Latest news with #Rutgers
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
NCAA Trying to Block 24-Year-Old Rutgers Transfer From Playing
The NCAA contends the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit should avoid becoming 'the first appellate court in the nation to invalidate sensible limits on how long student-athletes can play college sports' and thus should reverse a trial court's preliminary injunction allowing 24-year-old Rutgers transfer Jett Elad to play for the Scarlet Knights this fall. The argument was featured in a brief filed by the NCAA last Friday. The brief disputed testimony by Rutgers head football coach Greg Schiano, whose remarks about Elad's NIL opportunities and potential NFL career were dismissed as reliant on 'self-interested, non-expert [and] subjective beliefs.' More from UNLV Lineman Denied Bid for Fifth Season in Antitrust Decision Baseball Antitrust Exemption Covers More Than MLB, Court Rules Trump Executive Order on College Sports Unlikely to Move the Needle In April, U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi blocked the NCAA from disqualifying the 24-year-old Canadian safety from playing this fall. As Sportico detailed, Rutgers is Elad's fourth college as he previously attended Ohio University, Garden City Community College (JUCO) and UNLV. Elad has already played four seasons (2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024) in five years (2019, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024). He is thus ineligible under the NCAA's five-year eligibility rule, which limits athletes to four seasons of intercollegiate competition—including JUCO competition—in any one sport within a five-year window. If deemed eligible, Elad figures to play a prominent role for the Scarlet Knights' defense. He's (clearly) a seasoned player at the collegiate level. Elad is an accomplished player, too, having been a finalist for the 2024 Jon Cornish Trophy, which recognizes the top Canadian in NCAA football, and was honorable mention for the All-Mountain West Team. In his order, Quraishi wrote critically about the five-year rule. He described it as unreasonably restraining the labor market for college football players who can sign lucrative NIL deals, nowadays receive a revenue share via the House settlement and, as the judge noted, 'transition into the NFL.' Quraishi indicated Schiano's testimony on behalf of Elad was especially persuasive. As a former NFL coach and experienced power conference coach, Schiano's opinion that Elad is an 'NFL-caliber safety' who would benefit greatly by having the chance to showcase his talents at the NFL combine was viewed as an authoritative and reliable statement about Elad's future. Although Elad could have declared for the 2025 NFL Draft, Schiano explained that Elad was 'under the impression that he was going to be able to play another season of college football.' Elad relied, mistakenly, on the NCAA issuing a JUCO waiver policy in the wake of Vanderbilt quarterback and former JUCO transfer Diego Pavia receiving a court ruling last December to play another season this fall. The gist of Quraishi's injunction for Elad was that college football, at least at a power conference school, shares some features of a professional football experience and the players, while still full-time students, ought to be viewed as selling services to teams. In a brief authored by Kenneth L. Racowski and other attorneys from Holland & Knight, the NCAA contends Quraishi fumbled key aspects of the case. One alleged defect is Quraishi placing importance in Schiano's 'subjective belief that playing for Rutgers will lead to Elad being drafted by an NFL team.' The NCAA argues this testimony was 'inherently speculative,' since it frames 'whether scouts see him in another college season' as a determinative factor without empirical support. The NCAA adds that Schiano's acknowledgment that an injury 'would prevent Elad from being drafted' only serves to confirm 'that Elad's NFL prospects depend on numerous factors that are out of Coach Schiano's hands.' Another alleged weakness in the injunction is how Elad relies on the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in NCAA v. Alston (2021). The NCAA stresses that Alston 'had nothing to do with eligibility rules' and didn't 'call into question every rule that might impact commercial opportunities' for college athletes. Alston was about NCAA rules restricting education-related benefits for student athletes—not whether college athletes can sign NIL deals or eligibility rules. The NCAA also argues that Elad's exclusion from playing college football doesn't show the rule causes economic harm from a market standpoint. The rule doesn't 'reduce the number of roster spots' but instead 'defines and limits' which athletes can 'compete for opportunities and for how long.' The rule reflects the 'zero-sum game' of team rosters, since Elad's inclusion would mean another player isn't on the Scarlet Knights' roster and thus wouldn't be able to sign NIL deals as a Rutgers player. 'Even Coach Schiano's testimony,' the NCAA asserts, 'concedes that Elad would be taking away a roster spot from another player, who will not make the Rutgers roster, and playing time from another player who would otherwise get snaps that Elad plays.' The NCAA also insists there are important justifications for the five-year rule, including that it is designed for college athletes in a period that 'roughly corresponds to the time required to complete most college studies.' Elad's 'framework' for college sports, the NCAA charges, would permit athletes to train at JUCO, D-II and D-III 'indefinitely before transferring to Division I with four full seasons remaining.' This approach would allegedly 'fundamentally alter the structure of college sports' and constitute a 'complete redefinition' akin to a minor league. Along those lines, the NCAA invites the Third Circuit to think about the ramifications of permitting athletes 'to participate in college sports well past the time necessary for them to complete a college degree.' Elad's case is one of many taking place in courtrooms featuring seasoned college athletes who want to keep playing after exhausting their NCAA eligibility. As the NCAA notes, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit recently sided with the NCAA in a case brought by Wisconsin cornerback Nyzier Fourqurean to play a fifth season of college football in five years. The possibility of the Third Circuit or another federal circuit siding with an athlete invites a potential 'circuit split,' meaning federal courts of appeals holding conflicting views about the same legal question, with the Seventh Circuit. Circuit splits provide a compelling reason for the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene, since otherwise the rights and obligations of Americans can vary based on which circuit their cases happen to be litigated. Best of College Athletes as Employees: Answering 25 Key Questions
2 days ago
- General
Army cadet dies while training at Fort Knox
An Army ROTC cadet died during summer training at Fort Knox in Kentucky, according to the U.S. Army Cadet Command. Neil Edara, a 22-year-old student at Rutgers University from Ridgewood, New Jersey, died on July 24 while attending a Cadet Summer Training at Fort Knox, officials said in a statement over the weekend. Edara allegedly became "unresponsive while conducting Land Navigation Training," received "immediate medical attention and was medically evacuated by helicopter to the University of Louisville, where he was pronounced deceased by medical professionals," authorities said. Officials noted that Edara's cause of death is under investigation. Edara joined ROTC (Reserve Officers' Training Corps) at Rutgers in September 2021 and was attending the Cadet Summer Training as part of the 9th Regiment, Advanced Camp, officials said. The 35-day camp -- which is considered to be the largest annual training event in the U.S. Army -- "tests cadets' leadership and soldiering skills" and is required to be commissioned as a second lieutenant, according to a press release obtained by ABC News. Over 7,000 cadets "from the nation's many colleges and universities" attend the camp each year, the press release said. Lt. Col. Timothy Sorenson, a military science professor at Rutgers, said Edara was "one of the most dedicated and promising young leaders I've had the privilege to know." "His calm, collected demeanor and unwavering commitment to excellence left a lasting impact on everyone around him. His loss is deeply felt across the entire ROTC and Rutgers community. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time," Sorenson said. While training still continues for other cadets at Fort Knox, Army ROTC officials said the safety of cadets is their "top priority." They said cadets will have access to "religious affairs or spiritual counseling and support" during this time as well. A private memorial service for Edara is scheduled for July 28, according to officials.
2 days ago
- General
Amy cadet dies while training at Fort Knox
An Army ROTC cadet died during summer training at Fort Knox in Kentucky, according to the U.S. Army Cadet Command. Neil Edara, a 22-year-old student at Rutgers University from Ridgewood, New Jersey, died on July 24 while attending a Cadet Summer Training at Fort Knox, officials said in a statement over the weekend. Edara allegedly became "unresponsive while conducting Land Navigation Training," received "immediate medical attention and was medically evacuated by helicopter to the University of Louisville, where he was pronounced deceased by medical professionals," authorities said. Officials noted that Edara's cause of death is under investigation. Edara joined ROTC (Reserve Officers' Training Corps) at Rutgers in September 2021 and was attending the Cadet Summer Training as part of the 9th Regiment, Advanced Camp, officials said. The 35-day camp -- which is considered to be the largest annual training event in the U.S. Army -- "tests cadets' leadership and soldiering skills" and is required to be commissioned as a second lieutenant, according to a press release obtained by ABC News. Over 7,000 cadets "from the nation's many colleges and universities" attend the camp each year, the press release said. Lt. Col. Timothy Sorenson, a military science professor at Rutgers, said Edara was "one of the most dedicated and promising young leaders I've had the privilege to know." "His calm, collected demeanor and unwavering commitment to excellence left a lasting impact on everyone around him. His loss is deeply felt across the entire ROTC and Rutgers community. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time," Sorenson said. While training still continues for other cadets at Fort Knox, Army ROTC officials said the safety of cadets is their "top priority." They said cadets will have access to "religious affairs or spiritual counseling and support" during this time as well. A private memorial service for Edara is scheduled for July 28, according to officials.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
How Greg Schiano built Rutgers football's infrastructure to adapt to changing landscape
As the wayward search for Rutgers' new athletics director appears to finally be close to an end, Greg Schiano's football program will begin training camp having been unaffected and undeterred by what transpired over the last year. The chaos that's engulfed the Rodkin Center hasn't moved across Sutphen Road to infiltrate the Hale Center. And that's not a coincidence. Schiano since he's been back has run his program in his vision with the personnel and infrastructure that he sees fit. As the landscape of college sports – especially college football – has evolved with Name, Image and Likeness, the transfer portal and now revenue sharing, that infrastructure has only become more important. It's also become bigger. But the freedom Schiano has to lead his program without interference has helped insulate it from an AD search that became a punchline nationally – its previous leading candidate, Brian Lafemina, according to NJ Advance Media pulled his name from consideration in recent weeks. The university has now zeroed in on Keli Zinn, the executive deputy director of athletics and chief operating officer at Louisiana State, according to reports. When asked about the long search last week in Las Vegas at Big Ten Media Days, Schiano said he hadn't spent much time worrying about the search. Had it affected anything? 'Not our operation,' said Schiano, who's beginning his sixth season since returning to Rutgers. More: Rutgers is targeting LSU administrator as next athletics director, per reports Rutgers football's infrastructure While it undoubtedly would help Schiano to have an athletics director who could help him raise funds – something he's never had during his second stint – it's not something that's stopping him. Schiano's program has increasingly started to look like an NFL organization. His two years as the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2012 and 2013 gave him an up-close, inside look at what it needs. NFL organizations have college personnel and pro personnel to evaluate both groups of players. Schiano's program has groups to evaluate high school players and college players so it's ready to jump when anyone enters the portal. Schiano's been diligent about how he's built the operation. 'Certainly we need more people to help with evaluations but we've kind of reorganized our entire population,' Schiano said. 'My whole thing has always been measure twice and cut once. I don't want to just react, I'd rather be a little bit later and get it right than have to be the first out of gate. I don't want to be last but certainly don't need to be first. I've observed a lot of other people, what they've done. Things I think are good, things that are not. Certainly from my own experience I had an idea of how I wanted to do it.' 'Comfortable with the team we have' Schiano credited the team he's assembled to help lead it: Chief of Staff Kevin MacConnell, assistant general manager for finance Jordan Wolkstein, assistant general manager for personnel Eric Josephs, and assistant athletic director for football Will Gilkison, who helps run the ins and outs of program operations. Wolkstein's role helping to oversee contracts and compensation for players shows just how much college football has changed, but it's also a necessity. When it comes to paying players and roster construction to stay within a budget, that's another area Schiano's time in the NFL helped prepare him for. 'I think it helps a lot,' Schiano said. 'I think it just helps with the comfortability of dealing with finance as it ties to football. I think you have to some discipline. We've had some players that if we could've spent a little more, we could've probably gotten them. To me the most important thing is your own team. You're around them every day, you know who they are. So where you can't afford to make mistakes is on your own team. That's the one you should know. Every time you step outside your organization there's some unknown there.' Every year Schiano's program has evolved. Every year it's looked more and more like a pro organization to adapt to the changes in college football. He's built it in his vision. At some point Rutgers will hire an athletics director, but until it does operations inside the Hale Center continue to run smoothly. 'We really feel comfortable with the team that we have,' Schiano said. 'We do have to continue to strategically add people to build the infrastructure but I want to make sure they're the right people.' This article originally appeared on Rutgers football: Greg Schiano has built program to adapt to changes
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Rutgers is targeting LSU administrator as next athletics director, per reports
The search for Rutgers' new athletics director appears to finally be ending. The university has narrowed its search to Keli Zinn, the executive deputy athletics director and chief operating officer for Louisiana State, according to multiple reports. Rutgers' newly hired president William Tate was previously at LSU in the same role, so Tate has clear familiarity with Zinn, who's been in Baton Rouge since 2022. Zinn at LSU oversees all 21 varsity programs with direct oversight over football, revenue generation and capital projects – all areas important for Rutgers. Zinn previously was the deputy AD at West Virginia, her alma mater. She's also worked at Maryland and as a compliance assistant with the Big East before that. If Rutgers finalizes the hiring of Zinn, it would end a long search for the new athletics director, a role that became open when Pat Hobbs resigned last August. Ryan Pisarri became interim AD at the time, but he recently left to become the AD at Tufts. Matt Colagiovanni is the current interim athletics director. NJ Advance Media reported Rutgers had targeted longtime sports administrator Brian Lafemina, a Rutgers alumnus, as its top candidate, but he pulled his name from the search. Rutgers needs a new AD to stabilize the department at a time of ongoing change in college athletics. It's been a long time since Rutgers has had a full-time athletics director in place - Patrick Hobbs resigned from the job in August 2024 - but that could be changing soon. This article originally appeared on Rutgers targeting LSU administrator as next AD, per reports
