Montclair coach John Fiore and star players Khalif Herbin (left- Temple bound) and Julian Pinnix-Odrick (Rutgers) field questions from the media during a special press conference in the MHS library during National Signing Day. (Sideline Chatter photos)

Montclair's college football signees enjoy watching star defensive end Julian Pinnix-Odrick don the Rutgers cap. From left, are coach John Fiore, linebackers Avery Ellis and Stephaun Marshall (Temple), QB Khalif Herbin (Temple), Pinnix and DB Rashawn Barrett (Delaware State). Pinnix-Odrick honored his verbal commitment and signed with the Scarlet Knights, even after coach Greg Schiano's departure for the NFL.

Dad Byron Ellis is a proud father as he congratulates his son Avery (right) on his special day as the Montclair linebacker joined two teammates in signing with Temple.

From left, Montclair standout seniors Avery Ellis, Stephaun Marshall, Khalif Herbin (all heading to Temple) and Julian Pinnix-Odrick (Rutgers) listen to questions during press conference held Wednesday while confirming their college signings. All four maintained their verbal commitments. (Photo by Jason Bernstein- J.B. Sports Media)

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“It was Thursday morning at 9 o’clock and my phone starts going off, and I have it on vibrate because of recruiting, and because we get on the kids for cell phones,” recalled Fiore, who guided Montclair to an 11-1 record this past fall. “I sneak into the corner and a rival coach (of Rutgers) gave me the bad news that Greg Schiano isn’t there anymore, and they want Julian.

“Then, another call, and another call. By 10 a.m. Mr. (John) Porcelli (Montclair’s assistant principal in charge of athletics) had coaches lined up at his door. He was nice enough to give up his office to the Odricks and myself….Talking to Julian, I knew his heart was still with Rutgers.”

Although Pinnix-Odrick did make a visit to Syracuse this past weekend, and before yesterday had been planning to fly out to Michigan State this coming weekend for another visit, that all changed Tuesday night.

“It all came to a head in the last 12 hours,” said Fiore, speaking around 10:30 a.m. Wednesday. “Julian made his final decision that he wanted to go to Rutgers and we faxed out the signed papers at 7:01 this morning.”

Pinnix-Odrick, a 6-foot-5, 270-pounder rated among the top 25 defensive linemen in the country by Rivals, said he tried to remain calm throughout the entire process.

“There was a lot of confusion the last four or five days, but I just came to the conclusion that Rutgers is where I really wanted to go and I felt comfortable there.

“It’s like the philosophy of the family concept and trust. Beyond x’s and o’s I compare it to high school. (I say) Those are my friends and I try and find something the same, close to home and close to the heart. The biggest draw was the family concept.”

Certainly also helping was the fact that Flood, who had been a Rutgers assistant since 2005, is well liked by the recruits and was inked to a 5-year contract as the Scarlet Knights head coach.

“Kyle Flood was a great choice by Rutgers,” said Fiore. “He’s a great guy with a strong bond with many of the kids, and I just think having him being named head coach made Julian and many others more comfortable with what was happening.”

Other than St. Peter’s Prep tight end Michael Giacone, who switched his commitment to Boston College, Rutgers made out quite fine with what transpired on National Signing Day and the couple of days before. Don Bosco Prep defensive tackle Darius Hamilton announced Tuesday night he was selecting the Scarlet Knights over Miami, and several others, including wide receivers Ruhann Peele of Linden and Leonte Carroo of Bosco wound up sticking to their original choices and will join Odrick-Pinnix at Rutgers.

“You have to believe that Kyle Flood is excited about having Julian at defensive end and Darius Hamilton at D-tackle for the next four years,” said Fiore. “Their defense is looking pretty good!”

In officially landing three very athletic and talented players in Herbin, Ellis and Marshall, Temple head coach Steve Addazio did himself and the burgeoning Owls program quite well on Wednesday.

“I felt relaxed there and loved the environment right away,” said Ellis, the powerful 6-2, 225-pounder who will play outside linebacker for Temple. “I certainly didn’t plan on my two friends and teammates joining me, but I’m glad I was able to start something in terms of a Montclair pipeline there.

“Stephaun announced his verbal right after me, but when Khalif told me (in December) that he was choosing Temple I was ecstatic. We’ve been great friends since the ninth grade when I moved to Montclair from Newark, and I’m thrilled that all three of us are now going to be playing for coach Addazio at Temple.”

Herbin, who scored an Essex County single-season record 43 touchdowns this past fall along with finishing with a county-tops 70 TDs for his career, can’t wait to join his buddies at the South Philly campus, plus bring his skills as a future slot receiver and kick and punt returner to the Owls program.

“Hopefully, we can start something and these two guys (Ellis and Marshall) to my right are better people than they are football players.

“We’re going to bring something special to Temple!”

So, what could have been an even more stressful last week, had Addazio –as first reported – been one of the leading candidates for the Rutgers head job and actually landed it – turned out to be all fine in the end for those in Mountieland.

Herbin and his friends didn’t have to even consider following Addazio to Piscataway, and Pinnix-Odrick came to the conclusion that Rutgers was indeed the place for him in what will now be Kyle Flood’s program to direct for the foreseeable future.

“It was a stressful last few days, but everything fell into place,” said Fiore. “These are five young men who are extremely strong in the classroom and the community, and they are upholding the tradition of Montclair High football.”

SIGNING DAY NOTES- Another Montclair senior of note, Aubrey Lewis III, said he will decide in the next several days whether or not he will walk on at either Rutgers or UCLA. If he chooses Southern California, the grandson of The Star-Ledger football player of the last century will be heading out West to become a Bruin along with good friend Devin Fuller of Old Tappan, who chose UCLA earlier this week. The younger Lewis and Fuller became friends back in the seventh grade while running together for a track club in Teaneck…The Mounties outstanding two-way lineman Dan Cano, and DB Mike Kornegay, are choosing among potential 1-AA destinations. Both young men have been pursued by Colgate…Yet another Montclair DB, Tyrone El, will also wind up announcing a D-2 or possible 1-AA destination in the next few weeks.

Montclair teammates Khalif Herbin (left) and Julian Pinnix-Odrick enjoy the press conference as the two young men discussed their college decisions of Temple and Rutgers, respectively, along with three other Mounties on big National Signing Day at the historic Essex County school.

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