NEWARK, N.J. -- With Eric LeGrand showing no signs of

improvement since suffering a spinal cord injury more than a week

ago, Greg Schiano knew the concern and anxiety was increasing for

his Rutgers football players.

So when the team held its normal Sunday meeting, Schiano talked

to his players about their fears, giving them the opportunity to

sort things out.

"I think last night was good," Schiano said Monday. "We had a

chance without any deadline ahead of us, we had a chance as a team

to talk through some things. Certainly, the unknown is a scary

thing. I think there is a strong belief within our team and family

and there is a strong belief in God and what he is capable of

doing."

LeGrand has been paralyzed from the neck down since making a

tackle on a kickoff return against Army on Oct. 16 at New

Meadowlands Stadium.

Schiano said after Rutgers' 41-21 loss to Pittsburgh on Saturday

that there has been no change in the condition of the 20-year-old

defensive tackle.

Schiano had no medical update Monday during a conference call of

Big East Conference coaches.

However, he felt the team was reassured after its meeting, and

it is committed to praying for LeGrand and his family.

Looking back on Rutgers' loss over the weekend, Schiano admitted

that the team's concern for LeGrand may have taken a toll on the

Scarlet Knights (4-3, 1-1 Big East). In the week leading up to the

game, he had asked his players to try to leave their concerns off

the field.

"I think it is definitely very difficult to do, but that's the

world," Schiano said. "The one thing that I have tried to explain

to the players is that the world is a tough place. We had a tough

situation, a very tough situation, it kind of puts things in

perspective.

"You still have a game on Saturday," he added. "Now, having

said all that, I don't know emotionally if we had enough in the

tank to compete in the game. It was going to take every bit of our

emotional, physical and mental strength to win."

Rutgers was tied at 14 at halftime, but it was no match in the

second.

The schedule offers the Scarlet Knights a little help, though.

They don't play until next Wednesday, at South Florida.

"The kids have a couple of days to themselves, and then we will

get back into it," Schiano said. "I just think everyone needs to

sort through things themselves, and then come and attack the

preparations for South Florida."

While saying his team is beat up and emotionally worn down,

Schiano believes it will respond. As for himself, Schiano said

dealing with LeGrand's injury has been tough.

"It is definitely a challenge, but we don't get challenges that

are bigger than we can handle," he said. "I think we have to work

our way through it. There is fear, there is anxiety. There are all

those issues. The best thing we can do is get them out in the open

and deal with them and realize we are part of competitive athletics

and there will be a game next week. We've put an awful lot into

this. It is a game we love and Eric loves."

The outpouring of support for LeGrand has been a positive that

Schiano said can't be measured. He has received messages of support

from fellow Big East coaches and administrators and football people

nationwide.

"[It] has affirmed and reaffirmed what a special world college

and competitive athletics is," Schiano said. "There have been a

lot of bad things swirling around college football, but if you look

at the way people have come together to help Eric and his family,

it kind of puts that all to rest."

The New Jersey Nets announced on Monday that they are donating $75,000 to the "Eric LeGrand Believe Fund" to raise awareness of the player's plight.

Nets general manager Billy King said Monday that the money was raised in conjunction with point guard Devin Harris' 34 Ways to Assist Foundation and through contributions from the Nets' players, coaches, front office personnel and ownership.

"We just wanted to find a way to show our support," Harris said. "The athletic community is a very tight-knit group, and what happened to Eric is something that affects all athletes at every level. Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family."

King said the Nets will publicize how others can donate to the fund.

"We hope that our donation will spur others throughout the state and country to also contribute," he said.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.