While construction workers were excavating the future site of Rutgers University's new football stadium, they unearthed the remains of a tavern and artifacts that are dated back to the 18th-century. Thousands of ceramics, cutlery and bottles were found and said to have been from the Raritan Landing settlement. The tavern that excavators discovered is the legendary Rising Sun Tavern, which was the first building where academic classes were held.

Not pictured: Schiano crashing the trophy down on losing coach Brady Hoke's head. Hoke was 49.

How many high school commitments does your favorite football team have for 2009? Odds are not many, especially if you're a Niners fan. Sure, there's USC with 15 future All-Americans, about whom Pete Carroll is feeling jacked. And there's Texas, loaded as ever, here at the dusk of June. Oh, and also with 19 commitments, of course, is Greg Schiano and Rutgers.

That's right, Rutgers.

No, this story didn't take a sharp detour into Crazyland, where the marching band plays kazoos and the yards are marked with cake frosting; this is actually happening. Rutgers, out there in the Big East and with negative infinity football tradition, is absolutely cleaning up. Their latest success is wideout Shawney Kersey, a lanky, three-star prospect with a four-and-a-half-star name (it's not Barkevious Mingo, but that's all right) who was destined for West Virginia last week.

Kersey's commitment will make it 13 such in June alone, which is more than most teams have, um, at all so far. Most of them hail from New Jersey, which means that recruiting goldmine (see Moreno, Knowshon) may well be drying up for outside teams.

If Rutgers continues to lock up their home state, Big East teams will probably wish--if they don't already--that Schiano had actually accepted one of his rumored offers. For now, though, all your Big East are belong to Greg Schiano.

Barring a last-minute power struggle or change of heart, the source indicated that this will be Paterno's last season in Happy Valley, and that Penn State would move quickly after Schiano at season's end.

The reason is simple: no one noticed the news. No one questioned the Big East's place at the adult table. The reaffirmation wasn't even a note in BCS meeting coverage. "It was quiet,'' Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese said Tuesday. "The way I like it."

Rutgers entered into discussions about a possible long-term series with Notre Dame, but at the end of the day both schools could not agree about the site of the games," [Athletic Director Bob] Mulcahy said in a statement issued by the school. "We feel Rutgers' home games should be played on-campus at Rutgers Stadium."

"Where we are in the development of our team and our program, I think having the opportunity to go play those kind of opponents [Auburn and Fresno State] will do nothing but benefit us," coach Ron Prince said Monday.

Hill is used to foes dropping him. Earlier this decade, he saw Oklahoma State and Texas Tech duck out of visits to Fresno. The inability to get opponents to come to his turf has led to Hill's team getting just five home games this fall.

• Riding a puma through the drive-thru at the local Arby's. Pumas are endangered, pal!
• Running an illegal bronzer smuggling ring. Yes, it's Jersey, so the market's there, but get a permit, for crissakes.
• Parking fifteen stolen cars on the tarmac at Newark International Airport. Pilots do not appreciate "obstacle courses."
• Puma bombing. Again with the pumas!

Last week, we told you about Rutgers planning to try the Pure Power Mouthguard, which promises to safely reproduce some of the effects of steroids and the human growth hormone. The manufacturer says the device aligns an athlete's jaw properly by using bilateral electrical stimulation and relaxes face muscles, allowing the rest of the body to work more effectively.