Kyle Monangai looks to continue his strong offensive performance in 2024.
After the conclusion of the 2023 season, Rutgers running back Kyle Monangai ranked No. 81 in PFF College Top 101 Players rankings of college football. Can the Big Ten’s No. 1 running back repeat another strong performance in 2024?
In 2023, the Roseland, New Jersey native finished in the top 10 in the FBS in rushing grade, yards after contact, and forced missed tackles. Monangai finished second in the Power Five overall grade behind Notre Dame Audric Estime. The First Team All-Big Ten (Pro Football Focus) running back logged 242 carries for 1,262 rushing yards with eight touchdowns for the Scarlet Knights. Also, Monangai added eight catches for 78 receiving yards to his 2023 resume.
The former Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, New Jersey) prospect recorded seven games with 100+ rushing yards last season. His best performance came in Week 2 when he finished the game with 165 rushing yards on 28 carries and one touchdown in a winning effort against Temple. Monangai followed his stellar Week 2 performance with a three-touchdown game against Virginia Tech. For his efforts in Week 3, Monangai was recognized with the weekly Doak Walker Award for the top running back in the nation.
Monangai ended last season on a high note, earning the 2023 Pinstripe Bowl MVP. He recorded 25 carries for 163 rushing yards and a touchdown in a 31-24 victory over Miami. Monangai averaged 6.5 yards per attempt, guiding Rutgers to their seventh bowl championship and second victory in the Pinstripe Bowl.
Kyle Monangai to lead the Big Ten in rushing yards
On Monday, Monangai earned a spot on the Maxwell Award watch list. The Maxwell Award has been presented to the College Football Player of the Year since 1937. The three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree enters the 2024 season with 1,942 career rushing yards. Monangai will try to become the 16th player in program history to reach 2,000 career yards.
Monangai has recorded 413 carries for 1,942 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns in 41 career games for the Scarlet Knights. And, he has averaged 4.7 yards per rushing attempt throughout his collegiate career.
Monangai was a human highlight reel last season, averaging 5.2 yards per carry and 97.1 yards a game. With one year left of eligibility, the Rutgers 2023 Team Captain has elected to return to Rutgers for his final season.
Monangai finished the 2023 campaign No.1 above Michigan’s Blake Corum, Wisconsin’s Braelon Allen, Ohio State’s TreVeyon Henderson, and Penn State’s Kaytron Allen for total rushing yards. He ranked No. 2 behind Minnesota Darius Taylor for average rushing yards per game and No. 6 with eight touchdowns. According to Pro Football Focus, Monangai is the top-ranked running back in the Big Ten Conference.
With the 2024 season rapidly approaching, Monangai was named to Phil Steele’s preseason All-American list for his efforts last season. Rutgers football finished the 2023 season with a 7-6 record and would look to continue their winning trend in 2024.
Monangai is a key factor in Rutgers’ offense, pounding the rock through their rushing attack. The Scarlet Knights can have a more balanced offense in 2024 with their strong rushing attack under Monangai and new quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis’s ability to control the offense. If Monangai can log yardage on the ground, the Scarlet Knights can capture another winning season in 2024.
Mike Cavallo
A sportswriter for The League Winners covering all Rutgers athletics. Follow my social media page for all coverage of Rutgers sports. X (Twitter): @M_Cavs55