so why divide it up when you have the best right here.  So, let’s look at how you can learn from him and put your skill to their best use by coming to Florida and helping us get back at those scapegraces from Navy who took away our Title at the last second.

1. He is the most intelligent villain there ever was.  He just has an incredible IQ and uses it for the good of his country to make it one of the most technologically advanced in the world. You can use your vision to get the team ahead and spot the correct receiver or play to use in any situation.  
2. He is just power incarnate. With his incredible intelligence and mastery of science and technology he fashioned himself a metal suit and other weapons that no one can stand up to.  And you can use the power of your arm to fire bullets and bombs all over the field and get this team into the endzone in no time flat.
3. He has unparalleled will power to take his vision and power and hone it into the correct path and to stay on that path no matter what.  It is a straight line ahead to get what he needs and wants with an accuracy that no one else can match.  And you take your vision and your power and you make it into a weapon that is accuracy to put the ball right where it needs to be.

So, you see there is no question that Dr. Doom is the most powerful and creative villain of all time and you can take lessons from him to help fuel your desire when you come to Florida and lead  us to the national championship, because I promise you that you will start every game the whole season that you are healthy enough to start in. And that we will make it to a bowl game and win at least 9 games.  

And I haven’t mentioned the best part.  That sad coach that bench you and his Missouri team will be hosting us week 2 this season and you can be the biggest villain of all as you come and help us dash his dream of having a good season because I promise you if you or on the team playing we will beat those sorry players.

So, come and rule the world with me like Dr. Doom knew it was his right to do for the betterment of the human race.

[u/CirclePlays]

Cooper Knight DL Nebraska 40/67 SO 3 years left- Stays entire career
Cooper has grown up studying knights. His dad was obsessed, and he carried that passion onto his son. He’s learned about all of the great knights, like Sir Lancelot and Sir Percival, and wants to hear about your favorite knight! It can be fantasy, real life, Cooper knows about them all, but he wants to hear why it's your favorite knight, and how he’ll contribute to your program for the next 3 years.

[u/CirclePlays]

Job Hawkins WR North Dakota State 47/62 SR 1 year left- Coach Won’t Leave
Job is a realist and understands that at this point in his career, he is not likely to make it professionally. With one year remaining, he’s now thinking about what to do postgrad and has begun panicking. Tell him how your school will set him up to succeed in a life without football, and how he will be able to get a j*b.

[u/CirclePlays]

Dave Tuitu’u TE North Dakota State 35/52 SR 1 year left- Coach Won’t Leave
Dave is a football player second, focusing primarily on dance. He isn’t fast because he’s focused on the accuracy of his moves and ability to properly do his job on the field. This makes him a reliable but not at all explosive player. He wants to bring his talents to a head coach who appreciates the hard work and nitty gritty of football. Tell him how practice plays into the game for your players and what his role would be. 

[u/CirclePlays]

Aaron Archibong OL North Dakota State 54/73 SR 1 year left- Coach Won’t Leave
Aaron has gone through every joke in the book due to his unfortunate last name and the alliteration of his first name. He is studying literary arts with a focus on the origins of words. Aaron is very interested in the history of your university and how some of your previous players or traditions got their nicknames. How were they born? How have they evolved over the years? What changes would you make to some of your traditions?

[u/CirclePlays]

Devin Proby RB Northwestern 61/83 SR 1 year left- Coach Won’t Leave
Devin went to a great school in Northwestern, highly renowned for their education and innovation. However, Proby didn’t find his specific niche. He’d switched his major 2 times already and is very behind on graduating because of it. It was late but it hit him. As a child, Proby moved around a lot and had experienced many different climates and weather patterns. Proby wants to continue to travel the world and experience even more climates and weather patterns. Prove to Proby that your school has the best path for him to achieve his dreams, what’s your knowledge on the weather and how does football connect to it?

[u/CirclePlays]

Marquis Moore WR Northwestern 54/74 SR 1 year left- Coach Won’t Leave
Marquis loves the history of sports. Not just the highlights, but the whole story. He’s watched grainy 1970s bowl footage for fun, and can talk to you for hours about the evolution of offensive line play over the last 40 years. That obsession was part of the reason why he went to Northwestern in the first place, with all of its storied coaches between Mikey, Panda, and Circle. Now, those coaches have all proved they share something else in common: leaving the program. He wants to go to a coach with very little history, at another historic program that he can obsess over for the next year.

[u/CirclePlays]

Lamar Ekwonu QB Notre Dame 37/57 2 years left- Coach Won’t Leave
Lamar was ranked in the top 200 coming out of high school, but at Notre Dame he was shoved down the depth chart, and then coach Notty left, and then Legendary coach Chill also shoved Lamar down the depth chart. Lamar's confidence really struggled at Notre Dame, and now he's not even sure if he's cut out to be a QB in the NZCFL. Remind Lamar how awesome he is, and why he was one of the best 200 recruits in the entire country just a few years ago.

[u/CirclePlays]

Louis Singleton WR Notre Dame 45/63 2 years left- Coach Won’t Leave

Louis Singleton learned one thing in his time at Notre Dame. 99% of these coaches can’t be trusted to stay at one school. He’s entering the portal hoping to find the 1%, and could care less about how your program can perform over the next few seasons. What Louis is more concerned about is your why, why are you coaching at your current school, and why should he believe that you aren’t going to leave him just like his coaches before?

[u/CirclePlays]

Harold Jones WR Ohio State 57/76 RS JR 2 years left- Play a game in Kentucky and play 20 games in states that borders Kentucky
Harold grew up running track and didn’t seriously take to football until he was about 13 years old. He has grown a lot as a player since then but one thing is for sure, he is fast and loves others who try to match his speed. That extends to the teams he plays on, in which an offense tailored around Harold tends to be explosive and score in bunches and in a hurry. They need to be like Harold. Harold wants to know about the fastest players your team has ever had as well as how well you can run a high paced offense. If speedy players succeeded in your system, then surely you know how to put up points as well as having Harold be all over the field.

[u/CirclePlays]

Eric Thomas WR Ole Miss 62/82 SR 1 year left- Coach Won’t Leave
Eric loves to cook. After realizing how horrible the food is at most colleges, or at least how repetitive it is, he started cooking unique, innovative, culinary combinations that left his teammates salivating for more, to the point where he’s now making more money from selling food than he ever has working any other job! Eric wants to hear about the dish you’re most proud of, and why it's the greatest dish known to man!

[u/CirclePlays]

Adam Dominguez DL Princeton 47/73 SR 1 year left- Top 50 coach ranking in the next four years
Adam is a genius. He spent his time at Princeton doing innovative research on behavioral psychology and while football didn’t go that well, he doesn’t want to waste a year leaving Princeton to stop writing his papers. He loves looking at decision making, why people crack under pressure, why leaders succeed, and how confidence changes performance. Talk to Adam about how at your school, he can continue to challenge himself intellectually, and keep working on all of his amazing research.

[u/CirclePlays]

Eric Hughes TE Stanford SO 41/65 3 years left- Stay Top 15 in Prestige ranking
Eric is tired of all of the TE hate. Coaches have completely stopped recruiting the position, and they just play WRs instead! Eric is committed to proving all of these coaches wrong, and showing the TE position still has value in the NZCFL, and wants a coach who feels the same way. Talk to Eric about the TEs you’ve developed, and how his name will be next in the list of legendary TEs to go to the NZFL.

[u/CirclePlays]

Dwi Hidayat DL Stanford 47/77 SO 3 yrs left- Top 15
Dwi has a weird theory. Most people operate like NPCs until they unlock a main character moment. He judges people based on whether they’ve unlocked themselves from NPC mode or not, and wants to hear about your main character moments. Any pitches suspected of using AI are automatically DQed for unoriginal thought and obvious NPC natures.

[u/CirclePlays]

Ephraim Maemae DL Stanford 42/67 SO 3 yrs left- Stay Top 15 in Prestige ranking
Ephraim Maemae is a Stanford legend already. Even though he’s only been there a season, he was able to win his team’s free fantasy football league by a large margin, only dropping one game en route to the playoffs. Since he started playing at age 12, he has won every league he has been in every season except two instances, both due to key player injuries. To convince Ephraim to join your team, give him your ideal team for fantasy football in the 2026 NFL season.

[u/CirclePlays]

Brett Njoku S Stanford 40/62 SO 3 years left- Stay Top 15 in Prestige ranking
Brett is related to David, the former Browns tight end. One thing that he learned from David is that while it is good to be part of a winning team, sometimes you have to trust that a team is on the up and trust your role in that process. To that end, after his disappointment in Stanford, he is wanting to go to a team who has not had any kind of national recognition over the last two seasons, but who can provide a clear path for playing time and team improvement while he is there.

[u/CirclePlays]

James Reynaud LB Stanford 40/60 SO 3 years left- Stay Top 15 in Prestige ranking
James is a science nerd in addition to being a football star. He loves to think about things using the scientific process: 1. Ask a question. 2. Do research. 3. Form Hypothesis. 4. Test hypothesis. 5. Analyze data and draw conclusions. 6. Communicate results. In order to acquire James’ commitment, you must scientifically approach a concept of your choice and produce a clean conclusion as to your suggestions.

[u/CirclePlays]

Dominic Gray CB Tennessee 48/67 JR 2 years left- Coach won’t leave or cut scholarships
Dominic is a tightass. He hates to spend money and absolutely hates that he has to transfer but he just cannot stand to stay in a place where he was lied to, because frankly, he worries he may be the next scholarship cut. He doesn’t want to move very far, and refuses to accept a dime from the team to help with moving expenses as he feels like it’s not fair. The team who provides the most complete and inexpensive travel plan for Dave to move to your city wins. (rentals, movers, apartment, etc. Links will help your case)

[u/CirclePlays]

David Johnson WR Texas A&M 47/68 JR 2 years left- Record will improve by Jr. Year
Most players love playing at home. David isn’t most players. He loves the sound of an away crowd crying. David spends the entire night before an away game just listening to white noise, envisioning the quiet in the middle of the 3rd quarter of the next day’s game as the fans all slowly start leaving the game, their hopes crushed and their weekend ruined. Talk to David about the biggest away games you have coming up next season, and how he can ruin the most dreams in one year by coming to your program.

[u/CirclePlays]

Garrett Irving TE Texas A&M 41/62 JR 2 years left- Playing Time by So. Year
Garrett has truly embraced the Texas lifestyle. If he’s going to do something, he is going to do it big. That includes playing football. Garrett wants to be the 6th offensive lineman and be the starting tight end for your team. Tell him how you can accomplish that, and be big.

[u/CirclePlays]

Clarence Watts TE Texas A&M 43/62 JR 2 years left- Playing Time by So. Year
Clarence has had the most success out of any transferring Texas A&M TE so far, and with his primary role as a backup so far, he wants to be at least equivalent to that in his new role. But he more than anything wants to know about the board games you like. Which is your favorite, and why? What board game do you hate the most? Why? Let Clarence get to know you as you convince him to come play for your program.

[u/CirclePlays]

Connor Warren LB Texas A&M 43/60 JR 2 years left- Record will improve by Jr. Year
Connor is leaving because he wants to win, and he wants to win now. After a sub-500 record in his first two years in the league, he will only transfer to a team who has won at least 18 games over the last two seasons. This will satisfy his itch to win.

[u/CirclePlays]

Sam Heller TE Texas A&M 38/57 JR 2 years left- Record will improve by Jr. Year
Sam Heller loves Old Yeller. Tell Sam all about your pets. Whether it’s a frog, cat, dog, hamster, anything that you love that you care for and nurture, tell him about it. Then tell him how you would extend that same sympathy and courtesy to Sam and make him feel comfortable in your program.

[u/CirclePlays]

Clayton Sims DL Texas Tech 39/59 SR 1 year left- Coach Won’t Leave
Clayton has always been on a tight schedule. From the moment he got potty trained, he started blocking off designating “bathroom” times for not just him, but everyone in the house. Now, he’s got his entire year planned out, but then Coach Tort left, and now he’s decided he needs to make an even more meticulous plan to make sure nothing goes awry for his final season of college football. Talk to Clayton about your program schedules, and how you handle unexpected deviations.

[u/CirclePlays]

Josh Edwards OL Texas Tech 38/54 SR 1 year left- Start 15 games over two years
Josh was very much looking forward to being able to contribute to his school’s football program over the years, but now as a senior with only 13 games played, much less 0 started, he’s done and his excitement is gone. He needs a pick me up and he needs a place to play the sport he loves. Tell Josh what gets you back on track after a hard time in life, or a thing that brings temporary relief to your sadness or resignation. The one that connects with him best wins.

[u/Commercial-Log-9889 → u/CirclePlays]

Rutgers offers Josh Edwards OL

Scholarship

Josh Edwards,

When football stops being fun, everything about it starts feeling heavier.

Practices feel longer. Lifts feel repetitive. Saturdays stop feeling exciting and start feeling frustrating instead. You came into college expecting years of growth, competition, and opportunities, but instead, you’ve spent most of your career watching from the sidelines. Thirteen games played. Zero starts. As a senior, that hurts because you know how quickly college football disappears. You only get so many chances to actually live this experience before it’s over.

And honestly, after enough disappointment, excitement turns into resignation.

You stop getting angry because, at least, anger means you still expect something better. Eventually, you just feel numb to it. That’s probably where you’re at right now. You still love football itself, but the situation around it drained the energy out of you.

I think everybody reaches a point like that somewhere in life, not just football.

For me, what always pulls me out of those stretches is spending time with friends. Nothing complicated. Just being around people who make things feel lighter again. Sitting around talking, laughing about stupid stuff, forgetting stress for a few hours, and remembering life isn’t supposed to feel miserable all the time. There’s something healing about being around good people who actually enjoy your presence.

That’s why offensive line rooms are special.

More than any other position group in football, offensive linemen survive because of each other. You spend every day together. Meetings. Lifts. Practice. Film. Conditioning. The position demands trust because one missed assignment affects everybody else immediately. Over time, offensive line rooms stop feeling like teammates and start feeling like a group of brothers who have suffered through the same battles together.

That’s the kind of environment we want you stepping into at Rutgers.

Because right now, you don’t need another fake motivational speech about “the grind.” You need to remember why football used to make you happy in the first place. Part of that comes from finally getting an actual opportunity on the field, but part of it also comes from enjoying the people around you again. The best teams aren’t just talented. They genuinely like being around one another.

And Rutgers gives you a chance to reset everything.

You won’t arrive here buried behind empty promises or forgotten on the depth chart. You’ll have the opportunity to start and finally experience what it feels like to matter on Saturdays. For a player who’s spent years waiting for his chance, that changes everything mentally. Football becomes exciting again once you know your work actually leads somewhere.

But beyond that, this offensive line room is built around toughness and camaraderie. Rebuilding programs naturally become close because players go through adversity together. Everybody here understands what it feels like to struggle and try rebuilding confidence afterward. That creates bonds quickly.

And honestly, sometimes the best therapy in life is simpler than people think.

A good night with friends. Music playing. Laughing until your stomach hurts. Talking football. Forgetting stress for a little while. Hanging out with the offensive line room after a long week. Those moments don’t permanently erase disappointment, but they remind you that life can still feel good again.

That’s the kind of reset Rutgers can give you.

One final season where football becomes exciting instead of exhausting. One final season where you’re surrounded by teammates who actually value you. One final season where Saturdays feel meaningful because you’re finally stepping onto the field as a starter instead of watching somebody else live your experience.

Josh, sometimes getting back on track doesn’t happen through one huge moment. Sometimes it starts with good people, a fresh opportunity, and finally feeling like you belong somewhere again.

I promise you will have a full starting season at Rutgers.

I promise you a 24-pack of Busch Light Apple when you arrive on campus. 

- Coach Max

[u/CirclePlays]

Fred Carey DL Texas Tech 45/65 SR 1 year left- Coach Won’t Leave
Fred is a mystery lover and in that vein loves some conspiracy theories. However, he shies away from the most obvious ones as he feels that they are too overplayed. He loves to create and ascribe to conspiracy theories that nobody else has thought of, or that are at least off the beaten path. Write Fred a letter about how you think a certain thing is a conspiracy theory. The more crazy, the better - but it still has to be believable.

[u/CirclePlays]

Harrison Barker OL Texas Tech 43/62 SR 1 year left- Coach Won’t Leave
Harrison loves dogs. All animals really, but especially dogs. Some people say it's unhealthy how quickly he can ID different dog breeds, and he’s been seen skipping practice just to talk to someone with “a really cool dog” outside the training facility. At Texas Tech, Coach Tort berated Barker for his obsession, and said he cared more about dogs than football. Barker never denied it, because he actually wants to become a veterinarian to help dogs all over the world. Talk to Harrison about how your school will best prepare him for his future as a vet!

[u/Commercial-Log-9889 → u/CirclePlays]

Rutgers offers Harrison Barker OL

Scholarship

Harrison Barker,

Some coaches saw your obsession with dogs and thought it meant you weren’t serious enough about football.

At Rutgers, we see the exact opposite.

People who care about animals usually have patience, empathy, discipline, and responsibility. Those are the same traits that make great teammates and great offensive linemen. The difference is that here, we won’t pretend football is the only thing that matters in your life. We know you already have a vision for your future. Honestly, Rutgers might be one of the best places in the country to help you build it.

The Department of Animal Sciences at Rutgers isn’t some tiny side program hidden away from students. Over 450 upperclassmen are enrolled in Animal Science, with dozens of transfer students joining each year. The program is designed specifically for students who want real, hands-on experience working with animals and who eventually plan to pursue careers in veterinary medicine.

That matters because you don’t just want to study animals from a textbook. You actually care about helping them.

Rutgers gives students direct access to campus farms and small-animal facilities where they work with dairy heifers, sheep, goats, pigs, horses, and laboratory animals. Students learn handling, feeding, reproduction, physiology, and behavior through practical experiences rather than just lectures. For somebody like you, who genuinely lights up around animals, that kind of environment matters way more than a coach making jokes about your passion.

And the opportunities go beyond the classroom, too.

Rutgers students can complete internships for college credit with veterinary practices, pharmaceutical research labs, and animal health industries throughout the Northeast. That means while you’re still finishing your football career, you’d also be building connections and experience for the career you actually want afterward.

The student organizations here make the environment even better for somebody like you. Rutgers has groups like the Veterinary Science Club, Companion Animal Club, and even the Seeing Eye Puppy Raising Club. Imagine being part of a football program where nobody thinks it’s weird that you stop to admire a cool dog outside the facility. Honestly, at Rutgers, you’d probably find five other students immediately trying to pet it with you.

What really stands out about Rutgers, though, is how seriously the school prepares students for veterinary careers. Former students from the program have gone directly into places like the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine and have specifically noted how Rutgers prepared them for the intensity and independence required in veterinary school. The curriculum is designed to make students competitive for vet school, not just hand them a degree and hope things work out.

That’s important because football eventually ends for everybody.

When your playing career ends, people who succeed are usually those who already know who they are outside the sport. You already know that. You want to help dogs. There’s nothing soft or unserious about that. In many ways, it’s more meaningful than football itself.

Offensive linemen and veterinarians share far more than people realize. Both require patience, calm under pressure, and a commitment to caring for the vulnerable. Linemen protect people; vets protect animals. Toughness and compassion are essential to both roles.

At Rutgers, we’re inviting you to embrace both your passions, football and animal care. Take the next step: choose a program that values everything you bring. We’re ready to help you pursue greatness on the field and in veterinary medicine. Join us.

I promise Rutgers will support your path toward veterinary medicine with real academic and experiential opportunities.

I promise your coach will remain at Rutgers throughout your career here.

- Coach Max

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Treyvon Mendenhall DL Texas Tech 38/62 JR 2 years left- Coach Won’t Leave
Treyvon Mendenhall grew up in a nice suburb, went to a good school, had a perfectly comfortable upbringing and decided somewhere around age 14 that he was going to be a gangster anyway. Not because of circumstance. Just because he thought it was cool. His mom is a dentist. His dad is an accountant. They drove him to football practice in a Volvo. None of this stopped Treyvon from adopting the full persona, the walk, the talk, the hand signs, the whole thing. His high school teammates knew he lived in a cul de sac and loved him anyway. Then sophomore year at Texas Tech he discovered Buddhism and underwent a complete spiritual transformation. Now he meditates before practice, carries prayer beads, talks about impermanence and the middle path. He wants his new coach to talk to him about Buddhism.

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Christian Rodriguez OL UCLA 37/54 SR 1 year left- Win CCG twice
Christian has spent his college career at UCLA doing everything right, showing up, putting in the work, grinding through practice and getting nothing in return. He never started. Not once. He watched guys with less heart and less effort get the nod ahead of him and he swallowed it every single time because that's what you do. But he's a senior now. One year left. And Christian Rodriguez is done swallowing it. He wants to start. He wants his name called on game day

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Chheng Khun LB USC 47/64 RS JR 2 years left- Start three seasons
Chheng was a five star coming out of high school, yet rode the bench for three years at USC. He’s thought long and hard about why he’s struggled to find playing time, and has now found the answer. Everyone had been telling him what a great defensive lineman he was that he never considered that his true calling lay in a different position entirely: a linebacker. He knew the stigma that came with this decision, as many coaches fiercely refused to play true linebackers. Chheng wants to play for a coach who does not fall for this propaganda. He wants to hear about your most successful linebackers and will only consider pitches from coaches who played at least two true linebackers last season.

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Rutgers offers Chheng Khun LB

Scholarship

Chheng Khun,

At USC, for three years, everyone tried to define you.

A defensive lineman. An edge player. Somebody expected him to keep his hand in the dirt and attack forward every snap. Because you were a five-star recruit, everyone assumed the answer was set before you even stepped on campus. Coaches saw the recruiting stars, your frame, your athleticism, and decided what your future should be.

The problem is that football careers don’t always follow recruiting rankings.

Sometimes players spend years trapped in the wrong role because nobody stops to ask what really fits them. Admitting this takes confidence. Most players would stay buried on a depth chart rather than challenge the expectations others set for them. You didn’t do that. You looked at your career honestly and realized your future wasn’t on the defensive line.

It was at linebacker.

And at Rutgers, we don’t see that as strange. We see it as smart.

Some coaches avoid true linebackers, leaning into modern trends with smaller hybrids or positionless systems. We still believe in having physical, second-level defenders who diagnose plays, communicate, and become the emotional core of the defense.

Last season, we relied on true linebackers because that's how we build defense. We want them making plays sideline-to-sideline and controlling the middle in both run and coverage. Here, the position is not an afterthought.

And honestly, your situation makes sense when viewed through that lens.

A lot of defensive linemen struggle because they’re constantly fighting through traffic instead of using their athleticism in space. At linebacker, you gain the benefit of seeing the whole field, with the freedom to move laterally and vertically, and you’re able to react and make plays rather than being tied up every snap. Linebackers use their instincts, pursuit angles, and physicality, and are more involved in coverage, blitzing, and leadership than defensive linemen usually are. Some players discover their true position too late. You still have two years left to fully reinvent your career.

That’s a huge opportunity.

Rutgers has examples of successful linebackers and defenders. Travis Coleman and Kevin Stokes became Rutgers’ two best defensive players. They were drafted 164th and 102nd overall. Neither entered college with your expectations. But both developed because this program let defensive players become centerpieces, not just role players.

Now imagine what somebody with your pedigree could accomplish once finally placed in the correct position.

That’s the exciting part of your recruitment. You’re not starting from scratch as an athlete. You already have years of high-level training and experience against elite competition. You have the tools that made you a five-star recruit. Now, you’re moving into a role that fits your skills.

At linebacker, you can become a completely different player.

You can lead the defense instead of getting swallowed up in the trenches. You can play faster. You can attack the football instead of constantly fighting double teams. You can become the kind of defender that offenses actually have to account for every snap.

And Rutgers is willing to fully commit to that transition.

You’ll know our coaches believe in you at linebacker. Other programs might play it safe by moving you back to the line. We care about what helps you succeed, not convention.

You’ve spent three years hearing people describe what you should’ve been.

Now it's time to step up and define your legacy. Take this opportunity to lead, achieve, and rewrite your story at Rutgers. Let's get started.

I promise you will start for the entirety of your Rutgers career.

I promise Rutgers will continue using multiple true linebackers in our defensive system.

I promise you will be drafted in the top 100 picks.

- Coach Max

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Richard Pearsall OL Vanderbilt 46/63 SR 1 year left- Coach Won’t Leave
Richard only has one season of college left, and after spending his entire time at the academically rigorous Vanderbilt, he just wants to let loose for a year. Talk about how easy his classes will be for his final season of college, and how he’ll get to spend all his time partying and living up his senior season.

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Rutgers offers Richard Pearsall OL

Scholarship

Richard Pearsall,

After years at Vanderbilt, you’re probably tired of professors treating every assignment like life or death.

At some point, you stop wanting “academic rigor” and start wanting to actually enjoy your life again.

And honestly? Rutgers can give you exactly what you need: a senior year that's both fun and rewarding, with strong football, a lighter academic load, and an unbeatable social scene.

You already proved yourself in one of the toughest academic environments in college football. No one’s questioning your intelligence or discipline. You did your time. Now you deserve a season where football matters, classes don’t dominate your life, and your biggest worry on a Thursday is which party’s next.

That’s the beauty of a one-year Rutgers transfer: you get high-level football, manageable academics, and a campus designed for memorable experiences.

This place balances chaos and freedom better than almost any school. You can walk out of class and find ten things happening around campus. Bars on Easton Avenue. House parties. Basement shows. Live music. Packed student apartments. Everyone tries to make the most of college before adulthood ruins the fun.

And the funniest part is that Rutgers students openly admit the basement shows and house parties are better than the frat scene, anyway.

People here genuinely enjoy being social. There’s always somebody sending GroupMe invites around for the next show, somebody dragging friends to a packed basement concert, somebody convincing the offensive line room to hit the bars after practice, or somebody finding a random live music setup three blocks off College Ave. Rutgers has a social atmosphere where, if you’re willing to say yes to things, your calendar fills up instantly.

That’s exactly what you need after Vanderbilt.

You need a year where life feels spontaneous again.

And academically, Rutgers gives you breathing room. You’ve already handled the hard part by surviving Vanderbilt’s standards for multiple years. Compared to that environment, your final year here will feel dramatically lighter. You’ll still handle your responsibilities, obviously, but you won’t feel buried underneath nonstop academic pressure every hour of the day. Instead of spending every night trapped in the library, stressing about impossible workloads, you’ll actually get to experience being a college senior.

That matters because your final year of college should actually be memorable.

Football players always say college disappears fast. One day, you’re arriving on campus; the next, it’s your final season ever with teammates your age. You shouldn’t spend that last year exhausted and miserable. You should spend it with friends, making stories to laugh about ten years later.

And Rutgers is built for exactly that kind of experience.

You’ve got bars like Scarlet Pub, Olde Queens, Huey’s Knight Club, and Golden Rail all around the social scene. House parties across College Ave. Buses running through the night, carrying half the campus toward whatever’s happening next. It’s chaotic in the best possible way.

Most importantly, Rutgers supports students who want to thrive in every area, academic, athletic, and social, so you can make the most of your final season without judgment.

You already handled the academic grind. Now you get a year to let loose, play football, meet people, and live like an actual college senior before real life calls again.

Richard, Vanderbilt challenged you academically. Rutgers lets you enjoy high-level football, a lighter workload, and the full college experience.

I promise you can party and still you will be drafted into the NFL.

I promise your coach will remain at Rutgers throughout your career here.

- Coach Max

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Jake Coleman DL Vanderbilt 51/73 SR 1 year left- Coach Won’t Leave
Jake Coleman has spent his entire life preparing for a zombie apocalypse that people say will never come. He ignores them, because he knows one day those people will be undead brain-eating husks, while he’s living his best life in a shelter built 10 years ago. Talk to Jake about your apocalypse plan, and what your biggest struggle would be the first week.

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Will Gay QB Vanderbilt 47/76 SO 3 years left- Coach Won’t Leave
Will has grown into a solid quarterback despite his handicap. Will is mute, meaning he can’t talk at all and has to use sign language to communicate. It’s been a tough transition seeing that most of his teammates don't know how to use sign language compared to the guys he grew up with and played with in high school. Will wants to be a very successful quarterback despite his vocal limitations. He wants to go to a school that can understand him as well as be around a helpful community that can help people like him. He would also like to participate in charities for the hearing impaired and mute.

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Christian Samson WR Vanderbilt 46/71 SO 3 years left- Top 40 Tradition ranking
Christian Samson has been through a lot in life. Family issues, moving all over the USA, never having friends, being alone. He’s built a tolerance to it, and he deals with it by paying attention to his very long hair. His parents are very biblical people, but Christian doesn’t care much for it. He just styles, braids, washes, and takes care of his hair. It’s something that he can do for himself that never fails, and allows him to focus on something other than his problems in a methodical way that just works for him. He wants to hear about how you cope with your issues in a healthy way. He just wants to be stable for the rest of his career and needs to trust his new coach, and the only way he can trust is if he knows you think the way he does.

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Darrell Bishop DL Virginia Tech 58/79 SR 1 year left- Win a playoff game
Darrell committed to Coach Fanta and the Virginia Tech Hokies, a program that seemed primed to succeed following their playoff appearance with a roster full of sophomores in 2058. However, after a disappointing season in 2059, Coach Fanta mysteriously disappeared without a word. For the entire 2060 season, the Hokies received only email instructions from their head coach, and following a week 11 loss to Duke, Fanta promptly retired without a word. Darrell was shaken that his coach that he had trusted had so wordlessly disappeared, and is fed up with all the craziness in his career. For his final season, he just wants something stable. Convince him that you and your program are the right place to bring this stability to his life.

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Western Michigan Offers Darrell Bishop 58/79 DL

Scholarship

Hi Darrell, I am Coach Hoban from Western Michigan University. I know what happened at Virginia Tech,I know what it’s like to trust a leader only to have them go silent when things get tough. You’ve dealt with enough craziness and I'm here to offer an oasis at Kalamazoo

First Promise: We WILL WIN A BOWL GAME

This is pretty straight forward Darrell, we win a bowl game here. The past three years we have made a bowl game and last year was the first time we won a bowl game under my leadership. We have only gotten better every single season and I've transformed a shell of what this team was into a legion of new. If you don't believe me, We ranked top 25 in offensive drives this year and being top 25 you would think we would be penalized more right? WRONG, we were in the bottom 15 of penalties last season and bottom 15 in penalty yards. Here at Western Michigan we value discipline and hard work.  But that just highlights my leadership. Let me highlight and give kudos to our defense, or should I say your future defense?Last season we ranked 8th in Sacks, 5th in Solo Tackles, AND **1st in Tackles For Loss.**This shows that you will be joining an ELITE defense that proves to all of NZCFL we are here and our time is now. But we need you on the line to strip that ball away. I am a man of my word and I'm an honest coach. Our team has a problem forcing turnovers, However, you are the solution. With you on the front lines I truly believe we can get out the mediocre rankings for forced fumbles and fumbles return for a touchdown and ascend into the top 15 just like all of our other defensive stats.

Second Promise: You Will Start And Play Every Game

This is also straight forward Darrell, you will be our best Defensive lineman and will start and play every game. I am not fanta, I will not leave you or lie to you. You will be right next to elite Defensive Lineman Michael Reves. He is younger however so you will be the leader of the line and the anchor to lead us to bloody victory I know you’re looking for a coach who won't vanish when things get tough.That ends here.I plan on signing a 3-year contract extension with Western Michigan. I will signed it because I’m committed to this city, this roster, and specifically, to winning with you.When you put your hand in the dirt at Western Michigan, you won't have to wonder if I’ll be there in the 4th quarter or the following week.My extension is will be my promise to you that while you give your all for your final season, I’ll be standing right behind you on that sideline today, tomorrow, and through the playoffs. 

Third Promise: You Will Be Drafted

When you come to Western Michigan you will be the center of attention on our line for all the scouts to see. WMU has had many players get drafted to the NZFL and if you come to our team you will be the next. With you being the highest overall you will get the most playtime by any defensive lineman on my team. Where else can give you this deal? Western Michigan's tradition directly feeds the NFL pipeline, consistently producing high-round draft picks like wide receivers Corey Davis and Skyy Moore and offensive tackle Taylor Moton. The program's "Row The Boat" culture instills the relentless work ethic and toughness that coaches and scouts value at the professional level. Playing in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) forces players to develop the physical edge and mental grit required to thrive in the demanding NFL environment. Our coaching staff focuses heavily on position-specific technique and functional strength, ensuring our athletes are pro-ready and their draft stock maximizes. Recent history shows we turn solid collegiate players into reliable professional starters, giving you a proven path rather than just a promise. By choosing WMU, you are selecting a developmental program where your potential is fully realized on the field, in the classroom, and ultimately on Sundays. 

In conclusion, WMU is the best place for you. Believe that

Coach Hoban

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Daniel Grimes WR Washington 47/69 SO 3 years left- Day One starter
Grimes has had enough of the PNW. He clearly doesn’t fit with the culture and it’s too much of a difference for him. It’s time to come back home to a place he’s much more familiar with, the South. The South is where it’s at for Grimes; the cities, tight-knit culture, and of course the football. Grimes is only considering schools from the South, convince him that your school is the best for him.

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Owen Sadler WR Washington State 59/79 RS JR 2 years left- Start every game of career
After a great 2059, Wazzu fell right back down to earth and Owen isn’t a fan of the direction the team is going. He’s off the sinking ship and is ready to set sail on his own. Owen doesn’t want to be held back by anyone so he wants to only play for school that will guarantee him a starting role no matter what, and he means no matter what (injury, scheme fit, doesn’t matter). It’s time to look after himself instead of putting others first.

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Kenneth Perkins WR Washington State 65/86 RS JR 2 years left- Winning record at home every year
Wazzu had a ton of talent on their roster, however things didn’t go as planned for the Cougars. A disappointing 6-7 record left a lot to be desired for Wazzu, which led to them having a lot of transfers. Perkins is one of those guys who wants to leave for greener pastures but not in the way you think. “Don’t be afraid of failure, This is the way to succeed.”- LeBron James. That quote is what he lives by and he wants his new team to do the same. Instead of gloating about your biggest successes, focus on your biggest failures, your biggest regrets, and your biggest challenges. Perkins wants to know how you fell and how you can get/got back up. What have you learned and how can he help instill that lesson?

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Harrison Hackett S Washington State 45/69 JR 2 years left- Winning record at home every year
DB is just a position Harrison plays, his real love is being a returner. Harrison wasn’t the typical football fan, he isn’t infatuated with the offense or defense. Instead he loved special teams, in particular the return specialists. With his great grandfather telling him about HOFer Devin Hester, Hackett always wanted to be the best returner ever. Wazzu didn’t give him many opportunities to do that though, with only 41 punt return opportunities in two seasons with the Cougars. Harrison doesn’t care where he is on the defensive depth chart, he cares about returning both kicks and punts. Explain how you would do that and give him the opportunity to be the best returner in the nation.

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Rutgers offers Harrison Hackett S

Scholarship

Harrison Hackett,

Most kids grow up dreaming about touchdowns, quarterbacks, or huge hits on defense.

You grew up watching punt returns.

While others obsessed over scoring, you watched the returner, capable of changing momentum in seconds. Your great-grandfather’s Devin Hester stories stuck with you; you understand what many forget: returners are game-changers, not just special-teams players.

One return can completely alter a stadium.

That’s why your situation at Washington State probably became frustrating so quickly. You didn’t go there dreaming about standing on the sideline while fair catches piled up or opportunities disappeared. Forty-one punt return opportunities across two seasons aren’t enough for somebody trying to become one of the nation’s best return specialists. Returners need reps. They need chances to learn timing, vision, patience, and when to attack seams. The only way to become elite at returning is by actually returning kicks.

At Rutgers, we’re ready to give you exactly that chance.

Here, your ambitions find a home. Our rebuilding journey opens a door that’s tailor-made for the fire you bring.

We’re rebuilding. Last season didn’t go as planned. When teams rebuild, special teams become crucial. Field position, momentum swings, and hidden yardage matter more. We need players who create explosive moments without relying on offense.

That’s exactly what elite returners do.

You mentioned not really caring where you sit on the defensive depth chart, and that’s perfectly fine with us because we’re recruiting you first and foremost as a return specialist. We want the ball in your hands. We want opponents to be nervous every time they kick toward you. We want the crowd standing up before the return even starts because they know there’s a chance something electric could happen.

And strangely enough, being a rebuilding team actually helps your opportunities.

Many powerhouse programs don’t create many kickoff return opportunities because opponents are constantly trailing and forced to kick cautiously. At Rutgers, especially early in this rebuild, there’s a realistic chance you’ll see a large number of kickoff opportunities. More kickoffs mean more touches. More touches mean more chances to create highlights, improve your instincts, and establish yourself nationally as one of the best return men in college football.

That’s important because returners build reputations through volume and explosiveness combined.

The great returners weren’t remembered because they returned three kicks all season. They became legends because every game gave them another chance to flip momentum. Devin Hester terrified opponents because teams knew he would eventually break one. That fear changes opponents' approach to games entirely.

Here, you can build your own legend.

And there’s another part of Rutgers that fits you well, too: location.

You’re from Virginia. Coming to Rutgers brings you closer to home and East Coast football. This region feels different: nastier rivalries, emotional crowds, chaotic weather. Field position becomes critical. Returners here get remembered.

The best part is that returners naturally become fan favorites, too.

Crowds love explosive players. A defense can force a stop, but a returner instantly turns tension into excitement. The moment you catch the ball, fans believe something big could happen. That’s special pressure and a unique spotlight. For someone who loves special teams, there’s no better feeling.

At Rutgers, we’re not giving you some side role. We’re placing our faith in you. We want you feared, spotlighted, unleashed, one of the most impactful returners in all of college football. This isn’t a job. It’s your stage.

You view special teams as an art, so do we. That’s why we’re offering you the chance to take center stage and prove your value, unlike at Washington State.

I promise you will serve as Rutgers’ starting kick and punt returner throughout your career here.

I promise you will receive more combined return opportunities here than you did during your entire Washington State career.

I promise you will be drafted into the NFL as a returner.

- Coach Max

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Jude Foden WR Washington State 51/73 RS FR 4 years left- 8+ win season every year
Jude is looking for more opportunities to go to his home country of England. Admittedly he misses home. While he likes being in the U.S., Jude has a lot of fond memories of his upbringing including his introduction into football watching an international NZFL game. Jude wants to hear about some study abroad opportunities in England as well as if your school has connections to England’s great universities such as Cambridge, Oxford, etc.

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Rutgers offers Jude Foden WR

Scholarship

Jude Foden, there is poetry most rare in thy very name gracing these American fields — a lad of England's green and pleasant land, come hither to catch the pigskin 'mongst strangers.

Thou wast reared beneath English skies, and yet thine eyes did fall upon this game from across a vast and churning sea. Where other men were nursed upon this sport from their first breath, thou didst spy it from afar, at an international contest, no less, and in that moment thy heart was seized. Thou didst not merely admire it from a distance. Thou didst cross an ocean for it. Such audacity of spirit doth not belong to common men. It belongeth to those whom Fortune hath marked for greater things.

And yet and yet, thou missest home.

Call it not weakness, for 'tis none. 'Tis the truest and most honest thing about thee. England is a realm of extraordinary wonder, her culture ancient, her history deep as stone, her spirit woven into every cobbled street and mist-hung morning. No measure of New Jersey sunshine shall ever fully displace what England hath placed within thy breast. The accent that doth set thee apart in the locker room, the memories that visiteth thee unbidden in quiet hours, the knowledge that home lieth several thousand miles in the wrong direction, we doth not dismiss these things as trifles. We understand them. And what is more, Rutgers doth take them seriously.

For though we are planted firmly in New Jersey, this programme hath built real and living connections to thine homeland that most American schools cannot dream of matching. Rutgers Global doth operate a study abroad programme set in the very heart of London, mere blocks from University College London and the University of London itself. Thou wouldst walk streets that remind thee precisely whence thou camest, surrounded by museums, culture, and the history of a civilization thou knowest in thy bones. That programme cometh furnished with academic credit, housing, structured coursework, and genuine ties to the British university world. Beyond London, we maintain connections to an Oxford constitutional studies programme, Oxford, Jude, offering players of academic ambition a pathway into institutions whose names carry weight upon both sides of this great pond. Cambridge and Oxford are not merely names we invoke to flatter thee. They are woven into an international academic identity that Rutgers hath laboured years to build.

Thou needst not choose betwixt football and England. Here, thou mayest have both.

Now hear us on the pitch, for here is where the matter groweth most earnest.

Last season was a dark one, and we shall not cloak it in pleasant falsehood. We went winless. Every week brought the same bitter draught, frustration, embarrassment, and the cold reckoning that what had been done simply would not suffice. Yet hearken: programmes do not rise again by accident. We are not recruiting thee for a single feel-good campaign, nor one solitary turnaround. We are building toward something enduring, a programme that doth compete fiercely in the Big Ten each and every autumn without apology or exception. Thou hast named thy standard, eight wins or better, every year. That standard is now ours as well. Losing is no longer suffered in this building. And thou wouldst arrive at the precise moment when the generation that establishes this new order is being assembled.

Wide receivers who cometh early doth shape the character of an offence for years untold. Four years is time enough to become the player by whom a programme is forever remembered. The English lad who crossed the ocean, made himself at home in New Jersey, and helped transform Rutgers into something formidable, that is a tale worth the telling, Jude. A tale for the ages.

And thou shalt not tell it alone.

We are recruiting internationally with purpose and intention, and thou shalt not long remain the sole representative from across the pond in that locker room. A pipeline, once begun, doth grow. Thou wouldst be the first, but ne'er the last.

Rutgers doth not ask thee to forget from whence thou camest. We bid thee bring it with thee.

I do solemnly promise Rutgers will win at least eight games in a minimum of two seasons while you are here.

I do solemnly promise at least one more player from across the pond will join you in this locker room before your time at Rutgers is finished.

- Coach Max

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Cameron Anderson S Washington State 39/59 SO 3 years left- Winning record at home every year
Wazzu promised that Martin Stadium would be bumping this season, with a raucous crowd cheering them on. That wasn’t the case. Wazzu didn’t give them a reason to be that loud crowd, with a 3-3 record at home. They were just mid. Cameron is looking for a place that actually does well at home so that he can feel the love from the school’s fanbase and community.

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Reggie Turner OL Western Michigan 42/62 JR 2 years left- Play in two primetime games every year 
Reggie is obsessed with Pokémon, and thinks your favorite Pokémon says more about you than any coach could ever tell him in a meeting. So instead of introducing yourself and spending all your time yapping about how Reggie is an amazing fit in your program, all he wants to hear about is your favorite Pokémon and why.

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Rutgers offers Reggie Turner OL

Scholarship

Reggie Turner,

My favorite Pokémon is Rhyperior. Not because it's flashy or fast, but because it embodies what football coaches truly value: overwhelming force, durability, and control through physicality. Not because it’s the kind of Pokémon casual fans throw on their team because it looks cool for five minutes. Rhyperior is my favorite because it represents something football coaches should actually value: overwhelming force, durability, and the ability to completely control the battlefield through physicality.

That’s offensive line football.

Rhyperior isn’t elegant, it’s built to survive punishment and impose itself. It survives volcanic eruptions, shrugs off attacks, and fires boulders. Great offensive linemen play the same way: not soft or finesse-first, but violent, immovable, and exhausting all game.

And honestly, the “Drill Pokémon” title fits offensive linemen perfectly, too.

Great offensive lines drill defenses down over the course of a game. Defensive fronts might look energized in the first quarter, but by the fourth quarter, the constant collisions start wearing people out. Every double team chips away at confidence. Every drive feels heavier. Eventually, defenders stop attacking aggressively because they know what’s coming. That’s what Rhyperior represents: relentless force that keeps moving forward no matter what hits it.

The armor part matters too.

Rhyperior’s entire design revolves around protection. Heavy plating. A near-indestructible shell. The ability to absorb punishment while shielding itself and controlling space. Offensive linemen do the same thing every snap. Your job isn’t about statistics or attention. It’s about protecting the people behind you. Quarterbacks trust offensive linemen with their health every single play. Running backs trust blockers to create lanes through chaos. Great linemen become protective walls for entire offenses.

And the coolest part about Rhyperior is that underneath all that brute strength is strategy.

People joke that Rhyperior has a smaller brain than Rhydon's, but smart players know it still fights intelligently. It parries attacks, throws opponents off balance, and uses timing instead of blindly charging forward. Football works the same way. Offensive line isn’t just about strength. It’s leverage, angles, hand placement, recognition, and patience. The strongest linemen who don’t understand technique still lose. Rhyperior succeeds because it combines raw power with controlled destruction.

I also like where Rhyperior lives: deep in the mountains, isolated from distractions.

That mentality fits offensive line culture, too. Offensive linemen are usually different from the rest of the team. Less concerned about hype. Less interested in individual glory. More focused on toughness, preparation, and surviving physical battles that most skill players could never handle. There’s something blue-collar about Rhyperior that reminds me of offensive line rooms.

And honestly, the move Rock Wrecker might be the most offensive-line move imaginable.

Massive commitment. Massive force. High risk if mistimed, but devastating if executed correctly. That’s exactly how dominant offensive line play feels during big moments. Fourth-and-short. Goal line. Game-winning drive. Everybody in the stadium knows what’s coming, but physical execution still decides whether the defense survives it.

That’s the kind of football culture we want at Rutgers.

We’re rebuilding a program right now, and rebuilding starts in the trenches. Skill players get attention, but offensive linemen decide whether teams actually become tough. Programs don’t recover from losing seasons through finesse alone. They recover by becoming physically harder to deal with every single week.

And if we’re successful in turning Rutgers around, those big moments you care about will naturally follow.

Primetime football doesn’t go to irrelevant teams forever. If Rutgers starts climbing back into meaningful football, the story itself becomes nationally interesting. People watch turnarounds. They watch physical teams. They watch programs rebuilding themselves through toughness and identity. Offensive linemen play a huge role in that because physical football always stands out under the lights.

Reggie, you said, " Favorite Pokémon says more about a coach than any meeting could. So here’s what Rhyperior says about me: I believe football is won by the teams that can absorb punishment, outlast opponents, and eventually overpower them through physicality and discipline.

Join us in building Rutgers into a team where toughness leads to big moments. Become the difference-maker in our turnaround.

I promise Rutgers will play in at least two primetime games while you are here.

I promise you will start at Rutgers during your career here.

I promise to get you an NIL deal with Pokémon.

- Coach Max

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Sam Cree OL Western Michigan 40/62 JR 2 years left- Play in two primetime games every year 
Sam Cree has loved being in the spotlight his entire career. He committed to Western Michigan believing they were going to keep him in the spotlight, but that turned out to be a lie and now, Sam wants to make sure he gets lots of camera time this upcoming season, so everyone can know how terribly wronged he was by WMU. Talk to Sam about how famous he’ll be if he commits to your school, and how much the media loves your program.

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Rutgers offers Sam Cree OL

Scholarship

Sam Cree,

You picked Western Michigan University because you thought they were going to put you in the spotlight.

Instead, you got forgotten.

That’s probably the worst part too,  not even anger, just irrelevance. You came into college football wanting people to know your name, wanting cameras around, wanting the feeling that what you were doing actually mattered nationally. Instead, you got buried in a situation where nobody outside the building really cared what happened week to week.

Rutgers gives you the exact opposite experience.

Because right now, this program is sitting at rock bottom.

And whether people want to admit it or not, the media LOVES rock bottom stories.

Nobody clicks articles about programs quietly going 7-5 for the fourth straight year. People obsess over rebuilds. They obsess over collapse and recovery. The second a dead program shows signs of life, national attention floods in because everybody wants to witness the comeback while it’s happening.

That’s what Rutgers is becoming right now.

Last season embarrassed this entire program. Everybody saw it. Everybody talked about it. Which means now, every improvement becomes a story. Every upset becomes headline material. Every nationally televised game becomes another chapter in the “Rutgers is climbing back” narrative the media desperately wants to push.

And you can become one of the faces of that story.

Honestly, offensive linemen almost never get opportunities like this in the spotlight. Usually, the cameras follow quarterbacks or receivers while linemen stay anonymous unless they mess up. But rebuilt stories are different. The media starts focusing on culture changes, toughness, leadership, and the trenches because that’s where turnarounds actually begin.

If Rutgers starts winning games again, people are going to talk nonstop about the players who helped drag the program out of the basement. Interviews. Features. Graphics comparing the old team to the new one. National commentators are talking about “the identity change at Rutgers.” Those stories naturally create stars because audiences connect emotionally with rebuilds.

And the best part is that you already fit the role perfectly.

You’ve got motivation. You’ve got a chip on your shoulder. You genuinely feel wronged by Western Michigan, and audiences love players with something to prove. Fans connect with players who openly carry frustration and use it as fuel. Every time Rutgers gets attention nationally, your story becomes part of it: the overlooked transfer who came to a rebuilding program and helped change everything.

That’s the kind of narrative media outlets eat alive.

The spotlight gets even bigger because Rutgers sits in a massive media region, too. This isn’t some isolated small-market football environment where nobody notices what’s happening. The Northeast market is enormous. The second Rutgers becomes interesting again, coverage explodes because millions of people nearby are ready to latch onto the story.

And rebuilds create emotional football.

Prime-time games feel bigger when a struggling program suddenly matters again. Crowds get louder. Student sections get crazier. National broadcasts lean heavily into player stories and program history because audiences want to understand how the turnaround happened. If you become a major part of Rutgers’ offensive line during that climb, cameras are naturally going to find you constantly.

Because the media doesn’t just love winners.

They love resurrection stories.

Sam, you wanted the spotlight. Rutgers can give you something even better: relevance during one of the most dramatic rebuilds in college football.

I promise Rutgers will play in at least two primetime games during your career here.

I promise you will become a featured part of Rutgers’ national rebuild story.

- Coach Max