Greg Schiano lauds Army for class toward Eric LeGrand
In this file photo, former Rutgers football player Eric LeGrand does therapy work at Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation in West Orange, N.J. (Oct. 12, 2011) Credit: AP
When Rutgers meets Army at Yankee Stadium on Saturday, the game will stir the emotions of both teams and their fans.
The series dates to 1891, but this time there is added meaning and reflection. Last year at the Meadowlands, Rutgers defensive tackle Eric LeGrand suffered a paralyzing injury while tying to make a tackle on Army's Malcolm Brown of Bay Shore.
Army coach Rich Ellerson and his players have stayed in contact with LeGrand since the injury, Rutgers coach Greg Schiano said at his weekly news conference. Rutgers is responding to those gestures by having its players wear helmets with stars and stripes.
"The class that Rich Ellerson and the Army football program showed toward Rutgers in this last year has been incredible," Schiano said. "When Eric got injured in that game, Rich Ellerson and his entire football team stayed in constant contact . . . The whole team wrote him notes at one point, [sent] gifts, Army memorabilia, things that were special to them that they gave. The level of class that coach Ellerson and his program have shown and the level of caring toward our program, I think is what makes college sports special."
This game is of particular importance to Army (3-6), which must win its last three games to be bowl eligible. "We had a plan in mind, we have goals and we haven't been able to reach those right now, but we are working hard to reach them," freshman starting fullback Larry Dixon said.
Army has the best rushing offense in the country, led by sophomore Raymond Maples with 891 yards. However, quarterback Trent Steelman, an integral part of the triple option and second in rushing with 576 yards, has been nursing a bad ankle and is doubtful.
Rutgers (6-3) has gone back to quarterback Chas Dodd, who rescued the Scarlet Knights last week in an overtime win against South Florida. Some postseason bowl projections put Rutgers back in Yankee Stadium against Missouri in the Pinstripe Bowl next month, but Rutgers still can move up in the Big East standings.
