The all-time wins leader in Rutgers football history,
Greg Schiano is in his fourth season back as the head football coach “On the Banks.” The Wyckoff, New Jersey, native is in his second stint with the Scarlet Knights after taking the program to new heights from 2001-11.
Schiano has directed the Scarlet Knights to seven bowl appearances with five bowl championships, coached 97 RU players who signed NFL contracts and guided the program to the top APR score in the nation so far during his time leading Rutgers football. That hallmark of standout academic performance proved to be the difference maker in sending Rutgers to its 11th bowl berth at the 2021 TaxSlayer Gator Bowl. The 2006 National Coach of the Year owns three nine-win campaigns and coached 18 Rutgers All-America selections.
Coming back to Piscataway in Dec. 2019, Schiano has built the program with a foundation based on F.A.M.I.L.Y., TRUST and CHOP, emphasizing player and cultural development.
In 2022, Schiano led Rutgers to a 3-0 start for the second-straight season, the first time that had been done since 2007 and 2008. The victory over Temple marked the 79th victory for Schiano to pass the legendary Frank Burns as the program’s all-time wins leader. Rutgers also set its average home attendance record as interest in the program continues to rise.
One of eight players to collect All-Big Ten honors, three-time captain P Adam Korsak earned First Team All-America status and won the Ray Guy Award as the nation's best punter. It marked the first on-field national award won by a Rutgers football player in program history. The defense was highlighted by Third Team All-Big Ten pick DL Aaron Lewis, as the unit improved by nearly 50 yards per game in total defense.
The Scarlet Knights continue to develop players for the NFL, with DB Christian Braswell drafted by the Jaguars and six others signing contracts.
The 2021 season featured two Big Ten road wins, a come-from-behind victory at Illinois that saw a late fourth-down stop and a five-touchdown triumph over Indiana, the program’s largest margin of victory in a Big Ten game. The defense finished second in the conference in third-down conversions against, while the offense saw both WR Bo Melton (Seahawks) and RB Isiah Pacheco (Chiefs) selected in the NFL Draft. Led by Korsak, an All-America honoree by multiple outlets, the punt unit set the NCAA record for net punt average (45.25). Rutgers went 5-0 when committing no turnovers, with seven from the 2021 roster earning invitations to postseason all-star games and five signing NFL contracts, including Pacheco, who went on to help the Chiefs win Super Bowl LVII as the team's starting tailback.
With just nine days’ notice, Schiano led the Scarlet Knights to the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl on New Year’s Eve, battling top-20 Wake Forest in front of a national television audience of over three million on
ESPN. Johnny Langan garnered Rutgers’ MVP for the game after contributing in numerous ways, as the Scarlet Knights gained valuable experience and exposure participating in the nation’s sixth-oldest bowl game.
On the recruiting front, Schiano and his staff have continued to build the roster starting with the top players in New Jersey, as well as in the State of Rutgers and the Big Ten footprint. Rutgers signed the top recruit from New Jersey, New York and Kentucky in the 2022 class, adding the top player from New York again in 2023. The 2022 class finished ranked as the highest for the Scarlet Knights in the Big Ten era according to
ESPN and
247Sports. In addition, the program has successfully used the transfer portal to identify talent and cultural fits to immediately impact the program.
The 2020 season presented unforeseen challenges dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. Playing a Big Ten-only schedule, the Scarlet Knights were one of just two teams in the conference to play all nine of its scheduled games. RU, despite missing spring and summer camp, matched the program high with three Big Ten victories, all away from Piscataway to equal the number of league road wins the previous six seasons combined.
The Scarlet Knights had 14 players recognized in the All-Big Ten voting, the most for the program since joining the conference. That included four on the top-three teams, with WR Aron Cruickshank, the Big Ten Rodgers-Dwight Return Specialist of the Year and honorable mention All-America pick by
Phil Steele, and LB Olakunle Fatukasi both earning first-team honors.
Rutgers posted a program-best 26.7 points per game in a Big Ten season, with eight games of at least 20 points after reaching the mark only five times in the prior four years. The 13.4 more points per game than 2019 marked the fourth-best improvement nationally following the regular season, while the scoring differential in Big Ten play was the best for the team by a margin of 8.6. The defense had at least one takeaway in 8-of-9 games with 19 overall, the most since 2012, and led the league with 7.8 tackles-for-loss per game.
Off the field, the Scarlet Knights launched #Chop4Change to spread a message of unity and equality, while registering every student-athlete on the team to vote in elections. The initiative also involves giving back to the community through various forms and continues to be a staple of the Rutgers football culture.
The program also achieved academic success with 144 student-athletes recognized on the Fall Academic All-Big Ten list the past three years, resetting the program record twice. The team posted its highest GPA ever as a program during the spring 2023 semester.
After making one prior trip to a bowl game in Rutgers football history, Schiano has led the team to seven bowls. That includes five consecutive victories with the 2006 Texas Bowl being the first postseason win in Rutgers history. In addition, RU was ranked in 20 weeks during Schiano’s first tenure after appearing in the AP Poll only nine times prior.
Building up the Scarlet Knights with three rejuvenating recruiting classes to start, Schiano put together an upset win over Syracuse to close 2003 before knocking off Michigan State to start 2004. The team broke through in 2005 with a 7-5 record, the first winning season since 1992, and a trip to the Insight Bowl for RU’s first bowl appearance since 1978.
Moving to the memorable 2006 campaign, Rutgers went 11-2, earned the program’s first national top-10 ranking, peaking at No. 7, and won a bowl championship with a convincing 37-10 victory over Kansas State in the Texas Bowl. “Pandemonium in Piscataway” was achieved with a 28-25 upset of No. 3 Louisville in front of a raucous home crowd and national television audience. It was the first triumph for the program over a top-25 opponent since 1988. Schiano collected the Eddie Robinson, Walter Camp, Home Depot and Liberty Mutual National Coach of the Year, as well as the Big East Coach of the Year following the season. The final national ranking of No. 12 still stands as the high-water mark in program history.
The momentum continued in 2007 with eight more wins, which included a 30-27 victory over No. 2 USF. The season was capped by running past Ball State, 52-30, in the International Bowl and set school records for scoring (426), first downs (294) and total offense (5,841). RU also became the first and only team in NCAA history to have a 3,000-yard passer (QB Mike Teel), a 2,000-yard rusher (RB Ray Rice) and two 1,000-yard receivers (WR Kenny Britt & WR Tiquan Underwood) in the same season. The 2008 campaign started 1-5, but the Scarlet Knights reeled off a six-game winning streak to become bowl eligible again and went on to beat NC State, 29-23, in the PapaJohns.com Bowl to finish with seven-straight in the win column. Then in 2009, RU beat a top-25 opponent for the fourth consecutive year with a 31-0 shutout of No. 23 USF and took down UCF, 45-24, in the St. Petersburg Bowl to finish off a 9-4 season.
In 2011, Rutgers had its third nine-win season under Schiano, tying Burns for the most in program history. The Scarlet Knights defeated Iowa State, 27-13, in the Pinstripe Bowl for the fifth-straight bowl win.
Schiano has coached the leading rusher, passer and receiver by yards in Rutgers football history, sending all to the NFL. Rice finished with 4,926 rushing yards, 1,812 more than second place, with 49 touchdowns. He holds the top two spots on the RU single-game rushing leaderboard with a high of 280 in the 2008 International Bowl. Teel was a three-year starter and is the only signal caller in school history to lead the Scarlet Knights to three bowl victories. Throwing for 9,398 yards overall, he still owns single-game school records for passing yards (447) and touchdowns (7) in Rutgers' 63-14 victory over Louisville in 2008. Kenny Britt was a primary target for Teel, recording 3,403 receiving yards. He once had five consecutive games with over 100 yards and totaled 14 such outings, both school standards.
Schiano has also turned special teams into a game-changing force for the Scarlet Knights. RU has blocked 67 kicks to rank among the nation's leaders, while scoring 59 defensive/special teams touchdowns, including eight since 2020. PK Jeremy Ito shattered the school record with 80 career field goals and earned All-America status, with Korsak also achieving national accolades in helping RU set the NCAA record for net punt average (45.25) in 2021 and leading the country in punt defense with minus 11 return yards against in 2022.
While producing victories at a rate unprecedented in the program’s history, the Rutgers football team is also committed fully to succeeding in the classroom. In 2010, Rutgers ranked first in the nation in Academic Progress Rate. The team followed that up with the nation’s No. 2 ranking in 2011. The program was the lone state university to be ranked in the top 10 percent nationally in APR during each of Schiano’s last five seasons of his first term.
DB Nate Jones became the program’s first two-time CoSIDA Academic All-America selection (2002-03) and was a member of the National Football Foundation/College Football Hall of Fame National Scholar Class of 2003, one of just eight FBS players honored. In addition, LB Brandon Renkart earned CoSIDA Academic All-America status in 2007, while FB Brian Leonard received the prestigious Draddy Trophy, recognized as the “Academic Heisman,” in 2006.
The emphasis on academics continued with a program-record 57 named to the Academic All-Big Ten list in 2021, 46 honorees in 2020 and 41 in 2022, including 22 earning distinguished status altogether (3.7 GPA or better). The program recorded the highest GPA in team history during the spring 2023 semester.
Known as a tireless recruiter with the ability to spot talent and develop players, Schiano has mentored 97 Scarlet Knights who went on to sign NFL contracts. That includes first-round picks in Britt (2009), OL Anthony Davis (2010) and DB Devin McCourty (2010). Rutgers had never had a player taken in the first round before Britt went 30th overall to the Tennessee Titans. Davis’ selection at No. 11 by the San Francisco 49ers marked the highest draftee in school history. McCourty, who went 27th to the New England Patriots, won three rings in five trips to the Super Bowl during his illustrious professional career.
Both Melton (Seahawks) and Pacheco (Chiefs) were drafted in 2022, with Pacheco becoming one of best stories in the NFL with 830 rushing yards, five touchdowns and a victory in Super Bowl LVII as a rookie. Pacheco joined FB Michael Burton on the Chiefs to make it 19 RU players coached by Schiano to reach the Super Bowl and 13 to win a Super Bowl ring. In 2023, Braswell was taken by the Jaguars and six others signed NFL contracts.
Overall, 15 Scarlet Knights who played for Schiano at Rutgers entered 2023 training camp active on NFL rosters: DB Tre Avery, DB Christian Braswell, FB Michael Burton, WR Aron Cruickshank, LS Andrew DePaola, OL J.D. DiRenzo, DL Michael Dwumfour, LB Olakunle Fatukasi, DB Christian Izien, TE Tyler Kroft, LB Tyreek Maddox-Williams, WR Bo Melton, RB Isiah Pacheco, WR Sean Ryan and DB Avery Young.
Schiano accepted the head coach position for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Jan. 2012 and spent two seasons at the helm of the NFL franchise.
Schiano returned to the sidelines as the associate head coach and defensive coordinator, also coaching safeties, at Ohio State in 2016. He coached 10 players who were NFL Draft picks, five of whom were first-round selections during his three seasons. There were three first-round picks from the secondary in the 2017 NFL Draft: Malik Hooker (Colts), Gareon Conley (Raiders) and Marshon Lattimore (Saints). Hooker, a unanimous All-America pick in 2016, was first nationally with three “pick-sixes” and third with seven interceptions that season.
The Buckeyes went 36-5 in Schiano’s three years as defensive coordinator and 24-3 against Big Ten opponents. That led to two Big Ten titles, plus wins in the 2017 Cotton Bowl and 2019 Rose Bowl. In addition, OSU was No. 6 nationally in total defense under Schiano in 2016 when advancing to the College Football Playoff semifinals.
The Buckeyes were one of just three programs to rank in the top 10 in total defense in both 2016 and 2017. Schiano was the No. 2 recruiter in the nation by
247Sports and
CBSSports.com for the 2018 signing class.
Schiano served as the defensive coordinator at Miami in 1999 and 2000 before becoming the Rutgers head coach. The Hurricanes posted a 20-5 record during that time, including an 11-1 mark, the No. 2 national ranking and a Sugar Bowl win in 2000. That defense finished fifth nationally in scoring defense (15.5) after ranking 12th in the category the year before (17.2). Following the 2000 season, LB Dan Morgan, who was the 11th overall pick in the NFL Draft, became the first player in college football history to win the Butkus Award (top linebacker), Nagurski Award (college defensive player of the year) and Bednarik Award (top defensive player) in the same year, in addition to being a consensus first-team All-America selection and the Big East Defensive Player of the Year. S Ed Reed was also a consensus first-team All-America honoree in 2000 and would later earn a spot in both the College Football Hall of Fame and Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Prior to his assignment in Miami, Schiano spent three seasons in the NFL with the Chicago Bears (1996-98). The 1997 team placed first in the NFC in third-down defense (31.7 percent), while the 1996 squad climbed from 27th in the NFL to 11th in fewest yards allowed.
Schiano was the defensive backfield coach at Penn State from 1991-95 after working as a graduate assistant in 1990. The Nittany Lions picked up 58 wins throughout those years and made six bowl appearances. The 1994 PSU team went 12-0 (8-0 Big Ten) and finished No. 2 in the national rankings after beating Oregon in the Rose Bowl. Schiano previously was a graduate assistant at Rutgers in 1989, beginning his coaching career as an assistant at his alma mater, Ramapo High School, the year before.
Schiano was a three-year letterwinner at linebacker for Bucknell (1985-87). He was named to the
Sporting News All-America Preseason Team in 1987. He served as a team captain his senior year after leading the team with 114 tackles as a junior to earn All-Patriot League honors.
Full Name: Gregory Edward Schiano
Birthdate: June 1, 1966
Hometown: Wyckoff, N.J.
Alma Mater: Bucknell, 1988 (B.S. in business administration)
Wife: Christy
Children: Joey, John, Matt, Katie
2020-present: Rutgers (head coach)
2016-18: Ohio State (associate head coach/defensive coordinator/safeties)
2012-13: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (head coach)
2001-11: Rutgers (head coach)
1999-00: Miami (defensive coordinator)
1998: Chicago Bears (secondary)
1996-97: Chicago Bears (defensive assistant)
1991-95: Penn State (secondary)
1990: Penn State (graduate assistant)
1989: Rutgers (graduate assistant)
1988: Ramapo HS (assistant)
2021 TaxSlayer Gator Bowl
2019 Rose Bowl
2017 Cotton Bowl
2016 Fiesta Bowl
2011 New Era Pinstripe Bowl
2009 St. Petersburg Bowl
2008 PapaJohns.com Bowl
2008 International Bowl
2006 Texas Bowl
2005 Insight Bowl
2000 Gator Bowl
1996 Outback Bowl
1995 Rose Bowl
1994 Citrus Bowl
1993 Blockbuster Bowl
1992 Fiesta Bowl
1990 Blockbuster Bowl
2018 Ohio State (Big Ten)
2017 Ohio State (Big Ten)
2000 Miami (Big East)
1994 Penn State (Big Ten)
Gallery: (12/3/2019) Greg Schiano Through the Years
