newjerseynewsroom.com

BY MATT SUGAM

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

PISCATAWAY – Khaseem Greene and Scott Vallone both have an itch they can’t scratch. It’s that prickling feeling to get back to playing football.

For 10 practices they haven’t done much of anything but watch and get in the younger players' ears about what they’re doing right and wrong.

“It’s tough to sit there and watch,” Greene said after Rutgers' spring practice today. “As a competitor you never want to sit back and watch you always want to be out there competing and having fun with your brothers.”

Neither he nor Vallone can do so.

Greene is coming off a gruesome ankle injury during the Pinstripe Bowl that required surgery and a plate put in his leg. With a successful surgery and rehab, the Big East's co-Defensive Player of the Year said he’s feeling 100 percent.

“I’m trying to convince [head] coach [Kyle Flood] to let me get out for the last week, so we’ll see how that goes,” Greene said.

Though he knows it’s a losing argument no matter how much he pleads.

Vallone on the other hand isn’t quite ready to play after offseason shoulder surgery. While he said he’s ahead of schedule, the 6-foot-3, 275-pound defensive tackle said he won’t be able to resume full activities until early June.

And so both go to practice in full pads, but never take live snaps. Instead, the fifth year seniors serve as extra coaches.

“It’s an advantage for the younger players. It’s another set of eyes watching every play,” Flood said. “Khaseem and Scott — the one thing they know from being here as long as they have been is they know the tempo that we practice at, they know the effort we expect on every play and they’ll be the first to speak up when they don’t see a younger player doing it right.”

It’s a role the two have embraced, but would rather not have.

“It’s ok,” Vallone said unenthusiastically. “I’d rather be out there playing, but I’m trying to do my best to help the guys out coaching them up when they come out off the field.”

Which is especially important for the defensive line. With the departure of Justin Francis and Manny Abreu, it’s the most inexperienced unit of what is poised to be a vaunted defense.

As for the void that Greene leaves at weakside linebacker, Kevin Snyder has been getting reps with the first team. An invaluable experience for the sophomore.

While there are parts of practice Vallone and Greene probably don’t miss, like some of the practice drills, both are yearning to get their pads popping. And neither want to be on the sidelines during 11 on 11.

“That’s the toughest part,” Vallone said. “When 11 on 11 come on you definitely want to be out there competing with teammates and the rest of the defense but I have to take it in stride and focus on what’s important and that’s getting healthy.”

For a player like Greene — who’s been regarded as one of the team's hardest hitters since he strapped on the helmet and shoulder pads — the physical contact is sorely missed.

“Yeah, it kind of is,” Greene said when asked if it’s driving him crazy that he can’t hit anybody. “But like I said, what can I do about it? I just got to be patient. The right time will come and I’ll be back out there playing again, but so far I just sit back and watch things.”

For more Rutgers football coverage follow Matt Sugam on Twitter @MattSugam and on Facebook.