Senior Features: Muller, Jones, Anthony
Nov 15 | Football
Chris Muller: The Man Behind The Beard
By Enmanuel Perez-Mendoza
Senior offensive lineman Chris Muller is known for consistency and preparation. In the 2013 season opener at Fresno State, the starting right guard was injured and Muller's number was called. Others might have been shaken up under those circumstances, but Muller was ready. He embraced the challenge and displayed the confidence of a veteran out on the field. The coaches took note of this and immediately named the redshirt freshman a starter. He's been there ever since.
"Chris is a mature player," said offensive line coach AJ Blazek. "He wants to be great and he works incredibly hard to get there. He always comes in asking questions like 'coach what can I do better?' And to be a great player you have to want to be better, and he has that desire. If he keeps getting better and working on the little things and focusing on correcting mistakes, he's going to have a bright future. He's a veteran player and has played a lot of football. He knows what it's like out there and doesn't panic. I think the biggest thing he brings to our whole group is that presence and poise. When things are going bad he doesn't panic or try to change what he's doing. His consistency is a big plus for our team."
When asked about what allows him to be such a consistent player in such a physically demanding position, Muller credits film and his genes.
"Luckily I've just been blessed with a resilient body," said Muller. "What it all comes down to really is you just have to act like a pro. You have to take care of your body and get in the film room and study. I try to get as much treatment as I possibly can so that I can go out there as healthy as I can possibly be."
On the field, Muller is known as a consistent and well-prepared player. Off the field, he's known for being a bit of a jokester that loves the outdoors.
"I'm a big outdoors guy. If I'm not hanging out with my friends I'm either fishing with J.J. (Denman) or going hunting," said Muller. "I just like to be outside and enjoy nature and experience everything there is about New Jersey while I can. In regards to my locker-room antics, I just like to lighten things up a bit when things aren't going so well. When it comes down to it, football is just a game. The game means a lot to everyone including me; I've put my heart and soul into it. But sometimes you just need to lighten the mood and keep people spirits up. That's all I want to do."
"He's a jokester all right; he's always trying to keep the mood light" said Blazek. "He's come a long way and I've been impressed by him in my time here. He knows when it's appropriate to joke and when it's time to lock and load. He's really become a business man in that aspect and he knows when it's time to work. That's something that comes with maturity."
Muller is also a big family guy. He has tremendous love for his parents and credits them for his success.
"I can't thank my parents enough for everything that they've done for me," Muller said. "They've given me such a wonderful and extraordinary life. They've worked incredibly hard and sacrificed so much of their time to give me everything I needed to get to where I am. I just want to make them proud."
Muller's playing career at Rutgers is almost coming to an end. When asked about his future plans, he joked about how long he wants to play.
"I hope to play football until I'm 99 years old. I don't think that's going to happen though," said Muller. "I just want to play football for as long as I can. I love this sport and it's all I know. If that doesn't work out, I hope to take over the family business for my dad. He's worked so hard and given our family such an incredible life and I want to continue that. He works in municipal waste plants and water treatment plants. It may not sound glamorous, but it's a competitive job and I love that."
Muller has been a treat for Rutgers fans throughout his time as a Scarlet Knight and his coaches echo that sentiment.
"It's awesome to have a player like him with us," said Blazek. "In a time like the one we're at right now, he's someone you can count on to keep the mood positive and keep guys moving in the right direction. He knows what it's like to play in big games and he's won some big games. He brings that confidence and experience. He's a player that has all the intangibles coaches love to talk about."
Finally, one of Muller's defining characteristics is that large beard of his that makes him look intimidating. Apparently, the beard serves a very specific purpose and it's not an aesthetic one.
"I just like having a beard," Muller said. "I grow it out for football season because it's going to get cold soon so the beard keeps my face warm."
Greg Jones: Returning Home
By Bradly Derechailo
Since he strapped up his cleats and darted around the Pop Warner fields in Colonia, New Jersey, Greg Jones knew he could compete at a high level. For him this meant suiting up for the Rutgers football team, a vision he had since age six when his youth team would head to Piscataway to watch the Scarlet Knights on fall Saturdays.
But the senior linebacker's path to Division I football, and to Rutgers, was not as direct as others.
"I would just try my best to beat everyone," Jones said. "I knew at this level you have to have that mentality. I've always had that and from day one I knew that this could be a level I could play at."
Jones enjoyed a superstar-like career at nearby Colonia High School, which lies just 16 miles away from High Point Solutions Stadium. A two-way player as a senior, Jones ran for 2,080 yards and 33 touchdowns at running back and produced 65 tackles at defensive back. By the end of his final high school season, he was named Third Team All-State by the Star-Ledger.
Unfortunately, his name was lost in the recruiting shuffle, and Jones was forced to look at other options. And while schools showed interest in Jones, there was one university that was always in the back of his mind.
"Throughout the whole entire process, my goal was to get here to Rutgers," Jones said. "I applied, I tried to contact every single coach I could. At that point, you don't just want to leave yourself out to dry and never play football again, so I always was open to playing at other schools. The whole time I didn't want to be anywhere else, but circumstance happened that I couldn't be here."
So he enrolled at East Stroudsburg University, a Division II program in Pennsylvania. As a true freshman, Jones had an immediate impact. The converted outside linebacker produced 72 tackles, four tackles-for-loss, three sacks and a forced fumble in 10 games with the Warriors.
His on-field success was evident to everyone around him, but something didn't feel right.
"I had an awesome time [at East Stroudsburg]," Jones said. "I loved it there and I loved my teammates and coaches. Everything was fun there, but I didn't feel at home. I felt like the best decision for me was to come home and leave there."
So Jones tried again to see if there was room for him on the Scarlet Knight roster. When he found out there wasn't, he didn't get discouraged. It was just another obstacle he needed to overcome.
"I've always had to battle adversity, so I knew it wasn't going to come easy for me," Jones said. "For some reason the chips are always stacked up against me so high until they eventually get knocked down. So I kept fighting through everything and when the opportunities occurred, I wanted to take advantage of them."
That next opportunity was at Monroe College, a JUCO program in New Rochelle, New York. As a sophomore in 2014, Jones ran for 444 yards and seven touchdowns, averaging 4.5 yards per carry for the Mustangs.
According to Jones, Monroe College featured a plethora of high-level talent. That season he played with Will Johnson and Kevin White, who would move on to Division I careers at Oklahoma and Idaho, respectively.
There was only one FBS program Jones had his eyes on, however. After his season at Monroe, Jones collected his things, returned to Colonia and attempted another shot to join the Scarlet Knights. When he was able to get in contact with then-defensive coordinator Joe Rossi, he was optimistic.
"We were talking for a while and he said he would let me know if they had a spot for me in camp," Jones said. "He wasn't sure how the numbers were going to work out, so he told me he would call me back."
Still waiting for the phone to ring, Jones enrolled in enough classes at Rutgers to allow him to be eligible for the upcoming season. On the final night before fall practices, he picked up the phone. It was Rossi.
"He called me back the night before camp and said 'hey, bud, I have a spot for you, do you still want to come, and I said 'absolutely,'" Jones remembers.
Having no other information other than there was a spot for him, Jones packed his bags and headed to Piscataway that morning. He didn't even know where he was going to sleep or eat the next day and that didn't matter. Jones was a Scarlet Knight.
"I had no clue at all what was going on, but coach Rossi said he would handle everything for me," Jones said.
Jones practiced at running back during fall camp and made his Rutgers debut in the 2015 season finale against Maryland. A few weeks later, Chris Ash was named the head coach of the Scarlet Knights, bringing with him an entirely new coaching staff.
This meant another fresh start for Jones, though he didn't have to enroll at a new school to receive it. He continued to work hard, this time at outside linebacker. He impressed defensive coordinator Jay Niemann enough for the new coach to name Jones the starter for the season opener at Washington.
Jones started the first five games of the 2016 campaign for the Scarlet Knights, producing 20 tackles, two tackles-for-loss and a sack. His relentless-effort was on full display during RU's first three home contests, due in part to his realization that he finally made his dream of playing for Rutgers come true.
"It was an absolute blessing," Jones said of playing at High Point Solutions Stadium. "Every single game out in the stadium, I got a crazy adrenalin rush and it felt unbelievable. It was amazing to see my friends and family, even my friends from Monroe and East Stroudsburg, come to see me play."
But midway through the second quarter against Ohio State on Oct. 1, Jones had a helmet-to-helmet collision with a teammate and was carted off the field. When he was checked out by doctors back home in New Jersey, they delivered grim news. He was told he was physically unable to continue playing football. His senior season, and possibly career, came to a screeching halt.
"When I was on the field [hurt], I don't think I felt anything as far as emotion," Jones said. "I only felt the pain from the pins and needles in my feet and hands. They were burning, so I couldn't really feel anything other than that. Even when the doctors told me I might not ever play again, I still hadn't felt any different. I'm not worried. I don't believe it."
That attitude means Jones continues to rehab and get in the best shape of his life. In six months, he will seek a second opinion to see if he can continue his career on the field.
As far as the future is concerned, Jones sees himself possibly as a coach or personal trainer. He's not worried about that right now. He wants to continue to play the game he fell in love with at age six in New Jersey and a game he really only wanted to play as a Scarlet Knight.
It's another unconventional journey back to where he wants to be. But he's used to those.
"I need to put myself in position so if the doctors say I can play again, I'll be in the best shape and ready to perform at the highest level, and if they say no, I know I put myself in the best position to proceed either way," Jones said. "I don't think this journey with football is over. It's not in my hands to make that call, but when the doctors tell me whatever the news may be, I'll still be around the game regardless."
Troy Anthony: Family Bonds
By Jordan Ozer
Senior quarterback Troy Anthony graduates this year after spending two seasons with the Scarlet Knights. Originally a transfer from Hobart, playing at Rutgers has given him the opportunity to compete at a Big Ten school, and also has given him a chance to share in a unique family experience.
When Anthony was looking into transfer options, his younger brother Max was a high school senior going through the recruiting process. With Max on his official visit "On the Banks," the Anthony's father connected with coaching staff about Troy as well. Fast forward to the fall 2015 semester, and both brothers found themselves as teammates in the Scarlet Knights' locker room.
"Max and I have been on and off teams growing up our whole lives," Troy explained. "I have two other brothers that are younger than Max, so all four of us, we've been in the same youth program. Growing up, being on the same team, I got used to it. When I take a step back and look at the larger picture, being that we're both at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, wow, this is kind of cool. It's not every day that you get to play with your brother on the same team in college, let alone a team like this."
Max came to Rutgers as a fullback, but now plays linebacker. That means that he and Troy now are on opposite sides of the field. However, that hasn't stopped the two brothers from making everything a competition.
"It's really cool because I get to see it from a different perspective, especially now that he's on defense," Troy said. "I get to see the finished product from the other side of the ball. I find that a lot of fun. Then because we're both in a big skill position, we compete with the same number wise in the weight room. We always bust on each other about who is doing better in what."
So which brother holds the upper hand?
"I have to hold my older brother status on him," Troy pointed out. "He's got me beat in the strength categories, which, I would have to be making fun of him if he didn't, considering he's a linebacker. I've still got a faster step then him though."
As one of eight quarterbacks on the roster, Anthony understands his role in the group. Whether it's on the scout team or in the meeting room, he is always striving to make the team better.
"Obviously because I'm not the starter, I've got to do everything I can to push that guy," Anthony said. "Regardless of who the guy is, I have to be the one that's pushing them and pushing them to get better. We really gelled over the summer at pushing each other to get one another better. That's why we have all the confidence in whoever goes in. Right now, I just have to push the other guys in front of me to be ready to go in."
A native of Albany, N.Y., Anthony has always lived in the Northeast. But being part of a diverse group of quarterbacks at RU has allowed him to become friends with players from all over the United States.
"We cover a lot of the country," Anthony remarked. "It's interesting to see how Michigan, California, Tennessee and Texas all come in. Because of that diversity and our backgrounds, we got to know each other so well because we're all from different areas of the same country. It's really cool to hear how Zach views one thing versus Tylin, yet they're both southern guys, and how we view things different from Gio, a Midwest guy. Gio still calls soda 'pop,' so we bust on him for that."
After graduation, Anthony is hoping to stay involved with the game of football, saying he'd "go crazy" living the 9-to-5 lifestyle of a normal office job. He hopes to get into coaching, continuing to mentor younger athletes.
"Hopefully one day I can be in coach Mehringer's shoes," Anthony said. "I'd love to be 28 and at the helm of a Big Ten offense. My coach at Hobart treated the quarterbacks as if we were an extension of the coaching staff. He told us time and time again 'when you guys are coaches, do this, do that.' He'd always give us tips and reminders. That started my foundation. That's one of the reasons I came to Rutgers, to get exposed to this level of football, because I want to coach with the best, be the best offensive coordinator that I can be. Hopefully I can take those skills and apply them to coaching and get a group of 18-to-22 year olds to follow along with me."
As a senior, Anthony is one of the elders in the quarterback room. He has used lessons he's learned throughout his career to spread valuable knowledge to Rutgers' younger players.
"I try and help them out as best I can," Anthony said. "What I learned, I wanted to pass those lessons along. It has made me myself as a quarterback better and so passing that down definitely benefits all."
Coming to Rutgers has been a special experience for Anthony, who got to play alongside his brother and experience life in the Big Ten. A football junkie, he is excited to see where the game takes him next.
"I can't see myself outside of football," Anthony said. "Running out of the tunnel on Saturdays is extremely, extremely amazing. It's something that I don't want to give up for the rest of my life. All that hard work that we put in, Saturday makes it feel like it definitely paid off."
