'08 NJ RB Rashad White (Rutgers Verbal)

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'08 NJ RB Rashad White



All-purpose back
Teaneck (NJ) Teaneck
Ht: 5-foot-11
Wt: 164 lbs
Forty: 4.4 secs
Class: 2008 (High School)

Other offers: Boston College, Cincinnati, Maryland, Michigan State, Pittsburgh, Syracuse

[GoRU]

North Jersey Media Group providing local news, sports & classifieds for Northern New Jersey!

Rashad White gathered his Teaneck teammates Thursday for a drive to Piscataway where they would catch Rutgers' season opener against Buffalo.

This wasn't an audition for the Scarlet Knights, White insisted, only a dress rehearsal.

You see, North Jersey's top high school running back is going to Rutgers next fall.

He says his commitment to Rutgers coach Greg Schiano and his recruiting coordinator, Darren Rizzi, is solid, that nothing can happen over the next few months that is going to change that.

No matter how many times doubters of the Scarlet Knights attempt to make him, either.
"As soon as they lose a game, I'm sure everybody is going to be like, 'You sure you still want to go there?' " White said. "I don't see any reason why my answer wouldn't be the same.

"It's been 'Yes' all along and it's going to stay 'Yes' because I believe in Rutgers."

[GoRU]

ZAGSBLOG: Tennessee, Others Trying to Poach RU-Commit White

Teaneck RB Rashad White, who rushed for three TDs in Saturday's 21-14 win over Ridgewood that propelled the Highwaymen into the North 1, Group 3 playoffs, was offered a scholarship by coaches at the University of Tennessee on Friday even though he has verballed to Rutgers.

"Yes, (they offered)," Teaneck coach Dennis Heck said. "They were at our school on Friday."

Heck said White, perhaps the quickest RB in North Jersey, and maybe the state, has also "been hearing from North Carolina, LSU and Notre Dame."

"The parade just keeps ongoing," he said. "Every week it's somebody else who calls. I can't stop them from coming."

Asked if White was wavering on his commitment, Heck said:

"Our position is that he's firm on his commitment to Rutgers," he said. "All this other stuff is just extra."

But he added: "He's open game until he signs. Remember last year when Justin Trattou of Don Bosco committed to Notre Dame and then changed his mind and went to Florida."

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NorthJersey.com: providing local news, sports & classifieds for Northern New Jersey!

"I don't back down from challenges," said White, who also plans to run track for the Scarlet Knights. "Any challenges. That's who I am."

You saw a little of that side of White during his senior season as he immersed himself in the role of offensive focal point for an NNJIL school. The buzz on the opposition sideline every game was about stopping White, and while his 1,436 yards and 16 touchdowns were All-Bergen worthy, they were a sizable notch down from the 2,386 yards and 26 touchdowns he posted as a junior.

So what does White have to do to take that next step and become Rice's legitimate heir? Well, for openers, he has to keep packing meat and muscle on his 5-foot-10 frame.

White has been working with a trainer in Rockland County, N.Y, and said he's up to 171 pounds, a gain of about 7 pounds since the end of the season. He probably has close to another 20 pounds to go before he's at his most effective playing weight.

"I'm working hard," said White, who wants to major in sports management.

But the real work begins this morning when White's courtship with Rutgers becomes a full-fledged commitment. Schools such as Tennessee, North Carolina and Massachusetts pursued him with various degrees of vigor even after he verbally committed to Rutgers, and former Teaneck coach Dennis Heck said that White "dabbled" with his other suitors.

The other schools flirted with him. White flirted back a little.

But Rutgers always had his heart, even before Rice decided to create a major job opening.

"When I sign [the letter of intent], at that moment, it will show me that all my hard work has paid off," White said. "All the two-a-days. Getting banged up all season. This is what it was for.

"And, it's going to make my Ma proud."

[RUFAN13]

Rumors have been circulating that Rashad White was not able to meet the grade requirements for him to attend Rutgers University. He will be forced to attend either Prep-School, or Junior College. It will be interesting to see whether or not Greg Schiano maintains interest in White after this year.

[GoRU]

NorthJersey.com: Teaneck's

Rashad White's road to Rutgers is taking a detour through Pennsylvania.

White, who signed his National Letter of Intent to Rutgers in February after rushing for 5,044 yards and 43 touchdowns in his Teaneck career, will instead be at Lackawanna College, a junior college in Scranton, Pa., when the football season begins in September.

White could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

"He's got to be extremely disappointed having committed to a place like Rutgers," said former Teaneck coach Dennis Heck. "But in the long run, he will be there."

White and fellow Rutgers recruits Malcolm Johnson of Florida and Kevin Egan of Connecticut are not listed among the 2008 recruits in the Rutgers media guide and are not expected to report on Monday when camp is set to open. White's academics had been a question mark for most of the spring.

"He knew pretty much at the end of the school year what he would be doing," Heck said.

"Footballwise, I think this will just give him the opportunity to get bigger and stronger," Heck said of the 5-11, 175-pounder. "You get Rashad coming out of Lackawanna as a 195-pound tailback. Those two years can only help him."