UPDATE: Rutgers secret society member reveals why he trolled Michigan with 'prank'

PARAMUS -- As Paramus Catholic High School officials prepare to host a football camp Wednesday featuring Michigan's Jim Harbaugh, authorities are said to be investigating a series of acts that the school president called vandalism.

Paramus Catholic president James Vail told NJ Advance Media his operations team arrived on campus this morning to find Rutgers magnets across the fields and a teddy bear and Rutgers paper packet on the 50-yard line of the football field.

A group claiming unofficial ties to Rutgers University took responsibility, emailing media outlets with pictures of its work and a letter slamming Harbaugh for starting a war with Rutgers.

While Vail said police were called in to investigate, a Paramus police spokeswoman said the department had no comment on the situation.

"The litter has already been cleaned up and we're ready to go for the camp,'' said Vail, whose school is hosting the Next Level Football Camp for 650 high school-level prospects on Wednesday evening, a so-called "satellite camp'' featuring 45 college programs and headlined by Michigan.''

Because Michigan is perceived to be a rival to Rutgers both on the football field and on the recruiting trail, the camp has drawn intense criticism from Rutgers fans on popular Internet message boards.

Vail said he has taken "heat'' since announcing in April that Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh would be serving as commencement speaker at his school's graduation ceremony, which takes place Thursday night at the Prudential Center in Newark.

He said the fervor picked up steam after Rutgers coach Chris Ash countered his Michigan satellite-camp announcement by uniting with Ohio State coach Urban Meyer to host their own camp 30 miles away in Bergen County.

"Some people have fermented the situation to this point, raising the level of emotion and vitriol that results in a situation like this,'' Vail told NJ Advance Media on Wednesday morning. "This is not the first time we've been the target of threats in recent weeks. I'm not at liberty to say what because those things are a police matter now. It's sad, really. We're talking about running a football camp, providing opportunities for kids to get instruction and maybe get some increased exposure. To me, that's the bigger story. Why is our high school viewed as such a threat to (Rutgers)? The Hun School just had a camp yesterday, and from I've seen it went off without a hitch.''

At 2:51 a.m., reporters at NJ Advance Media received an email from an anonymous group calling themselves the ''Order of Bulls Blood'' and taking credit for the act.

The email from the address orderofbullsblood@gmail.com reads:

Good Morning,

Michigan has began a war with Rutgers University. Our Order, represented by some of Rutgers elite student leaders, see it fit that this rivalry be hereby declared.

We have had enough of Michigan. Fence the Garden was brought forth because of Mr. Harbaugh, and us Scarlet Knights are ready to protect our state. We R battle ready.

Tonight sparked the beginning of the end for Wolverine Football, and no longer will they return to their former glory. The Curse of The Bambino reigned for 86 years, Michigan's will last for 28.

Best,

The 2016-2017 Class

Order of Bulls Blood

1834

The email contained a letter and three photos that can be viewed above in this story.

According to a September 2015 NJ Advance Media report, the Order of the Bull's Blood is Rutgers University's oldest and most secret society. The clandestine group dates back to 1834 and is responsible for elaborate pranks around New Jersey.

According to the report, some newspaper accounts say the Rutgers secret society took credit for stealing a cannon from rival Princeton University in 1875. In 2006, the Order of the Bull's Blood claimed to be responsible for a string of vandalism incidents on that campus, including spray-painting graffiti on Princeton buildings and a cannon, according to the Princetonian, the campus newspaper.

Even though there doesn't appear to be permanent damage to his fields, Vail said school officials are taking the situation "seriously.''

"While some may perceive this as a silly prank, in today's world it is inadvisable for people to trespass on a school campus for any reason,'' Vail said. "So the police are looking into it and it's considered an active investigation.''

The football camp, which will be held on three fields on the Paramus Catholic campus and two more fields across the street at Bergen County Community College, is considered a public event. In addition to the 650 football players -- many of whom are considered some of the nation's most highly sought after recruits -- the instructional clinic will feature more than 90 football coaches, representing 45 colleges from 12 states.

Vail said even before the late Tuesday night/early Wednesday morning incident, school officials had already arranged for "an expansive amount of police coverage'' for the camp.

"You've got relatively famous people there who are somewhat controversial and just because of some of the bizarre things that have been said ... it may get to a point where we have to close campus and not let many more spectators on because we just can't handle it,'' Vail said.

Keith Sargeant may be reached at ksargeant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @KSargeantNJ. Find NJ.com Rutgers Football on Facebook.