Chris Muller Firms Up Verbal Commitment to Rutgers, Will Not Consider Michigan

Much to the dismay of several top programs around the country, 4-star offensive linemen J.J. Denman (Fairless Hills, PA) and Chris Muller (Boyertown, PA) will hold true to their word and become Rutgers Scarlet Knights come Wednesday after the school hired current offensive line coach Kyle Flood to be the 29th head coach in the program's history. 

After the news broke last week that Greg Schiano would be leaving Rutgers for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, several schools, including the Michigan Wolverines, immediately contacted Muller. 

As of Monday afternoon, the nation's No. 11 offensive tackle and No. 100 overall prospect wanted to wait to see who Rutgers hired to be the next head coach before making a decision on his own future. 

"Chris is not making a decision until he sees who Rutgers hires as their head coach," Boyertown head coach Mark Scisly said, via Tim Sullivan of thewolverine.com. "That is his position at this point." 

Despite numerous reports that Florida International head coach Mario Cristobal had already worked out a deal to become the next head coach of the Scarlet Knights, the former Rutgers assistant elected to stay with the program he has essentially built from the ground up over the past several years. 

"I love FIU and this is where I want to be," Cristobal told the Golden Panthers at a team meeting Monday, according to one player via ESPN's Joe Schad. 

"This will be the best recruiting class we have ever had," Cristobal told the Associated Press Monday night. "We have built a great program. It's a great time to be a Panther." 

The Scarlet Knights plan to introduce Flood on Tuesday afternoon, which is the main reason Muller has decided to honor his original commitment to Rutgers. 

"I'm excited," Muller said, via Sullivan. "I was just looking around, at my second choices, and just relaxing. I would have talked to Coach Cristobal if he had gotten the job, but now that Coach Flood is here, I'm happy. He's a great coach, I was so happy when I heard." 

Michigan has been trying to add another offensive lineman to its already-strong incoming group, but missing out on Alex Kozan (Castle Rock, CO) and Josh Garnett (Puyallup, WA) last week, along with Muller's decision to stick with Rutgers, leaves 4-star offensive tackle Jordan Diamond (Chicago, IL) as the only other lineman the Wolverines are pursuing. 

Diamond will choose between Michigan, Arkansas, Wisconsin and Auburn on Friday, which is two days after National Signing Day.