Kyle Monangai to sit out Rate Bowl

On By Littum

game

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Rutgers football coach Greg Schiano said Tuesday that star running back Kyle Monangai will not play in Thursday’s Rate Bowl against Kansas State.

Monangai – along with other players looking to pursue NFL pursuits after this season – had the option to sit out the game to avoid any injury risk that could dent their draft.

But Monangai will still be very involved.

“He’s decided not to do it, which I fully understand,” Schiano said during Rate Bowl Media Day at the JW Marriott Camelback Inn Resort. “Kyle has done so much for Rutgers. Excited about his future. He’s been great. He’s helped coach, he’s been to every meet. If you didn’t know, you’d think he was playing. It’s just the way he’s prepared. But that’s Kyle. If he wants to do something, he’ll do it all.”

During an open portion of practice here Monday, Monangai was in street clothes and helped running backs coach Damiere Shaw.

With Monangai not playing, it closes the book on a great career in one Scarlet Knights uniform as the Don Bosco Prep product went from an under-recruited running back to among the best in the country.

Last season, he rushed for 1,279 yards on 256 carries (5.0 yards per attempt) with 13 touchdowns.

Monangai is one of just three players in program history to rush for 3,000 career yards, joining Ray Rice and Terrell Willis. He is also the fourth player in program history to record multiple 1,000-yard rushing seasons.

Perhaps most notably?

Monangai never committed a fumble in his career – 669 carries and 38 receptions.

With Monangai not playing against Kansas State, Antwan Raymond and Ja’shon Benjamin will both get big opportunities.

Raymond, a true freshman, has rushed for 344 yards on 82 carries with five touchdowns this season, while Benjamin has rushed for 67 yards on 12 carries in three games — Benjamin retained his redshirt, something Rutgers had planned for entering the season .

Monangai missed the team’s win over Minnesota and Raymond (73 yards on 22 carries) and Benjamin (66 yards on 11 carries) both played well.

“They should have some confidence because this exact situation happened in the Minnesota game and they both came out and played very well,” Schiano said. “If that hadn’t happened, there would have been a bit of unrest. But I think they both really practice. Coach Shaw is doing a great job developing our running backs. That back room is a special room, and it’s all because of the position coach. He sets the tone in that room.”

And so does Monangai, who battled multiple ailments throughout the season but only missed the one game.

“Again, I thank Kyle, because you guys don’t even know some of the things that he played through this year and had the production that he had,” Schiano said. “I mean, it’s great. The fact is he wanted to play the one game he missed. He wanted to play. But sometimes you have to protect Kyle from Kyle. He’s so tough. I know that hurts him not to play in this game, but I also know why he is not and I understand it.”