Rice Unanimous All-BIG EAST First Team Selection
Dec 05 | Football
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Seven Scarlet Knights represented the Rutgers football program on the 2007 All-BIG EAST team, including unanimous selection, junior running back Ray Rice (New Rochelle, N.Y.), the conference announced today.
Rice, a finalist for the Doak Walker Award which recognizes the top running back in the nation, became the first Scarlet Knight in 138 years of football to rush for three consecutive 1,000 yard seasons, including back-to-back 1,700 yard campaigns. He was also the first to rush for 20 touchdown seasons in consecutive seasons. For his career, Rice set the yardage mark in school history with 4,646 yards on the ground and has 24 100-yard games in 37 contests.
Joining Rice on the first team were junior wide receiver Tiquan Underwood (Lawrenceville, N.J.), and senior captains offensive tackle Jeremy Zuttah (Edison, N.J.), and defensive tackle Eric Foster (Homestead, Fla.).
In the Scarlet Knights' contest at Louisville, Underwood became the second player in Rutgers history to record 1,000 yards receiving in a season. He also set a school record for most yards in a game with 248 yards in the team's season-opener against Buffalo (Aug. 30) and posted four-consecutive 100-yard games, also a RU record.
Zuttah, Rutgers' starting right tackle, has started on the offensive line since his freshman season and has not relinquished a sack since 2005. He helps anchor a line that posted four of the top 10 offensive performances in RU history, including four games with 500-plus yards of total offense. The team also set single-season records for first downs (269) and total offense (5,246), while recording the second-most points (374) and passing yards (2,964). This year, he showed his offensive skill, carrying the ball 13 yards on a lateral pass to set up a Rice touchdown at Louisville.
Foster, the Scarlet Knight's starting defensive tackle, registered 62 tackles (21 solo, 41 assisted) on the year. He tied for first on the team with 13 tackles-for-loss and was second with five sacks. Foster also intercepted his first career pass and posted two forced fumbles on the season.
Making up the second team selections were sophomore wide receiver Kenny Britt (Bayonne, N.J.), junior safety Courtney Greene (New Rochelle, N.Y.) and senior offensive tackle Pedro Sosa (Union City, N.J.).
Britt became the third member of the 1,000-yard receiving club with a 16-yard reception at Louisville this season. He also set the Rutgers single-season record with 1,107 yards in 2007 and is 10th all-time with 1,547 yards for his career. Britt and Underwood became the first 1,000-yard receiving tandem in the BIG EAST and the 26th pair in NCAA history.
A starter at strong safety for the past three years, Greene tied for the team lead this season with 91 tackles (47 solo, 44 assisted), including 2.5 for loss, one sack and one interception. Greene currently ranks eighth in Rutgers history with 125 assisted tackles and is tied for 10th with 289 total tackles.
Sosa, RU's other starting tackle, has helped to produce both a prolific passing and rushing attack. He is part of a line that has seen the best offensive production in Rutgers history. This season, the Scarlet Knight offense posted four of the top 10 offensive performances, including four games with 500-plus yards of total offense. The team set single-season records for first downs (269) and total offense (5,246), while also recording the second-most points (374) and passing yards (2,964).
Rice, Zuttah, Foster, Greene and Sosa picked up their second selections to the All-BIG EAST team, while Underwood and Britt earned their first-ever conference honors.
Rutgers completed the season7-5 overall and 3-4 in BIG EAST play. The Scarlet Knights will close out the 2007 campaign on Jan. 5, after earning a bid to the International Bowl. RU will take on Mid-American Conference member Ball State on a nationally-televised broadcast on ESPN2 at 12 noon.
