Big Ten Daily (Dec. 29): Kyle Monangai Leads Rutgers To Pinstripe Bowl Win
Kyle Monangai continues to prove that you don't have to be a high-profile recruit to make an impact. The running back slashed Miami's defense for 163 yards and a touchdown, leading Rutgers to a 31-24 victory in the Pinstripe Bowl on Thursday.
The performance was the exclamation point on a sensational season. The 5-foot-9, 210-pound ball carrier hit the century mark for the seventh time this year. He finishes the 2023 campaign with 1,262 rushing yards, leading the Big Ten.
"He's special, right? ... It was his seventh 100-yard-plus game. But he just runs so hard," Schiano said of Monangai's outing against Miami. "You can see it. When he starts the game breaking tackles like that, you know he's on. He's got it.
"I was really happy for Kyle. To win the MVP and to come back the way he's decided to do ... we're gonna have a real good running back room."
It's not like Monangai was a highly-touted prospect out of high school. Yes, the running back received approximately two dozen offers, but Rutgers was the only Power Five program to show interest.
You could say that Rutgers took a chance on Monangai — and it paid off.
Monangai became the first Scarlet Knights running back to eclipse 1,000 rushing yards since Jawan Jamison in 2012. Because of his success on the ground, Rutgers finished the season with a 7-6 record and a bowl victory, the best year the program has enjoyed since 2014.
“This is a big step for our program,” said Monangai. “We worked our butts off.”
The best part about Thursday's performance from Monangai was the realization that we're going to see it again. Earlier in December, the veteran running back announced that he'd be returning to Piscataway for the 2024 campaign.
"Thank you to Coach (Greg) Schiano for taking a chance and believing in me when nobody else would," Monangai wrote on Twitter. "Playing at Rutgers and representing New Jersey has truly been an honor.
"I'm excited to announce that I'll be returning to Rutgers for my senior season. I love my teammates and believe we are just scratching the surface of what we can accomplish."
Rutgers took a big step in 2023. With Monangai returning to the backfield next season, the Scarlet Knights have a great opportunity to build off this momentum.
Northwestern Staff Changes
Now that he has taken charge of the program, David Braun is making some staff changes. On Thursday, Matt Fortuna of Inside Zone reported that Northwestern is parting ways with three staffers, including offensive coordinator Mike Bajakian.
In addition to Bajakian, Braun is also moving on from special teams and tight ends coach Jeff Genyk and sports performance director Jay Hooten.
Changes to Northwestern's staff come less than a week after the Wildcats defeated Utah 14-7 in the Las Vegas Bowl. During the broadcast of that game, ESPN's Sean McDonough indicated that Bajakian knew the bowl game would mark the end of his time with the program.
Northwestern's offense struggled in the four years under Bajakian. However, it was his decision to wear a “‘Cats Against the World” shirt during fall camp after Pat Fitzgerald's termination that sealed his fate.
Genyk had multiple stops at Northwestern, with his latest dating back to 2018. He also had stops in Evanston from 1994-2003 and again in 2015 before his latest stint.
Hooten was the longest-tenured member of the three, joining the strength and conditioning staff in 2009. He was the elevated to director of sports performance in 2011.
Navigating the 2023 season was a tough endeavor for Braun, but he managed to lead the Wildcats to an 8-5 record. Now, he's met with a new challenge: building a successful staff.
Marvin Harrison Jr. Still a Mystery
Apparently, you'll have to tune into the Cotton Bowl Classic on Friday night to see whether or not Marvin Harrison Jr. will be playing. The mystery surrounding his status hasn't gotten any clearer.
Ohio State coach Ryan Day was asked whether or not the star receiver would hit the field against Missouri at AT&T Stadium on Friday. Not much of an answer was provided.
“We’ll know in about 24 hours," Day said.
There seems to be an element of gamesmanship involved on Ohio State's part. Whatever it takes to win, right? But Eli Drinkwitz and his Mizzou staff have probably prepared (as best they can) for Harrison to play.
Harrison was a Heisman Trophy finalist after totaling 1,211 yards and 14 touchdowns on 67 receptions this season. We'd love to see him in action at least one more time this year.
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