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 giving $100,000 to 100 fans in attendance if team returns 1st kickoff for TD

Rutgers is doing everything it can to have students fill High Point Solutions Stadium for the Scarlet Knights’ opener against Norfolk State on Sept. 5. So much so, the school is willing to pay $100,000 to 100 randomly chosen students if RU takes its first kick return of the season into the end zone.

That's $1,000 to each lucky student after they divvy it up.

The Knights' kick returner, Janarion Grant, is always a threat to take it in but it's still a long shot. He returned a kick for a touchdown in 2013, and averaged over 25 yards per return last season.

But, on that first kickoff, you can bet the Junior player will hear more cheers from the entire student section — well, at least 100 of them — than he's ever heard before.

If Rutgers returns 1st kickoff vs. Norfolk State for TD, 100 random students sitting in student section will each receive $1,000 each

— Brett McMurphy (@McMurphyESPN) August 27, 2015

No word on a do-over if the Norfolk kicker boots it out of the end-zone for a touchback.

And you thought sports gambling was dead in New Jersey.

Ex-Rutgers coach Mike Rice talks about his mistakes: 'I've changed'

In his first television interview since the well-publicized scandal that cost him his job six months ago, former Rutgers University men's basketball coach Mike Rice said he has learned from his mistakes and is now a changed man.

"I won't be perfect moving forward, but I've changed," the once fiery Rice told "Good Morning America" anchor Robin Roberts in an interview for ABC's "20/20." "Having that taken away, your dream job...and having it done in such a visible way...and hurting the people closest to me...it changes a person."

The 44-year-old Rice was fired by the New Jersey state college April 3 as a result of a quickly unfolding scandal that began when ESPN's "Outside the Lines" aired footage of the coach being abusive to his players. The images were shocking, showing Rice pushing players in the chest, grabbing them by their jerseys, yanking them around the court, even hurling balls at their heads and groin. Rice could be heard screaming obscenities and vulgar language at players, including "f---ing f----t" and "fairy."

Rice claims he looks back at his behavior and is appalled.

"My first reaction, when I saw the tape was one of embarrassment, of shock, of sadness," Rice told Roberts.

From ABC:

Some of the harshest criticism against Rice came because of his use of anti-gay slurs, already a touchy subject at Rutgers. In 2010, Rutgers freshman Tyler Clementi took his own life after he discovered his roommate had secretly used a webcam to watch his intimate encounter with another man in their dorm room.

Rice told Roberts that his use of homophobic language was "idiotic," because, he said, "I wasn't thinking that I was shouting at Tyler Clementi, or anybody else, who was a gay or a lesbian."

At the time, Rice said he believed he could change Rutgers' basketball program, but he admitted to Roberts that he wasn't ready.

"I thought it was necessary to get my team or that individual... to be tougher," said Rice.

Since the scandal, Rice said he has also apologized to his former players.

"You know, whether it was texting, whether it was calling, whether it was, handwritten letters, whether it's email, they don't deserve this and especially the first year's team," he said. "Even though we were out-manned every single night, they really, really fought hard for me…and they're almost embarrassed about that fact now. They're embarrassed about being a Rutgers basketball player."

He continued, "It's an incredible place...and it hurts, again, for me to be the reason why it's not looked upon as well as it should."

"That was a hard lesson learned that's for sure," said Rice. "There is going to be a different message. There is going to be a different Coach Rice."

Rice also spent five weeks of therapy in Houston with former NBA player John Lucas, who runs a treatment and recovery center for athletes.

"You're not going to completely change the perception...because that's going to be who Mike Rice is, a small percentage of it," Rice said.

"And again, it's not about making excuses. It's about learning from them. It's about sharing those mistakes with other coaches, and hopefully one day, if I do want to coach again, having an opportunity...That's what it's about."

The full interview with the former Rutgers coach will air during ABC News' "20/20" on Friday, Nov. 8, 2013, at 10 p.m. ET.

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.

Schiano's Quick Exit Leaves Rutgers Recruiting Class in a Lurch

Greg Schiano, the former head coach at Rutgers— who abruptly left the university to become head coach of the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers— leaves behind a rudderless ship with a recruiting class ready to jump overboard.

Schiano— who returned the Rutgers football program to respectability but never delivered on his promise to deliver a championship— agreed to a five-year contract with Tampa Bay right before the Feb. 1 college football signing day.

The 11-year head coach was just days away from finalizing the best recruiting class at Rutgers— ever.

Schiano met with Rutgers players and coaches at the Hale Center this afternoon to make his decision public.  Speculation about the move had been swirling around the Internet all day.

At the 25 minute meeting, it was announced that Kyle Flood, the offensive line and assistant head coach under Schiano, would be named Rutgers interim coach.

The abrupt change could have a devastating effect on a recruiting class that many consider one of the best in the country.  Seventeen players have already given non-binding commitments to Rutgers— and maybe more importantly—Schiano.

Some of the high-schoolers Schiano already sold the school on include four-star players like Leonte Carroo, J.J. Denmon, Quazell Lambert and Chris Muller.

Top-40 recruit Devin Fuller and N.J.'s top recruit from football factory Don Bosco, defensive end Darius Hamilton, had both been in touch with Rutgers but never committed.

Hamilton's dad— former New York Giants defensive tackle Keith— said his son will visit Miami this week, according to the Newark Star-Ledger.

Ryan Brodie— N.J.'s top high school  outside linebacker has already re-opened recruiting with other schools, according to the Star-Ledger.

"Blindsided is a pretty good word.  No idea," said Brodie's coach at Long Branch.

Before jumping ship, Schiano was touted as a good recruiter and blasted for being a lousy game coach.  He turned a mediocre program into pretty good team in the middling Big East conference.

Schiano still had five years left on his contract and was N.J.'s highest paid public employee with an annual salary of $2.3 million at the state university.

Rutgers' mundane record of 68-67 (49-28 since 2006) wasn't a true reflection of the head coach's legacy.  Schiano— who became famous around the Garden State for appearing in a commercial with The Sopranos actor James Gandolfini helping to promote Rutgers football— leaves a big footprint in Piscataway.

Under Schiano, Rutgers did produce the school's only first-round NFL draft picks and their stadium was able to undergo a controversial $102 million renovation to add 11,000 seats.

Before jumping ship, Schiano earned a reputation as a good recruiter and lousy game coach. He never won a league title and all of the six post-season appearances Rutgers made with Schiano were in second-tier bowl games.

David Rowe, a former Rutgers safety in his senior year spoke about the sudden departure.

"I'm shocked," he said.  "All the players are shocked.  I didn't find out until this morning when my girlfriend told me I needed to watch ESPN."

The uncertainty will surely change the course of the program and could ruin a recruiting class which was ready to take the school to another level.

"It will absolutely destroy recruiting this close to signing day," said CBS Sports recruiting expert Tom Lemming.  "I only remember two other coaches— Jimmy Johnson and Butch Davis— leaving this close to signing  day."

"For him to leave a couple of days before signing day you will see the vultures circle quickly and Rutgers could end up with a recruiting class like Penn State's."

The early candidates to replace Schiano are Miami coach Al Golden— a N.J. native— and FIU coach Mario Cristobal— a former-Rutgers assistant.

Whoever fills the vacancy might be scrambling for recruits just like the Rutgers of a decade ago.