Sports

Rutgers adding highly touted QB as transfer from LSU

Rutgers may have taken a step toward answering its quarterbacking questions when transfer Hayden Rettig, a former high school All-American quarterback and four-star recruit, committed to the Scarlet Knights after taking an official visit.

The 6-foot-3, 205-pound Rettig signed with LSU after a stellar career at Cathedral High School in Los Angeles, throwing 40 touchdowns as a senior and being ranked the No. 3 quarterback in his national class by Rivals.com. But when LSU started to switch to an offense that catered more to mobile dual-threat quarterbacks, Rettig began looking for a team running a pro-style attack.

Enter Rutgers, which has senior Gary Nova penciled in as the starter for this season — its first campaign in the Big Ten — and no other quarterbacks on the roster who have thrown a single pass in college.

Philip Nelson, a transfer from Minnesota, was dropped from the program after being charged with assault in connection with a brutal assault.

Rettig, who redshirted at LSU, will have to sit out the upcoming campaign and then have three years to play three seasons. His older brother, Chase, started for three years at Boston College and is a backup with the Green Bay Packers.