Concern for LeGrand in Rutgers' victory over Army

Rutgers totaled a minus-1-yard rushing the entire game and won. Army went into the fourth period ahead by two touchdowns and lost.

The first college football game at the New Meadowlands Stadium, an eventual 23-20 overtime victory for Rutgers, was more excruciating than thrilling for 41,292 witnesses. A fumble was negated by a video review, an interception wiped out by a roughing penalty.

Rutgers endured six quarterback sacks of freshman Chas Dodd and six false-start penalties - three of those by former Longwood High tackle Devon Watkis - plus a blocked punt in the shadow of its own goalpost. Army, not to be out-aggravated, lost two more apparent sacks of Dodd on roughing-the-passer penalties and botched a handoff as it geared up for a possible go-ahead drive late in the fourth period.

In the end, it was Joe Martinek's 1-yard plunge that won the game in overtime for Rutgers.

But what made everything worse for all the Knight Errants - Rutgers' Scarlet Knights now are 4-2 and Army's Black Knights 4-3 - was the frightening sight of Rutgers junior tackle Eric LeGrand, felled on a Rutgers kickoff with 5:10 to play, carted off the field on a stretcher, then taken to Hackensack Medical Center with a neck injury.

Rutgers coach Greg Schiano, on his way to the hospital, said he would issue an update on LeGrand "as soon as it is appropriate" while his shaken players glumly reviewed their comeback victory.

LeGrand, from Colonia, N.J., lay motionless for about five minutes after the injury.

"We're family, so it's hard going back out there," said senior linebacker Antonio Lowery, whose 19 tackles were a game high. "Everybody had watered eyes. It's hard. Violent game. Very violent. [But] it's what I do. I love it to death. It's one of those things you have to deal with."

LeGrand appeared to lead the wedge in tackling Army sophomore Malcolm Brown, the former Islip High back, on the kickoff that followed Rutgers' tying TD (17-17) late in the fourth. Up to that point, the only really bad news had been how out of sorts Rutgers' offense was, and how Army twice missed golden opportunities to add to an early lead.

To review: A block of a Rutgers punt late in the first quarter allowed Army to bivouac at the Rutgers' 12-yard line. Quarterback Trent Steelman's subsequent fumble at the 3 was overturned by a video replay and Steelman then scored. 7-0 Army.

Rutgers bumbled through a long drive for a 19-yard field goal from San San Te. 7-3 Army. Army fullback Jared Hassin's 50-yard burst off tackle set up his own 5-yard TD. 14-3 Army. A methodical - rare as that word could be used Saturday - Army drive from its own 2 to the Rutgers' 4 resulted in a 21-yard Alex Carlton field goal as the half ended. 17-3 Army.

But Army had had a first-and-goal at the 5. And, on its first second-half possession, Army - on fourth-and-three at the Rutgers' 23 - had Steelman miss a wide open Brian Cobbs at the goal line. Rutgers, again working through a maze of its own mistakes, penalties and Army sacks, scored on a Dodd-to-Kordell Young 3-yard TD pass (on fourth down) to start the fourth period. 17-10, Army.

Then, after an Army interception at its own 35 was overturned by a roughing-the-passer penalty, Dodd eventually hit Mark Harrison with a 16-yard pass to tie the score, and set up Martinek's TD in overtime. And all waited for word on LeGrand.