2006 Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team
Encyclopedia
The 2006 Rutgers Scarlet Knights campaign was considered by many to be the breakout season for the Rutgers football team. Led by Draddy Trophy
winning senior fullback
Brian Leonard
, sophomore quarterback
Mike Teel
, sophomore halfback
Ray Rice
, sophomore wide receiver
Tiquan Underwood
, junior defensive tackle Eric Foster
, and junior kicker
Jeremy Ito
, Rutgers finished the season ranked 12th in the Associated Press and Coaches polls, won eleven of thirteen games, and recorded the first bowl game win in school history.
The team started off the season going undefeated through nine games, including a dramatic win over then-3rd ranked Louisville
, which was highlighted by kicker Jeremy Ito's last minute field goal to seal the win. They were defeated by both West Virginia
and Cincinnati
, but nonetheless received an invitation to play Kansas State
in the inaugural Texas Bowl
. Rutgers defeated Kansas State 37-10 for the first bowl game win in school history. Halfback
Ray Rice
was named the game's MVP and ran for 170 yards and one touchdown
in twenty-four carries. Due to his tremendous 2006 season, in which he ran for 1,794 yards and scored twenty touchdowns, Rice won Big East Player of the Year honors. He also finished seventh in Heisman Trophy
voting and was a finalist for the Maxwell Award
.
Draddy Trophy
The William V. Campbell trophy, formerly the Vincent dePaul Draddy Trophy, is a trophy awarded by the National Football Foundation that is given to the American college football player with the best combination of academics, community service, and on-field performance...
winning senior fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
Brian Leonard
Brian Leonard
-St. Louis Rams:On April 28, 2007, Leonard was selected by the St. Louis Rams in the second round with the 52nd overall pick of the 2007 NFL Draft. Leonard signed a four-year, $2.8 million contract on July 24, 2007, that includes $1.55 million in guaranteed money. Coach Scott Linehan decided to use...
, sophomore quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Mike Teel
Mike Teel
Mike Teel is a former American football quarterback. He played college football for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights before he was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the sixth round of the 2009 NFL Draft...
, sophomore halfback
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
Ray Rice
Ray Rice
Raymell Maurice Rice is an American football running back for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Ravens in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Rutgers. He is currently ranked as the Baltimore Ravens third all-time rusher in...
, sophomore wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
Tiquan Underwood
Tiquan Underwood
Tiquan Underwood is an American football wide receiver who A member of the New England Patriots. He was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft, and he has also played for the New England Patriots...
, junior defensive tackle Eric Foster
Eric Foster
Eric Jerome Foster is an American football defensive tackle in the National Football League. Undrafted in the 2008 NFL Draft, Foster signed a free agent contract with the Indianapolis Colts...
, and junior kicker
Placekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points...
Jeremy Ito
Jeremy Ito
Jeremy Ito is a former placekicker and punter for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights NCAA Division I-A football team. He was most recently a kicker for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League...
, Rutgers finished the season ranked 12th in the Associated Press and Coaches polls, won eleven of thirteen games, and recorded the first bowl game win in school history.
The team started off the season going undefeated through nine games, including a dramatic win over then-3rd ranked Louisville
2006 Louisville Cardinals football team
The 2006 Louisville Cardinals football team represented the University of Louisville in the 2006 college football season. The team, led by Bobby Petrino in his fourth year at the school, played their home games in Papa John's Cardinal Stadium...
, which was highlighted by kicker Jeremy Ito's last minute field goal to seal the win. They were defeated by both West Virginia
2006 West Virginia Mountaineers football team
The 2006 West Virginia Mountaineers football team completed the season with a 11–2 record. The Mountaineers had a regular season Big East record of 5–2.-2006 Schedule:-Rankings:- References :...
and Cincinnati
Cincinnati Bearcats
The Cincinnati Bearcats are the NCAA athletic teams representing the University of Cincinnati. Since July 1, 2005, the school's athletic teams have been members of the Big East Conference....
, but nonetheless received an invitation to play Kansas State
Kansas State Wildcats
Kansas State University's athletic teams are called the Wildcats. The official color of the teams is Royal Purple, making Kansas State one of very few schools that have only one official color; white and silver are generally used as complementary colors.Kansas State participates in...
in the inaugural Texas Bowl
Texas Bowl
The Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas, formerly known as the Texas Bowl, is a post-season NCAA-sanctioned Division I FBS college football bowl game that was held for the first time in 2006 in Houston, Texas. The bowl replaced the now-defunct Houston Bowl, which was played annually from 2000 to 2005...
. Rutgers defeated Kansas State 37-10 for the first bowl game win in school history. Halfback
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
Ray Rice
Ray Rice
Raymell Maurice Rice is an American football running back for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Ravens in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Rutgers. He is currently ranked as the Baltimore Ravens third all-time rusher in...
was named the game's MVP and ran for 170 yards and one touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
in twenty-four carries. Due to his tremendous 2006 season, in which he ran for 1,794 yards and scored twenty touchdowns, Rice won Big East Player of the Year honors. He also finished seventh in Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
voting and was a finalist for the Maxwell Award
Maxwell Award
The Maxwell Award is presented annually to the collegiate American football player judged by a panel of sportscasters, sportswriters, and National Collegiate Athletic Association head coaches and the membership of the Maxwell Football Club to be the best football player in the United States. The...
.