The negative side of football reared its ugly head last weekend when Rutgers defensive tackle Eric LeGrand suffered an injury that paralyzed him from the neck down.

Rutgers, though, is doing its best to just establish a stronger community. From the rest of the football team to the Rutgers students to the Big East conference, LeGrand’s injury has left that community with many heavy hearts.

‘We appreciate all the thoughts and prayers of so many people,’ Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano said in the Big East coaches’ teleconference Monday. ‘The league has been tremendous. Coaches, athletic directors, trainers, players from across the country really, but our league has really been special.’

LeGrand, mainly a special teams player, was attempting to make a tackle on a kickoff return in the fourth quarter Saturday against Army when he was involved in a violent collision with the Black Knights’ Malcolm Brown. After lying motionless on the field for several minutes, LeGrand was carted off. The crowd, attending the first FBS game in New Meadowlands Stadium, fell silent in shock.

And it has since affected the entire athletic program. It was a main topic of discussion Wednesday for Rutgers head coach Mike Rice at the Big East media day for men’s basketball.

‘(Rutgers Athletic Director Tim Pernetti) came and spoke to our student athletes, as he did (with) all our athletic teams, and just about how to support (LeGrand),’ Rice said. ‘The prayers for him, picking up the men’s football team as they walk by, making sure your thoughts, and you’re communicating your support for them and for Eric.

‘As a coach — and I was at the game — your heart sinks.’

Rutgers went on to win the game, but the focus was on LeGrand, who still remains at Hackensack University Medical Center.

It sparked reaction across the Big East football landscape, including Syracuse. Senior linebacker and captain Derrell Smith said his prayers go out to LeGrand and his family.

‘It’s something that happens in the game,’ Smith said. ‘It’s unfortunate that it had to happen to somebody. … I’ll definitely keep him in my prayers, and I wish the best for him.’

Other Scarlet Knights’ teams have also shown their support, along with students of the university. Rice, entering his first year as RU’s men’s basketball coach, said tragedies like the one that occurred Saturday create a greater sense of closeness among teams, students and people.

‘Things like this unfortunately do. It brings you together,’ Rice said. ‘Me and my wife can’t even think of what (Schiano’s) last four or five days have gone through. As usual, he’s handled it with class, with a personal touch.’

The football team will pay tribute as well, wearing stickers on the front of their helmets that will read ‘Believe.’ The team chose ‘believe’ because it is one of the few things the players can do in the situation.

They believe LeGrand will walk on the field with them once again.

‘It has been a challenging couple of days here since the game,’ Schiano said. ‘It’s going to be a long, long road and a long fight.

‘But everyone here at Rutgers, on his team, his family, we believe he is going to recover and is going to walk out of there.’

Connecticut quarterback suspended for season

UConn announced Wednesday that starting quarterback Cody Endres has been suspended for the rest of the season for an undisclosed violation of school policy.

The junior took over in the middle of UConn’s game with Buffalo on Sept. 25 and kept the role as starter from that point. He has thrown for 471 yards and five touchdowns to only two interceptions in his two-plus games of work. The Huskies went 1-1 with him as a starter.

Connecticut (3-3, 0-1 Big East) was picked to finish fourth in the Big East football preseason media poll, and the Huskies had even higher expectations than that. But things haven’t gone as planned — especially the quarterback situation. Endres, who was suspended in the preseason for breaking team rules, took over for quarterback Zach Frazer in the Buffalo game. Frazer had struggled as the Huskies’ starter, completing only 52 percent of his passes and throwing just two touchdowns in three-plus games.

Those struggles allowed Endres, back from suspension, to take the starting role. Endres also started six games last season before an injury ended his year.

Frazer had since been dropped to third on the quarterback depth chart, behind redshirt freshman Michael Box. It hasn’t been decided whether or not UConn head coach Randy Edsall will give Box his first career start Saturday at Louisville or if he will go back to Frazer.

Big man on campus

WR Armon Binns

Senior

Cincinnati

Last week: 8 receptions, 175 yards, 3 TDs

Binns, part of the Bearcats two-headed wide receiver attack along with D.J. Woods, had a career day against Louisville Friday. In the midst of a shootout with the Cardinals, Binns was quarterback Zach Collaros’ favorite target all night, hauling in eight catches, including three for scores. His big game helped Cincinnati (3-3, 1-0 Big East) win its conference opener, 35-27.

He also accounted for over 60 percent of his quarterback’s 275 yards passing. And all three touchdowns came at crucial junctures in the game.

The senior’s 10-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter was a much-needed response to a Louisville touchdown, putting the Bearcats back on top 14-7. After the Cardinals reeled off 17 unanswered points to take a two-score lead, Collaros found Binns for a 31-yard touchdown catch, cutting UL’s lead to three heading into halftime.

In the fourth quarter, Binns got the hat trick with a touchdown that gave Cincinnati a cushion it needed. Winning just 28-27, Binns burned Louisville cornerback Bobby Burns, and his quarterback delivered a perfect strike, leading to a 62-yard touchdown that gave the Bearcats the 35-27 score that eventually went final.

Binns and Woods have combined for 63 catches, 1,075 yards and 13 touchdowns in six games this year. Woods is first and Binns second in receiving yards in the Big East, and Binns is tied for second and Woods fourth in receptions. They are also No. 1 (Binns) and No. 2 (Woods) in touchdown receptions in the conference.

mcooperj@syr.edu

 

Published on October 20, 2010 at 12:00 pm

Contact Mark: mcooperj@syr.edu | @mark_cooperjr