**Hit the video above for the full SNY unveiling show.

NEW YORK — Can new Nike football uniforms help impact recruiting at Rutgers?

Head coach Kyle Flood and the players believe they can.

“I think it will be easy for recruits to recognize us,” Rutgers senior defensive tackle Scott Vallone told SNY.tv at the SNY studios when the uniforms were unveiled. “It will be a distinct look that incorporates a Scarlet Knight and battle ‘scars.’ I think it will be something that people will be able to identify us with and that will be a very positive thing for recruiting.”

The new uniforms were unveiled for the players Monday at the Hale Center and junior wide receiver Mark Harrison said the players got fired up when they saw them.

“It was so loud in there, I’m still getting my hearing back right now,” Harrison said. “It was exciting.”

The Nike Pro Combat System of Dress technology features red (home), white (road) and black uniforms, with the black ones set to debut in the Black Out Game Oct. 6 against UConn. All three incorporate the “Block R” logo.

Vallone debuted the red, Harrison the white and Khaseem Greene the black.

“Gotta go with the white, I’m wearing the white,” Harrison said. “My favorite is the white right now.”

Still, the black ones look pretty intimidating, like some kind of Star Wars Stormtrooper coming your way on defense.

“Khas looks real good in the black, especially playing defense out there,” Harrison said. “Looking at him, he’ s a mean player.”

Rutgers currently has the No. 1 recruiting class in the Big East for 2012, according to Scout.com, but the hope is that the new unis boost recruiting even further going forward.

“These are the little things that a lot of teams look forward to and a lot of teams don’t have and I feel privileged,” Harrison said. “And it’s going to help our recruiting process for the years to come up. When they see these uniforms they’re going to look at, ‘Oh, I want to be a Knight.’ I feel great about it and I feel like it’s a great opportunity to showcase our talent and get out there put Rutgers on the map.”

Said Flood: “I think it’s important the same way facilities are important. You want to know that there’s an investment from your University in the football program. We know the importance of football at Rutgers University and certainly having the top quality, the best uniforms that you can have, that’s just another way to tell the recruits that, ‘Hey, when you come to Rutgers, not only are you going to get a great education, not only are you going to be a part of a great University, you’re also going to be a part of first-class football organization at all times.”

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It gets better with time.

The Scarlet Knights over the last two days landed two four-star recruits and two three-star prospects to a class that currently stands at 24 players heading into Wednesday’s National Signing Day.

With the additions of 6-foot-6 four-star wide receiver Brandon Coleman of Forestville, Md., and 5-10 four-star safety Rashad Knight of Jacksonville, Fla., the Knights are headed strong to the finish line.

Read the full story here.

**Check out the Video Player at right later today for interviews with T.J. Clemmings of Paterson Catholic (Pittsburgh), Chris Fonti of Wayne Hills (Rutgers) and Mike Wills of Rutherford (Princeton). These guys combine to be 19 feet, 6 inches and 880 pounds of offensive and defensive linemen.

**Brooklyn Sal also has an interview with five-star DE Dominique Easley of Curtis High School on Staten Island, a top five national recruit.

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Traveling around the Eastern seaboard watching recruits, that’s hows.

Schiano was in Florida Friday night and back in New Jersey Saturday afternoon.

“You have to love high school football,” Schiano told The Associated Press Friday night.

Rutgers (3-1, 0-1 Big East) is off this week and hosts Texas Southern for Homecoming Oct. 10.

On Friday, Schiano took an eight-seat chartered plane to Fort Lauderdale, Fla. to watch the top two teams in the nation, No. 1 St. Thomas Aquinas of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., against No. 2 Byrnes High of Duncan, S.C.

Rutgers commit Chas Dodd threw for 416 yards and three touchdowns for Byrnes (5-1), but Aquinas won the game 42-34.

“South Florida football has been a big part of our program,” Schiano told The Associated Press. “And it always will be.”

Florida coach Urban Meyer and Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops, whose team lost at Miami Saturday night, also attended the game.

Schiano and Rutgers cornerbacks coach Chris Hewitt then went to Lodi, N.J., on  Saturday afternoon to watch Paterson Catholic senior defensive end Trevor “T.J.” Clemmings.

The 6-foot-6, 263-pound Clemmings had eight tackles, four for loss, as the Cougars beat Lodi 22-12.

Schiano’s appearance at the game was first reported by the Bergen Record.

The top New Jersey recruit in the Class of 2010 despite playing in just his second year of organized football, Clemmings verbally committed to Pittsburgh in June. But Cougars head coach Benjie Wimberly told me Sunday ”he’s still going through the recruiting process.”

“He did verbally commit to Pitt,” Wimberly added. “He’s now considering taking visits. Can that change between now and December? Yes, it can.

“He has said that he would consider taking other visits at the conclusion of the season. Obviously, Rutgers is somebody that if he does consider taking visits they would be one of the schools. Nothing is going to be set until next month.”

Chris Melvin of EliteRecruits.com, who is close with Clemmings, says Clemmings is also considering Ohio State and Florida along with Pitt.

“T.J. hasn’t ruled anyone out, but those three schools seemed to have surfaced to the top of his list,” Melvin said.

Wimberly said Clemmings  will “definitely” take an official to Pitt at some point.

Paterson Catholic is still waiting to learn its playoff schedule. The postseason begins in early December.

“Pitt is the definite one [he will visit],” Wimberly said. “It’s pending our schedule with the playoffs, how many teams are in the bracket. We’ll have a better picture once we know how many teams we have in the bracket.”

Because Clemmings has only played two years of organized football, Melvin says his upside is tremendous.

“The ironic thing about T.J.’s recruitment is that he is still a novice at the sport,” Melvin said. “He’s only 14 games into his football career. I would say there is a lot more room for a legit player like T.J. to blossom.” 

(The Associated Press contributed.)

PHILLIPS NAMED U.S. ARMY ALL-AMERICAN

Boston College-bound wide receiver Shakim Phillips of Wayne (N.J.) De Paul Catholic has been selected to play in the 2010 U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

 The game is set for January 9, 2010, at the Alamodome in San Antonio. The annual classic East vs. West match-up will be televised live on NBC and will feature the nation’s top 90 high school football players.

The 6-2, 191-pound Phillips is the No. 5-ranked wideout in the Class of 2010, according to Rivals.

“Shakim is a talented athlete whose exemplary displays of leadership and teamwork have made him a standout at De Paul Catholic High School,” said Col. Derik Crotts, Deputy Chief of Staff, G7, U.S. Army Accessions Command. “The qualities necessary to succeed on the football field, strength, dedication, leadership and teamwork, are the same qualities mirrored in Army Strong Soldiers. We are proud to honor all of our U.S. Army All-American Bowl players and congratulate them on their selection.”

BOSCO’S JONES HONORED

Don Bosco RB Tony Jones of Paterson, N.J. was named the U.S. Army All-American Bowl Player of the Week for the week ending Sept. 26. Jones, who led his team to a 35-24 win over Prattville High School (Ala.), rushed 22 times for 222 yards and three touchdowns.

Jones is being courted by Rutgers, Pitt and UConn, according to Bosco AD Nunzio Campanile.

Jones’ performance was even more extraordinary because of the national implications of the Ironmen’s victory over the Lions. Bosco, ranked No. 10 by Rivals.com heading into the weekend’s action, can now make a legitimate case for itself as the top team in the United States. On Sept. 12, the Ironmen defeated De La Salle High School (Concord, Calif.), 30-6.

Dallas Jackson of RivalsHigh says Bosco could be No. 2 in the nation in this week’s poll.

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NEWPORT, R.I.

With Mike Teel now playing on Sundays, there is a new era in Piscataway and the quarterback competition for the 2009 season is wide open.

“It doesn’t make the fans comfortable sometimes because everybody’s concern is, ‘Oh, well we don’t have a quarterback.’ We have plenty of quarterbacks; it’s just a matter of who’s going to be the starter on opening day [Sept. 7 against Cincinnati],” Rutgers athletic director Tim Pernetti said at Big East Football Media Day. “I think the beauty of college football is that you’re constantly introducing new personalities to it.”

Read the full story here.

(Photos courtesy daylife.com and mycentraljersey.com)

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Frank Quartucci, 6-foot-4, 290-pound offensive guard from Hamilton West High School, committed on Monday. He reportedly chose the Scarlet Knights over interest from Penn State, Maryland, UConn and Buffalo.

“They liked my style and they’re excited about the new offensive line that’s coming in,” Quartucci told The Star-Ledger. “They told me that I could be a contributing factor to that. Coach Schiano has had many job offers from big-time schools and he believes that he can win a national championship here. And honestly, so do I.”

Quartucci is the third offensive line commit from the Class of 2010 in the last week, following 6-7, 320-pound Chris Fonti from Wayne Hills and and 6-5, 300-pound Jorge Vicioso from Passaic. Betim Bujari from Secaucus previously committed.

“I think what sold Frank to Rutgers is that he’s a physical kid who likes to play the game of football in a nasty manner,” Hamilton West head coach Tom Hoglen told the Ledger. “He’s shown that by coming to our 6 a.m. workouts and he’s become a better football player.”

(Photo courtesy Rivals.com)

Jorge Vicioso, 6-foot-6, 300 pound offensive lineman from Passaic (N.J.) High School, has verbally committed to Rutgers and will enroll in 2010

“That place is the perfect fit for him,” Passaic coach Billy Curry said. “The thing about Rutgers is, they’re going to take care of him academically. They’re going to give him the academic support that he needs. He’s a first generation football player. Nobody in his family every played football. I wanted Jorge to go somewhere where his mom and his brother can come down and see him.

“I just think that Rutgers is the best fit for him.”

He made the commitment on Saturday after attending Rutgers’ Big Man Camp the weekend before. Vicioso chose Rutgers over Temple, Louisville and Cincinnati.

“He’s got great feet and he moves well,” Curry said. “Jorge could come in after a redshrit year and step in and play. He’s a left tackle. The kid [Anthony] Davis plays left tackle and more than likely that kid will be drafted next year and if Jorge goes down there, learns and gets bigger and stronger, he could probalby step in and play for him after that kid leaves.”

Vicioso is the fourth player to commit to Rutgers from the Class of 2010 and the second offensive lineman from Passaic County. Chris Fonti, a 6-7, 320-pound lineman from Wayne Hill High, committed last week.

CLEMMINGS SAYS HE ISN’T COMMITTED TO PITT

Paterson (N.J.) Catholic senior defensive lineman Trevor “T.J.” Clemmings reiterated his coach’s comments that he has not verbally committed to Pittsburgh.

“I just told them I liked them but no commitment,” the 6-6, 263-pound Clemmings said by phone.

“I’m going to take my other visits first and if Pitt is supposed to be where it is , then I’ll be there.”

Clemmings said he plans to take his five officials in the fall, including possibly visiting Florida and Ohio State.

Paterson Catholic coach Benjie Wimberly also said that former PC and Purdue running back Malcolm Harris will transfer to UMass from Dean (Mass.) Junior College.

(Photo courtesy Rivals.com)

“Yes, I did,” Fonti said by phone. “I’m just happy to be a Scarlet Knight.”

Fonti, who also had offers from East Carolina, Louisville and Florida International,  said he decided after working out this weekend with Rutgers offensive line coach Kyle Flood.

“That was it,” he said. “After working with Coach Flood, that made me want to come. I just liked the way he teaches. He’s very hands on. He knows what to do and he just seemed like a great coach.”

Fonti also cited the proximity of Rutgers to his home in Wayne and the school’s recent academic accolades. He called head coach Greg Schiano Monday to give his commitment.

“He was just ecstatic and he knew that it was the right place for me and it was a good fit,” Fonti said of Schiano.

Fonti is Rutgers’ third commit in the Class of 2010, joining athlete JJ Tartacoff of Montgomery, N.J. and OL Betim Bujari of Secaucus.

Wayne Hills coach Chris Olsen, who has won five straight North 1, Group 3 championships, said he could imagine Fonti one day playing in the NFL.

“At 6 foot 7, 315 pounds, I think he can be a competitive player at any level, not only the next level but possibly the level after that,” he said.

“He’s going to a place where they have one of the top offensive line coaches in the country. He loves Coach Schiano and he loves where they’re going. It’s a great fit for him.”

Olsen said Fonti wasn’t permitted to play Little League football in Wayne because of his size and has improved dramatically after playing just one year of varsity ball.

“He hadn’t played Little League football because he was too big. There’s weight limits. Lineman can’t be more than 155 pounds,” Olsen said. “He was probably that in kindergarten.

“Last year was his first year playing varsity. He was with our second unit. He did get in a lot. There were games where he was dominating. When your 6-7 it’s not easy to block 5-11 kids, either.”

Olsen added: “I’m really happy with his choice. They’re getting a great player who’s just starting to show how good he can really be.”

CLEMMINGS NOT COMMITTED TO PITT

Paterson Catholic defensive lineman Trevor “T.J.” Clemmings is not committed to Pitt, according to PC head coach Benjie Wimberly.

“He went out there and made a hasty decision [to commit] without any input from his parents or me,” Wimberly said Monday night. “He’s going to rethink it and continue the recruiting process.”

The 6-6, 263-pound Clemmings told me last month that Pitt and Maryland were his leaders.

“I got a good feel for a couple of schools right now,” Clemmings said at the recent Big Time Football Showcase at Rutgers. “Maryland and Pitt are the two schools coming at me the hardest right now.”

Wimberly said Pitt was still on Clemmings’ list, but so were several other schools.

“It’s very high on his list obviously,” said Wimberly, adding that they would meet on Tuesday to discuss his other visits.

“He’s visited Rutgers, Maryland and Penn State unofficially. He’ll probably do a couple more, Florida and Ohio State. He’s going to try and visit both of them over the summer.

“From there, he will have his five official visits set for the fall.”

Chris Melvin of EliteRecruits.com says Clemmings is the No. 1 recruit in New Jersey in the Class of 2010.

“He’s my top player in the state, without a question in my mind,” Melvin said. “He’s raw. The kid still has a long way to go.”

(Photo courtesy Rivals.com)

The game featured many of the top high school seniors from New Jersey against their counterparts from seven other states. Players committed to six of the Big East’s eight football programs participated, including seven headed to compete for Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano.

With the game tied at 7-7 and the Northeast driving for a potential game-winning score in the final seconds, Notre Dame-bound linebacker Carlo Calabrese picked off a pass intended for Rhode Island commit Ali Muhammad. Muhammad tipped the ball and Calabrese grabbed it out of the air, before alertly tossing it to teammate Josh Evans, an exciting 6-foot-2, 185-pound free safety headed to Florida.

Read the full story here.

CERVINO, JOHNSON, MCQUEEN TRANSFERRING

Former Wayne (NJ) DePaul Catholic standout Chaz Cervino is transferring from Syracuse to Hofstra.

“He’s going to transfer,” said Bobby Cervino, Chaz’s dad. “He doesn’t have to sit out because Hofstra is Division I-AA.”

The elder Cervino said new Syracuse coach Doug Marrone told Chaz his role would be limited next season.

“He said the difference between Chaz and Wayne Chrebet or Wes Welker is that you have to catch 70 balls a year in college. You’re not going to be able to catch 70 balls a year here. You can either catch five or six balls or you can go somewhere where you can have a better opportunity,” Bobby said.

Cervino is a 5-10, 183-pound WR who was named first-team All-State in New Jersey in 2007. He passed for 5,617 yards and 61 touchdowns and rushed for 2,162 yards and 30 touchdowns during his career

Also, Cincinnati athlete Tahree McQueen and Boston College QB Chris Johnson both transferred to Delaware State. McQueen played at Paterson Eastside and Johnson at Paterson Kennedy. Delaware State is the alma mater of Kennedy coach Ron Jackson and now has four Paterson kids on its roster (Marquis Spann and Keith Hunt of Kennedy are the others.)

Nobody knows more about football recruiting in New Jersey and the Northeast than Chris Melvin of EliteRecruits.com. Check out the third of a three-part interview with Chris in which he breaks down the 23-man recruiting class Rutgers inked last Wednesday on National Signing Day.

See Part 2 here and Part 1 here.

Nobody knows more about football recruiting in New Jersey and the Northeast than Chris Melvin of EliteRecruits.com. Check out the second of a three-part interview with Chris in which he breaks down the 23-man recruiting class Rutgers inked last Wednesday on National Signing Day.

***See Part 1 of the Melvin interview here.

***To learn more about the New Jersey vs. the Northeast All-Star Classic at Rutgers Stadium that will feature Phil Simms and Joe Theismann as head coaches, read this story.

RUTGERS HIRES MARIANI AS DIRECTOR OF RECRUITING

I was once sitting in the office of Wayne Hills football coach Chris Olsen, as good a high school football coach as there is anywhere, and in walked then-Iona head coach Fred Mariani.

Chris and Fred had known each other for years and the meeting was friendly and cordial. Mariani was there on a recruiting trip and he knew to ask Olsen which of his players would best fit Iona.

It wasn’t a coincidence that Iona then ended up with a couple of Wayne Hills players.

Mariani’s connections should benefit Rutgers since he was announced Tuesday as the new Director of Football Recruiting Operations.

“We are excited to have Fred joining our family,” Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano said. “Fred brings a wealth of experience to this position and will surely help us achieve our championship goals.”

Mariani is a Saddle River, N.J. native who won 46 games at Iona.

“To me, this is a dream come true,” he said. “This is such an exciting opportunity since I am a New Jersey guy and Rutgers is our state university. I have great respect for the coaching staff here at Rutgers and I consider Greg Schiano to be one of the top coaches in the nation.”