Rutgers running back Kyle Monangai (5) - AP Photo/Bryan Woolston
The 2024 Rutgers football captains have been announced. Six captains are earning this role due to their leadership on and off the field. Here is a look at the six Scarlet Knights that will attempt to push Rutgers football into the top 25 rankings this year.
2024 Rutgers Football Captains
The six players were announced by Head Coach, Greg Schiano on Tuesday, August 20th. This comes just two weeks from the start of the 2024 college football season for Rutgers. Many of these players are as expected, but one will not even see the field this year. Either way, all six are deserving of the role. Here are the six 2024 Rutgers captains.
Mohamed Toure
Linebacker Mohamed Toure has earned team captain for the 2024 season. Unfortunately, he will not play this year. The same day of the announcement of the captains was the announcement that Toure would miss the season due to an ACL tear. It is a shame Toure will not play, but he will still be a leader of this team. Toure also missed the 2022 season with an ACL tear. He was nominated for Comeback Player of the Year in 2023.
Toure has been with the Scarlet Knights since 2019. In 2023, he earned All-Big Ten Honorable Mention by the coaches and media, according to Rutgers Athletics. When on the field, Toure is a top linebacker. In his previous four years with the Scarlet Knights, Toure has had 167 combined tackles, 80 solo, 13.5 sacks, and 22.5 tackles for loss, according to Sports Reference. He has also had two interceptions, three forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery. While this may be over four years, it is really all in three years considering he missed the 2022 season. It is a shame for both Toure and Rutgers that he will not play in 2024. Although he will be missed, he can still be a leader to this team.
Athan Kaliakmanis
Following the 2023 season, Rutgers gained quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis in the transfer portal. This will be his first year with the Scarlet Knights and he has earned team captain. The hope is that Kaliakmanis, who has earned the starting role this year, can help lead this Scarlet Knights team to more wins and help get Rutgers to pass the ball more.
Kaliakmanis spent 2021-2023 playing for the Minnesota Golden Gophers. He did not see game action in his first year, but in the next two years, his playing time increased. Now he is with the Scarlet Knights. According to Rutgers Athletics, Kaliakmanis ranked fifth in the Big Ten with 11.8 yards per completion. In two seasons of getting game action, Kaliakmanis had 216 passes for 2,784 yards and 17 touchdowns, according to Sports Reference. Now it is time for Kaliakmanis to step up as a leader and keep Rutgers competitive in each game.
Kyle Monangai
Though it was possibly an expectation, Rutgers running back Kyle Monangai is a captain this year. Monangai is a star on this Scarlet Knights offense. He will be a player to watch in the upcoming NFL Draft as well. Monangai is now a captain and will be a leader on the team.
Monangai has been with the team since 2020 and has grown into a top Rutgers player. According to Rutgers Athletics, in 2023, he was selected First Team All-Big Ten by Pro Football Focus. He was also voted Second Team All-Big Ten by the coaches and media. This will be his fifth year with Rutgers, only playing in five games in 2020. In his four previous years, Monangai has rushed the ball 413 times for 1,943 yards and 14 touchdowns, according to Sports Reference. In 2023 Monangai rushed the ball for 1,262 yards. He has also had 24 receptions for 177 yards in four years. Monangai is set to step up big time again this year on and off the field.
Tyreem Powell
Tyreem Powell is another linebacker to earn team captain this year. Powell’s season unfortunately ended early in 2023 due to an injury, but he is back and ready to lead this defense. With Toure out for the season, Powell will need to step up even more on the field.
Although Powell only played in eight games in 2023, according to Rutgers Athletics, he made it onto the Butkus Award watchlist. The award goes to the best linebacker in the nation. Powell has been with the team since 2020, though he did not see any game action that first year. This will be his fifth year with the Scarlet Knights. In the previous three years of game action, Powell has had 144 total tackles, 69 solo, eight tackles for loss, and five sacks, according to Sports Reference. He has also had one forced fumble, one interception, and one fumble recovery. Watch for Powell to be a leader on the defense this year, and watch for his name in the upcoming NFL Draft.
Robert Longerbeam
Defensive back Robert Longerbeam is another captain for the 2024 Rutgers football season. He is one of the many players who has been with the team since 2020 and gets better each year. In 2020, Longerbeam began as a wide receiver. He then switched to a defensive back in 2021. Longerbeam is a part of this Scarlet Knights defense that keeps them in nearly every game.
In addition to being an important player for Rutgers, Longerbeam earned Honorable Mention All-Big Ten in 2023 by the Coaches and Media, according to Rutgers Athletics. In three years as a defensive back, Longerbeam has had 109 total tackles, 77 solo, two sacks, and three tackles for loss, according to Sports Reference. He has also had three interceptions, 26 passes defended, two fumble recoveries, and five forced fumbles. Longerbeam will not only be a leader for Rutgers, but he will also be a name to watch in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Joe Lusardi
Defensive back, Joe Lusardi is the final captain for the 2024 Rutgers football season. This is Lusardi’s second season in a row as captain, demonstrating that he is seen as a leader to this team. Lusardi has been with the team since 2020 and has seen game action in each year.
In his previous four seasons with the team, Lusardi has had 15 combined tackles and one pass deflection, according to Sports Reference. He even had a chance to participate in the Pinstripe Bowl last season, where the Scarlet Knights defeated Miami. Lusardi is a leader, and heading into his fifth season with this team, he is looking to push the Scarlet Knights further than they have gone in a while.
