The 2015 Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team represented Rutgers University in the 2015 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It is the Scarlet Knights' second season as a member of the Big Ten Conference, and second as a member of the East Division. The team was led by Kyle Flood, in his fourth year as head coach, and played its home games at High Point Solutions Stadium in Piscataway, New Jersey.
The season began with controversies over an investigation into violations of NCAA regulations and school policy concerning coach Flood's improper contacting of a professor concerning a student's academic status; and the arrests and dismissal of several football players on violent felony charges connected to an April 2015 home invasion robbery in New Brunswick. Coach Flood was suspended for three games after the investigation found improper contact was made.
Before the season
Controversies and legal issues The 2015 football season began with the shadow of several incidents of alleged misconduct and criminal charges.Dana O'Neil, "Arrests at Rutgers just the latest in a long list of problems for Scarlet Knights", ESPN, September 3, 2015. Retrieved September 11, 2015. On May 24, 2015, redshirt freshman defensive back Darian Dailey was arrested in Florida on felony robbery charges.Tyler Conway, College Football: "Darian Dailey Arrested for Armed Robbery Latest Details Surrounding Rutgers DB. Bleacher Report. Retrieved September 11, 2015.Staff Report, "2 Arrested in University Parkway robbery" , Sarasota Herald-Tribune, May 24, 2015. Retrieved September 11, 2015. In late August 2015, head coach Kyle Flood suspended five players from the first half of the season opener for violating team policies on breaking curfews. These players were Ruhann Peele (cornerback), Leonte Carroo (receiver), Tim Gleeson (punter), Chris Laviano (quarterback) and Kevin Marquez (linebacker).Tim Casey, "Rutgers Kicks 5 Players Off Team, Then Wins Its Opener", The New York Times, September 5, 2015. Retrieved September 11, 2015.Dan Duggan, "Rutgers quarterback Chris Laviano, receiver Leonte Carroo suspended for first half of season opener", New Jersey Advance Media (nj.com), August 25, 2015. Retrieved September 11, 2015.Dan Duggan, "Suspended Rutgers receiver Leonte Carroo can't wait for 3rd quarter of opener", New Jersey Advance Media (nj.com), September 2, 2015. Retrieved September 11, 2015.Josh Newman, "Rettig to start Rutgers opener; Carroo, Laviano suspended for first half", The Asbury Park Press, August 25, 2015. Retrieved September 11, 2015. There were doubts that Flood would be coaching the season opener and some speculation amongst news media and fans about the possibility of Flood's firing or resignation.Stephen Edleson, "Rutgers' Kyle Flood should not be coaching", USA Today, September 3, 2015. Retrieved September 11, 2015.Associated Press, "Rutgers' Kyle Flood will coach opener despite ongoing academic probe", The New York Daily News, September 3, 2015. Retrieved September 11, 2015.Tara Sullivan, "Sullivan: Rutgers Coach Kyle Flood on the hot seat, but problems run much deeper", Bergen Record (northjersey.com), September 4, 2015. Retrieved September 11, 2015.Doug Gottlieb Will Kyle Flood Be Fired?", CBS Sports. Retrieved September 11, 2015. Around this time, many fans had called for the return of Flood's predecessor, Greg Schiano as head coach.Brian Lewis, "Kyle Flood under fire after 5 arrest rock Rutgers program", The New York Post, September 5, 2015. Retrieved September 11, 2015.Keith Sargeant, "Rutgers coach Kyle Flood: I will be coaching the game Saturday", New Jersey Advance Media, September 3, 2015. Retrieved September 11, 2015. According to The Asbury Park Press, students remarked that the recent controversies tarnish the university's reputation.Chris Rotolo, "Rutgers students react to football players' arrests", The Asbury Park Press, September 4, 2015. Retrieved September 11, 2015.
On September 3, 2015, ten suspects, including six players, were arrested and charged with felony assault, armed robbery, criminal restraint, conspiracy, riot, and weapons possession charges stemming from an April 26, 2015 incident in New Brunswick, New Jersey characterized as a home invasion robbery.Keith Sargeant, "5 Rutgers football players arrested in connection with home invasions and assaults", NJ Advance Media (nj.com), September 3, 2015. Retrieved September 11, 2015. One victim, identified only as a 19-year-old male Rutgers student was reported to have had his jaw broken in the assault."Rutgers dismisses FB Lloyd Terry; is sixth player arrested in week", Sports Illustrated, September 11, 2015. Retrieved September 11, 2015. Five players—Ruhann Peele (cornerback), Nadir Barnwell (cornerback), Razohnn Gross (fullback), Delon Stephenson (free safety), and Andre Boggs (cornerback)—were dismissed from the team moments before the season-opening football game against the Norfolk State Spartans. Former player Tejay Johnson (free safety and wide receiver), was also arrested on September 3.Dan Duggan, "Arrested ex-Rutgers player Tejay Johnson has bright future, lawyer says", New Jersey Advance Media (nj.com), September 4, 2015. Retrieved September 11, 2015. A sixth player, Lloyd Terry (fullback) was arrested a few days later.Anthony G. Attrino, "Another Rutgers football player arrested in home invasion robbery", New Jersey Advance Media (nj.com), September 10, 2015. Retrieved September 11, 2015. Several of the players arrested in this incident had previous arrests in 2013 and 2014 for other criminal charges.
One of the suspects, Barnwell, was the center of an ongoing investigation into head coach Kyle Flood for possible violations of school policy and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) regulations prohibiting the athletic coaching staff from contacting faculty regarding the academic eligibility status of a player. According to New Jersey Advance Media, publisher of the Star-Ledger and other statewide newspapers, Flood defied academic support staff by contacting one of Barnwell's professors and that sources stated that Flood attempted to "circumvent the process and trying to get the kid eligible".Keith Sargeant, "Rutgers coach Kyle Flood defied academic support staff when he contacted professor, sources say", New Jersey Advance Media (nj.com), September 2, 2015. Retrieved September 11, 2015.
Flood suspended wide receiver Leonte Carroo indefinitely after his arrest on September 13, 2015. Carroo was arrested by the Rutgers University Police Department and charged with simple assault stemming from a domestic violence incident that occurred on campus shortly after the end of the game against Washington State. Carroo was the seventh Rutgers player arrested in ten days.Keith Sargeant, "Rutgers' Leonte Carroo charged with simple assault in domestic violence incident", New Jersey Advance Media (nj.com), September 14, 2015. Retrieved September 14, 2015.Ryan Dunleavy, "Rutgers Leonte Carooo suspended indefinitely", Asbury Park Press, September 14, 2015. Retrieved September 14, 2015.Adam Rittenberg, "Rutgers WR Leonte Carroo indefinitely suspended for incident following game", ESPN, September 14, 2015. Retrieved September 14, 2015. Star-Ledger and New Jersey Advance Media sports columnist Steve Politi described Carroo as "another casualty of the season from hell" and called the incident further proof that Flood had lost control of the team. Politi mused, "you wonder how soon before his head coach joins him on the list"—implying that Flood's tenure as coach should be ending with his termination.Steve Politi, "Leonte Carroo suspension is the latest sign Kyle Flood has lost control at Rutgers", New Jersey Advance Media (nj.com), September 14, 2015. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
The 15-member Rutgers Board of Governors, one of the school's two governing bodies, and university president Robert Barchi met on September 11 in a closed-door emergency session to discuss ongoing "athletic matters" and the potential for litigation in the wake of these controversies and arrests.Adam Clark, "Rutgers board meets behind closed doors as Flood probe continues", New Jersey Advance Media (nj.com), September 11, 2015. Retrieved September 11, 2015.Keith Sargeant, "How did Rutgers Coach Kyle Flood get into this mess exactly 1 year after signing extension?", New Jersey Advance Media (nj.com), September 11, 2015. Retrieved September 11, 2015.Ryan Dunleavy, "Kyle Flood unaware of discussion to be had at Rutgers BOG meeting", The Asbury Park Press, September 10, 2015. Retrieved September 11, 2015. On September 16, 2015, after the conclusion of a university-led investigation into his conduct determined he improperly contacted a professor to get Barnwell's grade changed, Flood was suspended for three games and fined $50,000 by Rutgers president Robert Barchi. Flood would be suspended during and miss an away game against Penn State (September 19, 2015), and home games against Kansas (September 26) and Michigan State (October 10).Dan Bieler, "Rutgers football coach Kyle Flood suspended, fined for interventions with academic staff", The Washington Post, September 16, 2015. Retrieved September 20, 2015.Saed Hindash, "Rutgers football coach Kyle Flood suspended three games", New Jersey Advance Media (nj.com), September 16, 2015. Retrieved September 20, 2015. Associate head coach Norries Wilson would fill-in as head coach for those three games during Flood's suspension.
After Flood's reinstatement, questions continued to circulate about possible drug problems within the program in the wake of former Scarlet Knights' fullback Lloyd Terry telling police that "he failed multiple drug tests while on the football team".Steve Politi, Kyle Flood's suspension is over but major questions loom at Rutgers", New Jersey Advance Media (nj.com), October 13, 2015. Retrieved October 13, 2015. Keith Sergeant, "Rutgers coach Kyle Flood: 'I take the issue of drugs very seriously'", New Jersey Advance Media (nj.com), October 12, 2015. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
Flood, along with athletic director Julie Herman, was fired at the end of the season.
Coaching staff
Coaching changes 2014 offensive coordinator Ralph Friedgen relinquished his position as offensive coordinator due to age and stayed on as a special assistant to the head coach.Ryan Dunleavy, "Ralph Friedgen stays with Rutgers football as special advisor", myCentralJersey.com (Gannett), February 10, 2015. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
Ben McDaniels, 2014 wide receiver coach and brother of former Denver Broncos head coach and current New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, was promoted to offensive coordinator.
2014 graduate assistant and former Rutgers defensive lineman Charlie Noonan was hired as defensive line coach at Holy Cross.Dan Duggan, "Rutgers graduate assistant Charlie Noonan named Holy Cross' defensive line coach", New Jersey Advance Media (nj.com), February 04, 2015. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
Graduate assistant Sam Williams' two years of graduate assistant-ship expired and was hired by Penn State working with special teams and recruiting quality control.Dan Duggan, "Rutgers graduate assistant Sam Williams lands job on Penn State staff", New Jersey Advance Media (nj.com), March 9, 2015. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
2014 Graduate assistant and former Rutgers quarterback Mike Teel was hired by his alma mater Don Bosco Preparatory High School as offensive coordinatorPatrick Lanni, "Ex-Rutgers quarterback Mike Teel returns to Don Bosco Prep as offensive coordinator", New Jersey Advance Media (nj.com), May 26, 2015. Retrieved September 29, 2015.Keith Sargeant, "Rutgers' Kyle Flood on Mike Teel's move back to Don Bosco Prep: 'It's a positive for us as a program'", New Jersey Advance Media (nj.com), May 29, 2015. Retrieved September 29, 2015.