Sports

Rutgers nabs Big at-Ten-tion on the trail

In his brief time as the Rutgers head football coach, Kyle Flood has done a phenomenal job taking care of his own backyard.

The announcement this week that the Scarlet Knights will be moving to the Big Ten only should make his job easier.

“It’s going to be a huge boost for recruiting,” said Greg Toal, the coach at national powerhouse Don Bosco Prep in New Jersey. “The Big Ten is the Big Ten. It’s a huge step for Rutgers.”

Scout.com Northeast recruiting director Brian Dohn agrees. Dohn said opposing coaches previously recruited against Rutgers by using the future of the Big East as leverage. That isn’t an option anymore.

“The biggest thing in a nutshell is Rutgers has the same opportunity as anybody else to be in the playoff system,” Dohn said. “Now it’s up to the program to see if they can win in the Big Ten.”

Dohn said Rutgers’ current recruiting class was “sensational,” its best in recent memory, which included All-American defensive lineman Darius Hamilton of Don Bosco Prep. The upcoming edition is a “good class, with a lot of projection kids,” Dohn said.

One of the committed players, four-star offensive guard Dorian Miller of Metuchen (N.J.), committed to Flood this week, a decision made easier with the Big Ten news.

“It made all the difference in the world,” Miller said. “Just the idea of playing Penn State, Michigan, Ohio State, Wisconsin, playing the big boys, it adds excitement to the whole aura of Rutgers. It’s icing on the cake for them. They’ve been doing everything the right way, they’ve been having solid classes. The only thing holding them back from top-15, top-20 classes was not being in an elite conference.”

That’s no longer the case.

HOOPS

Manhattan basketball had a huge week, signing Cardinal Hayes point guard Tyler Willson, dynamic JUCO shooting guard Chris Thomas, regarded as a five-star recruit by Scout.com, and Life Center Academy center Carlton Miller.

Senior forward Jermaine Lawrence, a 6-foot-10 elite-level recruit from Queens, took an unofficial visit to Manhattan for its win over Hofstra on Wednesday, and is taking his first official visit to UNLV this weekend.

Long Island Lutheran power forward Kentan Facey signed with UConn on Wednesday, the final day of the early signing period, after he considered waiting until the spring because of the uncertainty regarding head coach Kevin Ollie.

Bishop Loughlin shooting guard Khadeen Carrington visited St. John’s unofficially Wednesday for its win over Holy Cross.

Christ the King shooting guard Jon Severe and Brooklyn wing Richard Williams of Vermont Academy, both uncommitted prospects, will sign in the spring.

LIU Brooklyn picked up a verbal commitment from JUCO power forward Chris Carter of Wake Tech Community College (N.C.).

zbraziller@nypost.com