When Rutgers and Syracuse kickoff from the Carrier Dome on Saturday, they'll be playing for more than just the on-field victories.  In the past decade, Rutgers has hurt Syracuse on the recruiting front and reversed the fortunes of the two teams.  Rutgers has won 4 straight games against the Orange and has won some significant off the field battles including the snag of Brian Leonard, Ray Rice, and Courtney Greene from former Syracuse recruiting hotbeds.  To borrow a line from the old Seinfeld episode, Rutgers and Syracuse have pulled "the switch".

But Rutgers fans beware.  We've seen this song and dance before and we know how well it can work.  Before Rutgers hired Greg Schiano, they were a bad awful pitiful team, who could not recruit any talent in New Jersey, let alone Florida/New York.  But with the arrival of Greg Schiano and his bold, almost absurd statements about winning the recruiting battles as well as the games, the fortunes began to turn.  As the head coach goes, so does the program.  Rutgers rode the wave of Schiano's optimism and confidence and has begun to build a nationally recognized and respected program, while keeping top recruits (some, not all) at home.  So beware Rutgers fans, because this Doug Marrone fellow at Syracuse worries me.  He's revitalized a fan base, even though they are in the basement of the Big East.  He's made some bold promises, and absurd proclamations.  And he's out to win the recruiting war, one step at a time.

Come to think of it, he sort of reminds me of a guy I know....