Rutgers’ 2027 recruiting class took another hit Thursday when Dennis Glenn Jr. backed off his pledge, citing the uncertainty around Greg Schiano and the coaching staff after the program’s rough start to the 2026 season.
Glenn Jr., a three-star defensive line prospect from South Carolina, had been one of the highest-rated names in the class. At the time of his de-commitment, he was the third-highest ranked member of Rutgers’ 17-player class in the 247Sports Composite, a group that now sits 60th nationally.
In explaining his decision to NJ.com on Thursday night, Glenn Jr. pointed directly to the situation around the staff.
“The uncertainty of the coaching staff, and how long they will be there was what ultimately helped me make my decision,” Glenn Jr. said. “They still feel pretty strongly that they’ll be there, but I had to make the decision for myself.”
Glenn Jr. originally committed to Rutgers in June. His exit is the third from the 2027 class since the 2026 season began, following three-star Florida athlete Zion Vilma and three-star edge rusher Josiah Sturdivant, who flipped to Vanderbilt.
Vilma and Sturdivant both moved on the week after Rutgers’ road loss to Boston College, a defeat that sent the Scarlet Knights to an 0-2 start after their season-opening loss to UMass.
And the departures might not stop there. Arnold Mugerwa, a three-star wide receiver who committed to Rutgers in June, recently picked up an offer from Penn State and is scheduled to visit State College this weekend for the Nittany Lions’ home game against Purdue.
Rutgers, which is 2-5 overall and 1-3 in the Big Ten, returns home Saturday to face Michigan, which comes in at 4-3 and 1-3.
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Michigan had already built a 14-3 lead by halftime behind touchdown plays from JJ Buchanan and Jordan Marshall, leaving Rutgers with plenty to clean up after two quarters. The bigger question for the Scarlet Knights now is whether they can find enough offense to make the second half competitive, especially with every update from the sideline carrying added weight in a game that was supposed to be defined by the details. [Read more 🡒]
Rutgers Let Michigan Hang Around And Paid For It Late
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Rutgers Has A Third-Down Problem That Just Wont Go Away
Rutgers defense spent too much of Saturday chasing the sticks, and the result was another frustrating loss in a game that was there to be won. Michigan kept extending drives in a 28-21 victory, repeatedly finding answers on third down and putting the Scarlet Knights in long stretches of survival mode instead of control.
Greg Schiano acknowledged afterward that the issue has become a recurring one, even if he did not have an immediate explanation for why it keeps happening. Michigan quarterback Tommy Carr helped turn those extended possessions into points, guiding the decisive drive with his arm and legs as Rutgers was left to wonder how many more chances it can afford to give away in games like this. [Read more 🡒]