Rutgers bringing some South Jersey flavor to Lincoln Financial Field

PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Rutgers junior cornerback Logan Ryan said that he bled Eagles green while attending Eastern High in Voorhees, and that is another reason Saturday's game at Lincoln Financial Field against Temple will have a special significance.

It's not just because Rutgers (6-0, 3-0 Big East) and Temple (3-2, 2-0) are unbeaten in conference play. It's also because Ryan has seen his share of football at the Linc.

"It's going to be a dream come true," Ryan said about playing at the Eagles stadium. "Growing up an Eagles fan and watching games there, watching the NFC championship losses and eventually the Super Bowl run that came up short.

"I grew up loving football, grew up loving the Eagles, and to play where those great players once played is going to be a fun thing."

This season, the 6-foot, 190-pound Ryan, The Inquirer's South Jersey defensive player of the year his senior season at Eastern, has 38 tackles, including three for loss, along with two interceptions and six pass breakups. He has been able to shut down one side of the field with his coverage skills.

"Logan a lot of times gets matched up one-on-one and does a tremendous job in coverage of being able to both cover receivers, defend passes. But he has also shown the ability this year to pick them off as well," Rutgers coach Kyle Flood said.

Ryan is one of three defensive starters from South Jersey. The other two are Winslow Township products, senior defensive end Ka'Lial Glaud and fifth-year cornerback Brandon Jones.

Glaud has 17 tackles, 21/2 tackles for loss, and three sacks. Jones has three interceptions and has scored two touchdowns, one on an interception return and another on the return of a blocked punt.

"I am a big Eagles fan, so playing at the Linc will be cool, and I am excited about it," Jones said.

Glaud differs slightly from Ryan and Jones, saying that playing in Philadelphia won't have any extra significance.

"It's just a big deal for me to play any game, regardless of where it is," Glaud said.

For 19th-ranked Rutgers, each game becomes a bigger deal as the Scarlet Knights continue to get more attention for their unbeaten start.

"It's been a bit of mass chaos around us, but I think the team is doing a great job keeping focused one game at a time," Ryan said. "And it is going to be fun playing an undefeated Big East opponent in Temple."

Here are the local players on the Rutgers football roster. Listed are their high schools and their participation so far this season:

Player   Ht.   Wt.   Class   Pos.   

Taj Alexander   6-4   290   Sophomore   OL   Downingtown East High (5 games, 1 start)

Brandon Arcidiacono   6-4   260   Freshman   OL

Archbishop Wood High

Paul Carrezola    6-2   241   Junior   FB

Neshaminy High (4 games, 1 start)

J.J. Denman   6-6   310   Freshman   OL

Pennsbury High

Ka'Lial Glaud   6-2   230   Senior   DE

Winslow Township High (6 starts, 17 tackles, 3 sacks)

Myles Jackson   6-4   235   Freshman   DE

West Chester Henderson High (3 games, 4 tackles)

Paul James   6-0   205   Freshman   RB

Glassboro High

Tejay Johnson   6-2   190   Freshman   DB

Egg Harbor Township High (6 games, 6 tackles)

Brandon Jones   6-1   185   Senior   DB

Winslow Twp. High (6 starts, 3 interceptions, 5 breakups)

Tyler Kroft   6-6   235   Freshman   TE

Down'town East (6 games, 1 start, 3 catches, 59 yards, TD)

Quanzell Lambert   6-1   230   Freshman   LB

Timber Creek High

Kevin Marquez   6-1   235   Freshman   DE

Egg Harbor Township High

Ben Martin   5-11   185   Freshman   RB

Absegami High (1 game)

Vance Matthews   6-4   180   Freshman   WR

Lower Cape May High

Chris Muller   6-6   315   Freshman   OL

Boyertown High

David Osei   6-4   280   Junior   OL

Abington High (1 game)

Desmon Peoples   5-8   175   Freshman   RB

Archbishop Wood High

Jamil Pollard   6-3   280   Freshman   DL

West Deptford High

Quron Pratt   6-0   190   Junior   WR

Palmyra High (6 games, 10 receptions, 114 yards)

Logan Ryan   6-0   190   Junior   DB

Eastern High (6 starts, 38 tackles, 2 interceptions)

- Marc NarducciEndText