Ryan Dunleavy

Staff writer

PISCATAWAY – Zak Kuhr is credited with starting the new social media rage among Rutgers football fans, but the concept behind #FenceTheGarden actually started before he was born.

Kuhr adapted the idea from Howard Schnellenberger, who turned Miami into a college football national power in the early 1980s by mining the “State of Miami” for the best local talent, closing off the fertile South Florida recruiting ground to competitors, and supplementing his roster with select national prospects.

Schnellenberger’s recruiting strategy is highlighted in the ESPN 30 for 30 documentary “The U,” which caught Kuhr’s eye as he prepared for his new job as wide receivers coach on first-year Rutgers head coach Chris Ash’s staff.

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“I was starting to pack up my house and I was playing some movies on Netflix as I was doing it,” Kuhr said. “I was searching through and saw ‘The U.’ Coach Schnellenberger said keep the ‘State of Miami.’ I was like why not? Why not keep everyone in the state of New Jersey?

“I woke up that next morning and I was like, ‘I’m going to post something about it. We’ve got to try to keep the best players in the state.’”

On Dec. 30, Kuhr, whose previous job was offensive coordinator at James Madison, posted to his Twitter account at the attention of New Jersey’s top recruits, Rutgers faithful and New Jerseyans a message that reads:

“Last night I had a thought … What IF, the entire top High School talent in the State of New Jersey stayed in the state to represent HOME?! The proudest state in the country, especially when it comes to representing its FOOTBALL!!! Just like the ‘U’ did in the 80s, we would be the ‘R’(Future 30 for 30 movie with ESPN).

We would Take Over the B1G Ten, as well as the country! Right now over HALF of the top 25 players in the State of New Jersey are committed throughout the B1G Ten and they are Spread Out. Why not UNITE and stay at home to defend this Unbelievable and Prideful State! Let’s do it. Make the movement and make HISTORY for the State and all of your families!!!”

Kuhr included with his Tweet the hashtag #FenceTheGarden – a reference to closing off the Garden State talent from other programs – and it quickly spread. It had 450 retweets and 635 likes as of Tuesday night.

#FenceTheGarden since has been used by other Rutgers assistants, fans, donors, media and prominent alum Eric LeGrand.

“You need to be able to recruit your backyard successfully,” Rutgers defensive coordinator Jay Niemann said. “That goes without being said. This whole area of the United States – New York, New Jersey – we have a lot of players in this area that are within our reach from a geographical perspective. Not everybody in the country obviously has that luxury.”

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Of course, the new coaching staff isn’t breaking any new ground with the revelation that Rutgers is a sleeping giant.

Past regimes with far deeper Jersey roots have tried – and mostly failed – to do what Kuhr is suggesting. Greg Schiano came the closest but it took him about a decade to do more damage than landing the occasional big fish.

It’s easier said than done. Is this the group to make it happen?

“That’s definitely a main priority and a main goal for us,” Kuhr said. “Does it happen? We’ll find out. We’re going to do our best job.

“But if the best player in New Jersey doesn’t fit our culture and our alignment and our character, then we don’t want him. We’re going to try to see where we can be compatible and go that way.”

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Ash took a step to improve the relations between Rutgers and New Jersey high school coaches that had soured under predecessor Kyle Flood when he hired former Hillsborough, South Brunswick and Passaic Valley coach Rick Mantz as director of high school relations.

The Iowa native repeatedly has said he wants to recruit the right fits for his program and not take shortcuts or lesser New Jersey talent.

"We are going to try to be creative and do things differently to try to build relationships and connections with recruits," Ash said, "regardless of where they're from or what position they play."

Staff Writer Ryan Dunleavy: rdunleav@gannettnj.com