Exclusive interview with Kyle Monangai on returning to Rutgers football: ‘Seven wins was never our goal…we have bigger aspirations and dreams’

PARSIPPANY, N.J. –Kyle Monangai acknowledges that the best thing for his NFL future was for him to return for one more year of college football, The driving force for Monangai and many of his teammates to return for a last dance with Rutgers football isn’t as much about bettering their position to play on Sundays.

After all, the Big Ten’s leading rusher last season was a sure-fire NFL draft pick. Instead, there was a deeper motivation and drive that came into play for Monangai to return to Rutgers.

What spurred this decision for Monangai, is the feeling that Rutgers football hasn’t yet taken the big step their star running back believes they can. This, despite the obvious perception that 2023 was a stepping-stone season for Rutgers.

Last year, by nearly every measurement, was a huge step forward for Rutgers. Validating head coach Greg Schiano’s vision for the program, Rutgers finished the season 7-6 and capped off the year with a Pinstripe Bowl win over Miami.

For Rutgers, without a winning season or a bowl appearance since 2014, checking off both accomplishments was significant.

The Pinstripe Bowl in particular was the signature win that Rutgers has been looking for in what is now the fourth season of Schiano’s return to the banks of the Raritan. And for Monangai, who ran for 163 yards and a touchdown on his way to becoming the Pinstripe Bowl MVP, it is certainly all good.

But there is still much more to be done, he says.

“I wanted to come do another year with my guys and I thought it was probably best for me personally to come back and do that,” Monangai told Rutgers Wire on Saturday.

“But then also for the team, it’s like why miss out on an opportunity to be able to do something special? And I think this coming season, we’re going to be able to take it even a step further than we were able to this…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/exclusive-interview-kyle-monangai-returning-112231697.html

Author : Rutgers Wire

Publish date : 2024-02-19 11:22:31

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