NEWPORT, R.I. — Rutgers football coach Greg Schiano said that running back Kordell Young was “still limited” after undergoing a “procedure” on his surgically-repaired knee over the summer.
“Kordell is still going to be limited,” Schiano said at Big East Media Day. “He had a little setback. He had a little procedure done to help him over the summer. He’s kind of had a bad little streak here and hopefully he can get a stretch where he can play without injury and compete for the job.”
Asked if Young would be able to play, Schiano said: “I met with our doctors and trainers. He’s going to be limited when we start. So what does that mean? I think a lot of it is predicated on what he tells us, his feedback.
“The one thing about Kordell is, he’s dying to play. And he’s gonna do whatever he can. And we have to make sure that he doesn’t do too much too fast.”
Young, a 5-foot-9, 190-pound senior out of West Deptford, N.J., was in and out of the lineup in 2008 after suffering a season-ending knee injury in the third game of the 2007 season against Norfolk St.
He played in only eight games last year but still led the team in rushing yards (554) and average per game (69.3).
Young missed the regular-season finale against Louisville but returned to start and carry the ball six times in the PapaJohns.com Bowl victory over N.C. State.
Schiano said juniors Joe Martinek and Jourdan Brooks were both healthy and that freshman De’Antwan Williams would also be in the mix.
“De’Antwan Williams is a very highly touted guy, we’ll see what he can do,” Schiano said. “I’ve never been into the prediction game. Go out and earn it.
“You’ve gotta earn your job every day.”
GIVENS FACES OBSTACLES TO RUTGERS
Cornerback Darrell Givens, a four-star recruit who initially signed with Penn State but could not gain admission to the Big Ten school, still has “obstacles and hurdles to clear” in terms of gaining admittance to Rutgers, the Star-Ledger reported.
Givens sought to reopen his recruitment after he failed to get into Penn State.
Reports indicated he was set to come to Rutgers, but it hasn’t happened yet.
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