<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>D'Imperio was having a dream spring. He'd essentially worked his way into the starting lineup at middle linebacker, battling another South Jersey player, Timber Creek's Chris Quaye, who's now second on the depth chart behind Brandon Renkart.</p> That all came to an end when he broke his leg in three places. He didn't know exactly how bad it was at first, because he wasn't allowed to look at it initially.</p> "It's very tough," D'Imperio said. "It took a long time, a lot of hard work to get where I was at. To take a setback like that, it's very frustrating. But it just takes a little extra work, more work to get back to where it was.</p> "I'm ready for it. I'm doing more agility exercises. . . . When I'm out there running around, it feels real good. It doesn't hurt. It's just one step slow."</p> D'Imperio hopes to be able to hop in there as soon as possible, but it won't be tonight when No. 15 Rutgers hosts Navy at 7 p.m. in an ESPN-televised, sold-out contest. The Scarlet Knights are coming off a 38-3 win over Buffalo in their season opener last Thursday night at home.</p> "I'm ahead of schedule," D'Imperio said. "I'm slowly getting there, but right now, I can't just worry about getting my leg back. I have to worry about getting everything better, between the plays and everything. I have to get everything sharper, so that when I do get better, I can hop right in there and help the team the best I can."</p> Rutgers coach Greg Schiano said the sophomore could be back after the team's bye week, which would be Sept. 29 when the Scarlet Knights host Maryland.</p> "D'Imperio is closer," said Schiano, whose team has won eight straight at home. "He's not going to play this week, but he does more and more every day. I think the forecast we had of him playing after the bye week is still a possibility. I'm not betting on it, but it's still a possibility."</div></p> </p>Link
