Aug. 17--A scarlet Rutgers "R" was tucked neatly behind a red rose on Leonte Carroo's left lapel.
The senior receiver wasn't trying to make a fashion statement as much as, well, a statement with the pin.
"I want to go to the Rose Bowl," he said earlier this month during Big Ten media days.
That's a declaration of the highest order from someone who bypassed the NFL draft to return to Rutgers, which went 8-5 last season and tied for fourth in the East Division.
The last of those victories came against North Carolina in the Quick Lane Bowl. That victory, along with some advice from NFL scouts, helped convince Carroo to stay in Piscataway, N.J.
The Rose Bowl comment wasn't Carroo's only declaration that day. Performance -- Carroo was second in the Big Ten and 23rd nationally with 1,086 receiving yards last season and ninth in the country with a 19.7-yard average on his 55 catches -- and others' opinions back this one up.
"I'm the best receiver in the Big Ten," said Carroo, whose 10 touchdown catches last year tied a school record. "I say that confidently. I say that proudly."
The statement was in line with the declaration he made after that 40-21 bowl victory in Detroit, where he stood on a chair in the locker room and announced he was returning for his senior season.
Defensive lineman Quanzell Lambert lifted Carroo from the chair and embraced the receiver, who contacted his mother first with the news.
"Everyone went crazy," Carroo said. "They actually thought I was going to say goodbye, but that's kind of the way I wanted it."
No matter the method, Carroo left some happy people in the wake of his decision, including teammate Keith Lumpkin and coach Kyle Flood.
"It was like, 'Phew. The weight's off our shoulders now,' " said Lumpkin, a 6-foot-8, 325-pound offensive lineman.
Added Flood: "It showed a maturity in him that he was able to look at his situation and say, 'There's things I want to work on to be a better player. There's things I came to Rutgers to do that I haven't accomplished yet. Because of that, I'm going to come back.' "
The 6-1, 215-pound Carroo hasn't shied from big stages, despite playing for a school that traditionally runs the ball. He had five catches for 100 yards against Ohio State and five for 127 against Nebraska.
So as he sat at an almost-deserted table, two to the right of new Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh, who was cloaked three-deep with reporters, Carroo barely batted an eye. He joked about the supremacy of New York pizza over Chicago pizza and admitted it can be a struggle to think about NFL riches.
"But you also have to know the NFL isn't going anywhere," said Carroo, whose name appears in the top 10 of most receiver rankings. "I knew that my degree was important to me. That was a big factor in my decision. That's one thing I promised my mom. To come back and graduate on time is even better."
Moments earlier, Carroo and a couple of teammates, all dressed in suits, had gotten an early start on camp by throwing a football around the lobby at the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place.
Who will throw him the ball this season remains to be seen. Redshirt sophomores Chris Laviano, who has appeared in five games, and LSU transfer Hayden Rettig, who hasn't taken a college snap, will vie for the starting quarterback spot. Gary Nova, Carroo's former high school teammate and last year's team MVP, graduated.
"Whoever the quarterback is," Lumpkin said, "he's a great target to throw the ball to."
pskrbina@tribpub.com
Reason to believe: Leonte Carroo is the conference's top returning receiver in yards (1,086), yards per game (83.5) and touchdowns (10). He bypassed the NFL draft to return for his senior season.
Reason for doubt: The nonconference schedule, which includes Norfolk State, Washington State, Kansas and Army, was ranked the weakest in the country among Power Five conference schools by Foxsports.com. It will do little to prepare Rutgers for a rugged conference slate that includes Michigan State, Ohio State and Nebraska.
Big hole to fill: QB Gary Nova, the school's career leader in touchdown passes, is gone, leaving redshirt sophomores Hayden Rettig and Chris Laviano to fight for his spot. Rettig, a highly touted transfer from LSU, sat out last season per NCAA rules and has not played a down in college. Laviano was 11-for-28 for 107 yards, no touchdowns and one interception in five relief appearances.
Breakout player: A lot will depend on the health of RB Paul James, who ran for 363 yards and five TDs in four games before missing the rest of the season with a torn ACL. He averaged 5.8 yards per carry as a junior after rushing for 881 yards, nine TDs and a 5.6-yard average as a sophomore.
Season is a success if ... The Scarlet Knights settle on a quarterback who can best utilize Carroo. They also have a lot to clean up on defense after allowing 442.8 yards per game, second-worst in the Big Ten.
