Rutgers Football Hosts Kickoff Celebration

A sea of scarlet flooded in and around High Point Solutions Stadium as Rutgers football hosted their annual Kickoff Celebration on Sunday evening.

Athlete’s Glen was transformed into a Kids' Zone with several inflatable bouncers and carnival games. The Rutgers cheer/dance team and marching band were also on hand to entertain the fans.

Rutgers alum Vejai Kirkland brought his wife, son and his son’s two friends.

“We try to come back as much as we can,” said Kirkland, who graduated from Rutgers in 1996.

That includes attending every football game, men’s basketball game and several women’s basketball, wrestling and baseball games.

“I absolutely love to come back,” Kirkland, of Allentown, said. “I just have to drive about an hour and I’m here. So I’m here for everything.”

As is Bob Stumpf of Somerset, who has been a season ticket holder for football and men’s basketball for the past 50 years. He attended basketball games at The Barn on College Ave and football games when the football stadium was merely the lower bowl.

While Stumpf didn’t graduate from Rutgers, he took management classes provided by Rutgers while working for the Home News Tribune. During that time he lived on campus, which is when he fell in love with Rutgers athletics.

And he’s passed that fandom down to his grandson, Allen Latenzio who came with him.

“My grandson is at Hunterdon Central and he’s looking to get into the marching band here when he graduates in a couple years.”

But with everything going on outside of the stadium, the highlight of the day for the fans was the autograph session held in the stadium’s concourse with head coach Greg Schiano and his players.

“The best thing is, is these kids [players] are accessible. An autograph session like this is great. This is what brings the fans in,” Stumpf said. “And the players are great. [Greg] Schiano’s got them all down to a T. They just know how to approach you...That’s why you come back.”

While cramping their hands signing autographs may seem like a hassle for players who had spent their day in team meetings, talking to the media and having practice, it’s something they appreciate.

“We have some of the best fans across the country and it’s a great feeling to see our supporters who come out and pack that stadium,” Rutgers right guard Antwan Lowery said. “It feels good to give back to them and hang out with them and sign autographs just to let them know that we’re not just hot shot football players—we also do care about the fans.”