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Archbishop Wood's Arcidiacono commits to Rutgers

Archbishop Wood's Nick Arcidiacono announces he has chosen Rutgers, with parents Mark and Mary. (MARK C. PSORAS)

By Rick O'Brien, Inquirer Staff Writer

Posted: June 22, 2012

Greg Schiano is gone as coach, but the Rutgers football program has kept its close recruiting ties to powerhouse Archbishop Wood.

Nick Arcidiacono, a 6-foot-4, 238-pound tight end, committed Thursday to play for the Scarlet Knights.

His brother, Brandon, a solid center for the Vikings, will leave for Rutgers on Sunday. Another member of Wood's class of 2012, running back Desmon Peoples, is set to begin his career in North Jersey.

"I wanted to continue playing with Brandon," Nick Arcidiacono said. "He talked highly about Rutgers. He wasn't pushing me, though. He wanted me to make my own decision."

Rutgers is coached by Kyle Flood, formerly in charge of the squad's offensive linemen.

"The whole coaching staff is phenomenal," Arcidiacono said. "They make you feel like you're part of a big family."

Arcidiacono also received interest from Penn State, but no scholarship offer. "They wanted to recruit me as an athlete," he said. "And they wanted me to wait things out. It really didn't matter. Rutgers was always No. 1 for me."

Last season, with the help of the Arcidiacono brothers and Peoples, Wood averaged 46 points and reeled off 14 straight victories en route to its first PIAA Class AAA state championship.

Nick Arcidiacono, who mostly played guard and tackle on offense last season as a junior, is set to switch to tight end. He doubles as a defensive end.

The Holland resident becomes the fourth member of his immediate family to commit to a Division I-A program. His brother Mark, a product of St. Joseph's Prep, is a 6-4, 283-pound redshirt junior guard at Penn State. The boys' father, also Mark, was a defensive lineman at Father Judge and Temple.

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