Rutgers walk-on eyes opening at tight end in sophomore season

PISCATAWAY — Charles Scarff is hard to miss.

At 6-foot-5, 240 pounds, the sophomore tight end stands tall as he anchors the line of scrimmage. When he breaks off, there he is again streaking across the field. His white Nike gloves cover his enormous hands, draping a comfortable safety blanket over his quarterbacks when the offense is in dire need of some yardage.

With Tyler Kroft’s early departure for the NFL Draft at the end of the 2014 season, the former Scarlet Knight’s 70 receptions for 901 yards and five touchdowns leave the position wide open for Rutgers.

Of course, junior Nick Arcidiacono and his 17 games played returns the most experience to the position. From there, sophomore Matt Flanagan returns nine games of experience. Combined, though, Arcidiacono and Flanagan boast just seven receptions for 61 yards.

Enter Scarff, who’s made the most of his opportunity since the Rutgers coaching staff gambled on him as a walk-on in training camp last year.

“I would say I’m in a pretty good spot right now. Nothing close to where I want to be, but I still got a lot to develop on,” Scarff said. “Right now, I’m feeling pretty good. Just coming out, you know, the only thing that’s on my mind right now is … working hard everyday and just pushing all the other tight ends, pushing myself just so we can be the best we can be.”

Lightly recruited by Division I-AA schools along the likes of Villanova and Rhode Island, he came to Rutgers by chance after a decorated high school career at Landcaster Catholic (Pennsylvania) where he was known for his big hands.

Scarff knows he wasn’t always the fastest on the field, but that didn’t stop him from producing. He embraced his ability as a possession receiver, leading the Lancaster Lebannon League in receptions as a senior and earning First Team honors.

Despite making just one appearance during the Knights’ 38-25 win over Howard, Scarff’s time spent on the sidelines watching and learning from Kroft — now a Cincinnati Bengal — has done nothing but help him grow entering his second season on the banks.

“There’s a lot of opportunity,” Scarff said. “And, you know, I was so thankful to have Kroft here last year. He was able to take me under his wing and I was kind of able to sit back and see what he would do, especially in the pass game. What he would do at the top of his routes or just the way that he would get the job done.”

Kyle Flood has yet to single anyone out at the position. With Arcidiacono, Flanagan, Scarff and even true freshman Nakia Griffin-Stewart all fighting for reps at the position, the fourth-year head coach said that not one particular Knight from the unit has dazzled enough to stand out through two weeks of training camp.

But what Flood has been pleased with in the group has been its consistency.

“I feel like we’ve got a lot of guys who are gonna contribute this year. That’s how I feel about that group,” he said. “Again, that’s one of the more consistently performing groups we have in everything they do. They’re high-intangible guys and they do an excellent job. They come to work everyday.”

As far as Scarff is concerned, he’s doing what he can to make sure he fits that description.

“Last year, I thought I was more of a receiver … I’ve developed my blocking,” he said. “This camp, I’ve really noticed that my blocking — all the footwork and staying low and everything — is really coming together. So, I’m still working on that to be a more all-around tight end.”

If there’s one thing he isn’t taking for granted, it’s the ability to come out everyday and continue to put in that work.

If he takes care of that, there’s no telling that Scarff may be able to make an impact for Rutgers at tight end in 2015 the same way he entered the program as the under-recruited walk-on.

“I just came in and took advantage of everything that was given to me. Whenever I get a rep, I can go out there and give 100 miles per hour,” Scarff said. “Or every ball that was thrown my way, I had to make the catch because when they call your number, you have to step up and make a play. So, I was able to do that and luckily get noticed and just going out there and doing what you’re told and, you know, executing. You can’t go wrong there.”

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