Greg Schiano, who has guided Rutgers football to a program-record five bowl championships, is in his third 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, coached 90 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. His 76 overall wins entering 2022 are second-most in school history, behind Frank Burns (78).
RETURN TO RUTGERSThe Scarlet Knights continued to make progress in 2021 with the first 3-0 start since 2012, improving to 43-20 in non-conference games under Schiano. In Big Ten action, RU won two road games, 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 All-American Adam Korsak, 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.
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 in December. Twelve different states were represented overall with the class being ranked 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.
With a commitment to player and cultural development, 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 ...