West Virginia became the second Big East school to offer a scholarship to 6-8 junior Rod Odom of the Middlesex (Ma.) School after a workout at his school Sunday.

“I just got a call from (West Virginia assistant) Billy Hahn offering him a full scholarship,” said Rod Odom Sr. “They were excited about what they saw at the workout. Rod shot the lights out.”

Seton Hall assistant Derm Player was also at the workout, and Rod Sr. said Seton Hall had previously been the first Big East school to offer. Odom also holds offers from Holy Cross, William & Mary, with Columbia, Harvard and Penn also interested. (more…)

In a remarkable ending that was broadcast on ESPNU, Ramsey (N.J.) Don Bosco Prep edged Concord (Calif.) De La Salle, 23-21, when kicker Patrick Murray made a 19-yard field goal with 10 seconds remaining.

“It’s the greatest feeling in the world,” Murray, who missed an extra-point try on the Ironmen’s final touchdown, told the San Francisco Chronicle.

Bosco, No. 29 in the RivalsHigh 100, trailed No. 15 De La Salle, 21-7, at the half. The loss snapped a 15-game winning streak by the Spartans, who once held a 151-game streak until 2003.

Read the full story here.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. — At 0-3, Rutgers desperately needed a victory and it didn’t matter who it came against.

The Scarlet Knights would’ve taken a win over the Boy Scouts of America if they were on the schedule.

On a rainy, dreary day, redshirt freshman Jourdan Brooks rushed for a career-best three touchdowns and the Knights routed Division I-AA Morgan State, 38-0, before 42,411 at Rutgers Stadium.

Read the full story here.

Also, that loss to Navy isn’ting look quite as bad now that the Midshipmen defeated No. 16 Wake Forest, 24-17, on Saturday.

Keep reading below for quotes from head coach Greg Schiano’s and the players on the game…. (more…)

Fordham had a busy weekend on the recruiting front. Lance Brown of Paterson Catholic, a 6-foot-3 senior wing who has committed to the Rams for 2009, 6-6 junior Derrick Williams of St. Anthony, 6-4 sophomore Ashcraf Yacoubou of Long Island Lutheran, who is a Top 30 player and says he holds an offer from Memphis, and 6-foot junior Aison White of Union High all visited the campus unofficially.

Word is all three uncommitted players had good visits.

Fordham also became the first school to offer Tyler Harris, a 6-4 sophomore who is the younger brother of Tobias Harris. (more…)

Rutgers announced that junior WR Kenny Britt and sophomore OT Anthony Davis were both suspended for today’s game vs. Morgan State due to a violation of team policy. The suspension is for one game.

Britt enjoyed a school-record 1,232-yard receiving season last season, and is the Knights’ leading receiver with 21 catches for 262 yards this year. He was a second-team all-Big East selection last year.

In their place, Dennis Campbell started at WR and Kevin Haslam at LT. Howard Barbieri took Haslam’s spot at LG.

The Knights are also without backup QB Jabu Lovelace, who broke his leg Tuesday during a non-contact drill in practice and had surgery Wednesday. He is out at least six weeks.

A moment of silence for Paul Newman, one of the greatest actors ever, who died Friday at 83. It seems appropriate to honor Newman on a sports blog considering he starred in a number of the best sports-related films of all time, including “The Hustler,” “Slap Shot,” and “The Sting.”

Among my favorites were the aforementioned, “Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid,” “The Verdict” and, of course, “Cool Hand Luke.”

Rest in peace, Paul. Few men were as cool or as devoted to good causes as you.

Here’s his obit from The New York Times.

Now that Brooklyn Lincoln power forward James Padgett has suddenly committed to Maryland one day after an in-home visit with Seton Hall coaches, the Pirates have one less option for a big man.

Still, Seton Hall is heavily focused on a landing a power forward or center or the Class of 2009 and are working hard on landing one. 6-11 big man Jarrid Famous of Westchester Community College is on campus this weekend for an official visit, perhaps his only official of the fall.

The Pirates are also working hard on 6-7 Arsalan Kazemi, an Iranian native at The Patterson (NC) School. Kazemi could visit Seton Hall Oct. 10-12 if the Pirates have their way. Kazemi also plans to visit Maryland, and the Terps have Jordan Williams on campus this weekend. Maryland has one ship left.

Also, assistant Derm Player will visit 6-8 junior Rod Odom of the Middlesex (Ma.) School on Sunday and will watch 6-9, 245 pound Andrew Fitzgerald of Brewster (N.H.) Academy (pictured) on Monday. Fitzgerald is ranked as the 13th best center for the Class of 2009 by Rivals. He holds offers from Tennessee, Xavier, Kentucky, Cal, Louisville, Marquette, Oklahoma and Pitt, among others.

Got an email today from Ed Finn to say that the annual Dan Finn Classic pairings had been set for Jan. 17, 2009 at the Jersey City Armory. Among the players exacted on display will be Sterling Gibbs of Seton Hall Prep; Fuquan Edwin and Myles Mack of Paterson Catholic; Tamir Jackson and Tristan Thompson of St. Benedict’s; Tyrone Johnson and Isaiah Epps of Plainfield; and Dominic Cheek of St. Anthony. Looks like a great event as usual:

12 p.m. – Seton Hall Prep vs. St. Peter’s Prep

1:30 – Colt’s Neck vs. Shabazz

3 – Jersey City Police vs. Jersey City Firemen

4:30 – Paterson Catholic vs. Trenton Catholic Academy

6:15 – Linden vs. St. Benedict’s

8 – Plainfield vs. St. Anthony (more…)

James Padgett, a 6-foot-8, 220-pound power forward from Brooklyn Lincoln High School, gave a verbal commitment Friday afternoon to Maryland head coach Gary Williams.

“It came down to Pitt and Maryland, and Pitt signed two big men in the Class of 2009 so Maryland was left,” Padgett said.

Padgett took unofficial visits to a number of schools, including St. John’s, and also had in-home visits with St. John’s and Seton Hall within the last two weeks.

“I always wanted to be out of New York, experience something new,” he said. (more…)

NEWARK, N.J. – Kansas head coach Bill Self and assistant Joe Dooley made the most of their time in New Jersey.

Self spoke to a capacity crowd at the Garden State Coaches Clinic Friday afternoon at St. Benedict’s Prep in Newark. Other guest speakers included West Virginia coach Bob Huggins, Texas coach Rick Barnes and the human basketball brain that is Hubie Brown.

“We were fortunate enough to get one player from St. Patrick (Quintrell Thomas) and one from St. Anthony (Tyshawn Taylor),” Self told a crowd of some 500 or 600 coaches, referring to two of his talented freshmen. “They’ve both turned out to be pretty good. Hopefully, we’ll get one from St. Benedict’s and Coach (Dan) Hurley will help us out.” (more…)