PISCATAWAY – Kyle Monangai insists he’s not thinking about his position Rutgers Football Record Book or the type of legacy he will leave here on the football field. At least right now, while the final season of Monangai in a Scarlet Knights The uniform is nearing its end, he leaves that for others to think about.
“It’s cool and all the talk about it, I appreciate it, it’s an honor and a blessing for sure,” Monangai said. “But I don’t think about where I’m going to be or, or will people be talking about me in five years. I don’t think about that.”
But there is a legacy that the Don Bosco Prep product thinks about.
As important as what Monangai accomplished on the field – including back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons – his leadership and example for both the backfield and the team as a whole were just as crucial.
There’s a chance Monangai plays his final game with Rutgers on Saturday vs. Michigan State in East Lansing (3:30 p.m., FS1). Monangai said he will discuss with coach Greg Schiano and his family whether or not to participate in the bowl game in the coming weeks.
But if this is indeed his last match, he will leave a good example to follow.
“My main goal is to be in the present and help the guys that are here to help my team win and at least in terms of legacy, leave a legacy for the younger guys and the returning space that “My younger teammates will be able to follow in terms of my work ethic and what it takes to win,” Monangai said. “I don’t think it’s something you can fall into with luck, I think. that it is something to be educated about and something that one must want for oneself.”
Monangai proved that during his five years with Rutgers.
Kyle Monangai continued to ‘answer the bell’ for Rutgers football
He was under-recruited at Don Bosco, but Dan Sabella, his high school coach, convinced Schiano to give Monangai a chance.
That’s exactly what Schiano did and it paid off. Monangai played behind Isiah Pacheco when he arrived here, but moved up the depth chart and became Rutgers’ leader after Pacheco left.
This season, Monangai totaled 1,150 yards on 225 carries (5.1 yards per attempt) with 12 touchdowns – and he did it while playing in peak form for much of the season.
“Kyle has been a tremendous player for us over and over again,” Schiano said. “You’re talking about answering the bell.” But that’s what we all see, the fans see it, you guys. What people don’t see is how he prepares every day in this building and what a great example he is, not only in the running back room, but for our team.
Schiano also credited running backs coach Damiere Shaw, nominated this week for the Broyles Award, which honors college football’s top assistant coaches, with helping set the tone that Monangai also follows.
Together, Schiano said, Shaw and Monangai run the room.
Need an example of their impact?
When Monangai was unable to play against Minnesota, true freshman Antwan Raymond (73 yards on 22 carries) and sophomore fullback Ja’shon Benjamin (66 yards on 11 carries) stepped in to help Rutgers to achieve victory.
“Coach Shaw is doing a great job for Kyle,” Schiano said. “And then Kyle does a great job doing that for the younger guys. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that when Kyle couldn’t play, those guys stood up and played like they did. They were trained by a true professional. “Really two. Coach Shaw is doing a great job and Kyle is doing a great job. I tell them they are lucky to be with a guy who is a pro to learn from and enjoy the opportunity to have him with them. “
“Whatever I can do to help”
It’s a role that Monangai enjoys.
“For me, as an older guy, the first thing I have to do is set an example for them to see,” Monangai said. “When they see you doing something, they will imitate it. Then also to educate them on what is important and how to do it. Especially in the running back room, these guys ask me all the time, and they’ll tell you everything I can do to help them learn to take care of their bodies or things off the field, just like he is about being a college football player.
All of this will be important when Monangai leaves Rutgers.
Whether Saturday is Monangai’s final game or he decides to bowl, his place in program history is cemented by what he accomplished on the field.
But apart from that?
This cannot be neglected either.
“Anyway (young players) need help, I always tell them they can call me, text them, whatever,” Monangai said. “A lot of things I’ve learned over time, how to recover properly, take care of my body, manage my time with classes and stuff like that. I think everything comes with experience and I try to help these guys as much as I can.
This article was originally published on NorthJersey.com: Rutgers football: Kyle Monangai’s legacy with the program
