PISCATAWAY – The running back routinely took the handoff, bulldozed his way forward, pushed the pile as defenders bounced off of him. He made it as difficult as possible for anyone to bring him down.
It’s a sight that was common for Rutgers football’s offense the previous two seasons.
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But when Kyle Monangai left and headed for the NFL, there was no guarantee the Scarlet Knights would find another running back like him so quickly.
Enter Antwan Raymond.
Because the way the second-year back played against Maryland, he looked an awful lot like the bowling ball Monangai was.
‘He’s a violent runner’
“We always joke around that we see a lot of Kyle in him,” center Gus Zilinskas said. “He’s a violent runner.”
Maryland was the latest to find out.
Raymond had another stellar performance, rushing for 240 yards on 41 carries with a touchdown to help send Rutgers to a badly needed 35-20 win over the Terrapins at SHI Stadium Saturday, Nov. 8.
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Raymond’s 240 yards were the most a Rutgers running back has had in a Big Ten game and his 41 carries tied a program record with Savon Huggins (2012) and Jawan Jamison (2012).
Maryland’s run defense was vulnerable and Raymond exposed it.
Nov 8, 2025; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights running back Antwan Raymond (3) carries the ball during the first half against the Maryland Terrapins at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
“I think it’s really special,” Raymond said. “A huge shoutout to the O-linemen. They’ve blocked well all year not just for me but for us. For Ja’shon Benjamin, for CJ Campbell when he was playing, and for Sam Brown.”
And Raymond, a Montreal native, also crossed the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the season, becoming just the ninth player in program history to do so.
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Kyle Monangai’s influence on Antwan Raymond
In just his second year with the program, Raymond is etching his name alongside some of the greats who came before him, names like Ray Rice, Brian Leonard, Isiah Pacheco and Monangai.
But it was Monangai, a seventh-round draft pick by the Bears who rushed for 176 yards against the Bengals in Chicago’s game last week, who set a standard and an example for Raymond to follow.
Monangai became known for his preparation and studiousness away from the field.
“The way he approached college football was very much like a professional football player,” coach Greg Schiano said. “I thought he set a great standard for the room.”
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Raymond’s living up to it – both with his work off the field and his running style on it.
“I think Kyle did an outstanding job when he was here helping Antwan become the running back he’s becoming,” quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis said. “Antwan I know would probably tell you this, he’s nowhere near where he wants to be. But Kyle did a great job mentoring him and trying to pick him up and put him under his wing. Antwan is studious, he wants to learn. I’m just super proud of him and the work he’s put in.”
Antwan Raymond’s road from Canada to Rutgers football
None of this was guaranteed for Raymond – he wasn’t even the starting running back coming into the season, with that role initially going to Campbell, a Florida Atlantic transfer who suffered a season-ending injury in the third game of the season.
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Raymond reclassified and joined the program last season after the school he was attending, Clearwater Academy International in Florida, announced it was closing its football program.
So technically, had that not happened Raymond would only be a true freshman this season.
“I would say this, I’m not surprised about anything that’s going my way because I know I worked so hard for this,” Raymond said. “I put my whole life into this. I come from really far away. I left my family. I’ve done a lot of sacrifices to be here. I wouldn’t say I’m surprised but I worked really hard for this for sure.”
His teammates have taken notice.
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“We love whenever he doesn’t go down and we can come in and push the pile,” Zilinskas said. “He’s incredible. In the pass game, too, he’s really intelligent. He’s not one of those backs that just gets the ball and says, ‘I’m going to run downhill.’ He understands all the combination blocks and all the protections. I’m really proud of Antwan. He’s really grown up.”
Yet for all the milestones and attention Raymond’s getting, he made clear it’s secondary to what the final score read after Rutgers beat Maryland.
The Scarlet Knights needed a victory. They’re now one win from bowl eligibility, which won’t come easily with games against Ohio State and Penn State remaining.
But for Raymond and his teammates, the win is what matters.
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Make no mistake, it wouldn’t have happened without this performance.
“Definitely being in the win column, it means a lot to us,” Raymond said. “That’s all this program wants. The individual accolades are cool and all, but all this program wants and all I want is to win.”
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Rutgers football running back Antwan Raymond writing his own legacy
