Five Rutgers football players arrested in alleged campus assault and home invasion: Report

Just two days before Rutgers opens its 2015 Big Ten season, a handful of players found a way to bring more problems to the university's already scandalized football program.

Five current Rutgers football players, including the cornerback at the center of a university-led academic investigation into head coach Kyle Flood, were arrested Thursday for assaulting a group of individuals in April, the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s office and the New Brunswick Police Department announced. Another player, defensive back Andre Boggs, was charged in two separate robberies. 

All five players have been suspended by the team.

The statement said one of the victims of the attack was a 19-year-old Rutgers student who had his jaw broken in the unprovoked attack.

The players charged are Nadir Barnwell, 20, Ruhann Peele, 22 (both of Piscataway); Razohnn Gross, 20, of Franklin Park, Delon Stephenson, 22 of Sayreville, and Boggs, according to NJ.com.

Daryl Stephenson, 23, Delon's brother and a former student at Rutgers, remains at large, according to the statement.

Barnwell’s name was already in the center of a controversy at Rutgers. The school is investigating if Flood illegally contacted a professor about Barnwell’s academic standing. According to two school officials, the cornerback was ruled academically ineligible in the spring.

Thursday morning at practice, Flood said he expects to coach Saturday’s opener against Norfolk State. That same practice was attended by AD Julie Hermann and several police officers.

Hermann issued a statement saying the players had been suspended.

"The students involved are currently suspended from our program,'' Hermann said. "We continue to monitor the situation. We will have no further comment as this is a pending legal matter.''

According to the press release, the probe began following a home invasion on April 26, where three masked men forced their way into the home and stole an undisclosed amount of cash and marijuana from five students at gunpoint.

Police eventually arrested Tejay Johnson, of Egg Harbor Township, and they later linked him to a home invasion that occurred on April 27 and one on May 5 in a dorm room on the Livingston campus.

Police say Johnson and the five football players surrounded a group of at least four other individuals, including a Rutgers student, and assaulted them during an incident on Delafield Street on April 25.

The six were charged Thursday with aggravated assault, riot, and conspiracy to commit a riot.

In May, cornerback Darian Dailey was arrested for armed robbery in Florida.

Rutgers football team parties after practice at 'Club Ice' (VIDEO)

What happens when you mix New Jersey football with Jersey Shore culture?  House music and action in the tubs, yo — ice tubs that is.

On Wednesday night with music blaring, smoke machines spraying and strobe lights flashing, the Rutgers football team transformed an area of their training grounds into "Club Ice."

And the dress code allowed cleats and pads.

Even Rutgers head coach Kyle Flood was chillin' with the team.

Check out @KyleFloodRU in the ice tubs! #clubice #chopnation pic.twitter.com/zOdO8BzZT7
— Phil Galiano (@Coach_Galiano) August 7, 2014

The team — in the midst of six straight days of practice to open camp, and the first double-session of the summer — are getting ready for their first season in the Big Ten. And what better way to get ready for those chilly Midwestern stadiums than to wheel those ice baths into the parking lot and cut loose.

That's how the Garden State rolls.

[NJ.com]

Rutgers will unveil all-black uniforms on Saturday

The Rutgers football program underwent a lot of changes this year starting with new head coach Kyle Flood, renewed confidence and a return to a national ranking.

On Saturday, the Scarlet Knights will debut their new all-black look as part of what the university has designated a "blackout game." Fans are being encouraged to wear all black as well, reports The Star Ledger.

The black pants and jerseys accented with red stripes still have the familiar Rutgers "R" on each of the "scarred" helmets.

Two weeks ago, the No. 22-ranked Rutgers squad (4-0) defeated Arkansas in what many fans are calling the biggest win for Rutgers since the Greg Schiano coached team upset undefeated Louisville in 2006.   Quarterback Gary Nova had the bast game of his college career by throwing for 397 yards and 5 touchdowns against the SEC power.

Flood's team will look more like the Black Knights when Connecticut rolls into High Point Solutions Stadium this Saturday for a Big East showdown.  A big change from Rutgers usual red unis.  It's one of a trio of new uniforms the team unveiled earlier this year.

"I love all three versions of our uniforms," Flood said.  "Most important, I guess to me is the reaction from the recruits and the players.  I think our players like it.  I think they enjoy wearing the black uniforms.  I think that's probably more important than my personal taste."

Nova said the change in appearance "is probably a bigger deal for the fans than the players."

"It's something different," he said.  "It's always fun to do something like this.  So I think everyone is looking forward to it."

Rutgers officials are expecting a near sellout at Rutgers' 52,454-seat stadium.  Students have already claimed a record 11,000-plus tickets.

Isaac won't stop Rutgers-Tulane game at Superdome

With the expanding Tropical Storm Isaac on the verge of turning into a hurricane Tuesday and following a path similar to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, there were some doubts if the Rutgers-Tulane football game could be played Saturday night at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

The storm could flood New Orleans with heavy rains and storm surge after it hits the city sometime Wednesday making it difficult for the Rutgers team to fly down on Friday or get to the Superdome in the storm's aftermath.

Rutgers coach Kyle Flood (that's his real name folks), however, doesn't anticipate that Isaac will affect the Scarlet Knights travel plans for Saturday night's opening game for both teams.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the people down there," said Flood.  "It comes at a time that is ominously close to the time of Katrina a couple of years ago.  So we're hoping for the safety of everybody down in New Orleans, first and foremost."

The Tulane team, as they did in the windy face of Hurricane Gustav in 2008, will be practicing in Birmingham, Ala..  The Green Wave mulled over several options including sticking it out in New Orleans before deciding to prepare for the game at Legion Field in Birmingham Tuesday and Wednesday.   They hope to return back to campus Wednesday night or Thursday morning — conditions permitting.

The Rutgers staff has been in contact with Tulane and is monitoring the situation, added Flood.

"As of right now, as of this minute, we don't have any plans to change our itinerary," the first-year head coach said.  "We have heard nothing of postponing or changing the game or anything like that.  But ... it's going to be an hour-to-hour process."

Rutgers introduces "scarred" helmets with new uniforms

Rutgers will have a completely new look to go with its new coaching staff this season thanks to Nike's Combat System of Dress technology.  The school unveiled three different uniforms— home, road and all-black for special occasions during a press conference in New York City this afternoon.

The new unis pay tribute to Rutgers long-time identity as the Scarlet Knights and feature the block "R" —popularized by former-coach Greg Schiano— over "scars" on the side of the helmets.

The helmets are brushed chrome— a shiny silver look— with the word "Knights" on the back.

The pants feature a sword look and the jerseys have slashes on the shoulder pads and more "scars" throughout the entire uniform to keep with the sword-fighting knights in armor theme.

The school said they wanted to tell a story with the look of their players.

"The best thing about working with Nike  was this was just not a uniform," said Rutgers athletic director Tim Pernetti.  "Nike did a great job helping us tell a story.  We wanted to honor our mascot, the Knight.  We wanted to illustrate what the mascot is.  We went as far as to implement battle 'scars' on these uniforms."

The uniforms will be included in a new deal Rutgers is expected to sign with Nike, which means the apparel company will pick up the cost of the uniforms.

Nike's latest product also delivers superior light weight performance and optimal protection.  The uniforms were tailored to Rutgers by featuring added inset ribbing around the shoulders that are made to look like iron plates.  The technology also provides abrasion-resistant screen print that the school claims, allows for even less "give" and fewer grab points.

The all-black Knight look will be used for a "blackout game" against Connecticut on Oct. 6.

New coach Kyle Flood says the new uniforms will make Rutgers "look like the class of college football."