This sentiment is based on reports that current Rutgers’ head coach Greg Schiano will actually bolt for the NFL in the coming days, unlike Oregon leader Chip Kelly, who flirted with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ front office before deciding his heart was in Eugene.
Reports are stating that Schiano will be named Tampa Bay’s new head coach today, having inked a five-year deal that will send him back to the Sunshine State. Former Buccaneers’ head coach Raheem Morris was fired weeks back after leading his squad to a 4-12 campaign in 2011.
Schiano spent the past eleven seasons at Rutgers University in his first and only head coaching gig. After going 2-9 and 1-11 out the gate, Schiano’s teams began improving. 5-7 and 4-7 were followed by 7-5, 11-2, 8-5, 8-5 and 9-4 before 4-8 in 2010. The Scarlet Knights bounced back in 2011 going 9-4 and winning the Pinstripe Bowl over Iowa State.
No one can fault Schiano for taking his shot at the NFL. He more than left his mark at Rutgers and has earned the right to move on. That said, the timing is downright awful with National Signing Day under a week away.
One can’t help but draw a comparison to the frustration fans show towards college-bound freshmen who play the ‘hat game’ and flip flop back and forth when deciding between universities.
We are so quick to hold kids to a higher standard, trashing them for last minute bail-outs, yet here’s a head coach, under contract and in his mid-forties, also doing “what’s best for he and his family” by going elsewhere.
You can see both sides to this story as it’s a win-win and lose-lose at the same time. Still, not what Rutgers expected to be dealing with in regards to their football program, a week away from welcoming a new class.
Especially considering Schiano was a big-time dark horse.
It’s funny how coaches preach the same crap that they don’t hold to be true. Leadership, dedication, team unity. First chance they get, they bolt.
Schiano is in the same level as Petrino and Saban.
Tough call, man. I think this is just shit timing. Greg Schiano is a good guy that gave Rutgers eleven years of his life, building that program up from nothing into something.
A rare NFL opportunity came along and had he turned this one down, when would he have seen another?
Just sucks for the program’s sake and for recruiting that it happened when it happened. Safe bet he’s not happy with the way it went down, but a shot at the NFL? What was he supposed to do – turn it down and state that the only time he’d make the leap was if it happened days after a bowl game, as to not leave a program in a lurch?
When the NFL calls, you have to come running, if that is your end result goal career-wise. Might not ever get that shot again.
As for those other two sleazeballs, Saban burned the Dolphins and is a notorious asshole while Petrino isn’t too far behind. Both of of those guys screwed over colleges AND professional franchises to go back to college ball.
I agree. Tough call, The Tampa Bay Bucs need, and want him now. That said, its a tough call because he leaves the Rutgers program weeks away from National signing day. Promises made to incoming freshmen to play for you, and this happens.
Butch Davis did this too. I really think that I would of went for someone else than Cleveland (sorry Browns fans)
In the end, nobody is gonna look out for your best interest except yourself. Take care of you, only you know in your heart if this is the right decision. I wish him nothing but luck.
I wonder why schiano never took the Miami job. I think he could have won a NC with Miami. Anyone know of any reason why he turned it down? If he had taken the Miami job he could have been coaching the nfl much sooner than 11 years.
I agree the timing is horrible but he did give 11 years to riggers so you can’t really say he is bailing on the program. Best of luck to him and to the kids he’s leaving behind.
Schiano took the Rutgers gig before Butch bolted for Cleveland, so Coker got the gig.
Next shot he had at Miami was when Shannon took the job in late 2006. Rumor as the time was $2M annually but Schiano pushed on some other things and the deal didn’t go through. There was also a lot of talk that his wife Christy didn’t care for Miami or her time in South Florida.
Always thought Schiano was waiting around Rutgers for the Penn State gig to finally open up but based on how things played out in Happy Valley this past year, that was off his radar. A job like Tampa Bay won’t come calling too many times so he had to take it.