 • 2006 Eddie Robinson/FWAA National Coach of the Year
• 2006 The Home Depot National Coach of the Year
• 2006 Walter Camp Football Foundation National Coach of the Year
• 2006 Liberty Mutual National Coach of the Year
• 2006 George Munger (Maxwell Club) National Coach of the Year
• 2006 American Football Monthly National Coach of the Year
• 2006 BIG EAST Coach of the Year
Entering his ninth year as head coach of the Rutgers football program, Greg Schiano has created what he started out to accomplish - build one of the top programs in the nation on a rock solid foundation - both on the field and in the classroom. Still, the ultimate goal remains the same for Schiano since the day he accepted the position on Dec. 1, 2000 - to win the National Championship.
The longest-tenured coach in the BIG EAST, Schiano has guided the Scarlet Knights to new heights throughout his career “On the Banks” – including three consecutive bowl victories for the first time in school history last December with Rutgers’ 29-23 victory over NC State in the PapaJohns.com Bowl.
 The 2008 campaign for the Scarlet Knights started slowly, but the program relied on a strong foundation built by Schiano and together as a family Rutgers turned a 1-5 start into seven consecutive victories to close out the season.
The Scarlet Knights have played in a bowl game for four consecutive seasons – another first in school history and just one of three BIG EAST programs to do so.
Rutgers is one of 31 teams in the nation to play in four consecutive bowls. Among BCS members, Rutgers is one of 21 schools to play in four straight bowl games.
The Scarlet Knights are also one of 11 teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision to win three bowl championships over the last three years.
Before Schiano’s arrival at Rutgers, the Scarlet Knights played in one bowl game in 131 seasons of football.
The on-field success under Schiano has led to attendance records at Rutgers Stadium as the program averaged over 40,000 fans per game for the third time in 2008. The Scarlet Knights have played in front of 17 consecutive sell-out crowds at home, the longest streak in the BIG EAST.
Construction continues on expanding Rutgers Stadium to increase the seating capacity to 54,000. The project is scheduled to be finished by the start of the 2009 season. With the excitement surrounding Rutgers football at an all-time high, the on-field accolades for the players have continued under Schiano’s leadership.
Five players earned All-BIG EAST honors in 2008, including two First Team selections in junior wide receiver Kenny Britt and senior defensive back Courtney Greene. Three additional Scarlet Knights captured All-BIG EAST Second Team accolades, including sophomore offensive lineman Anthony Davis, junior linebacker Ryan D’Imperio and senior defensive end Jamaal Westerman. Senior cornerback Jason McCourty became the fourth Scarlet Knight in six years to be a semifinalist for the Draddy Trophy, regarded as the “Academic Heisman.”
The Scarlet Knights continue to work towards their ultimate goal after four straight bowl appearances, including a sensational 2006 campaign. Rutgers ended the season with a ranking of #12 in the national polls. The success Rutgers has achieved on the field was something Schiano envisioned from the first day he became the leader of the Scarlet Knights. At his introductory press conference, Schiano stated “We're going to win at Rutgers and we're going to do it the right way.” The 2006 season was complete with a convincing 37-10 victory over Kansas State in the Texas Bowl, the first bowl championship in school history.
Schiano, the 2006 National Coach of the Year and BIG EAST Coach of the Year, has been the architect of transforming the Rutgers program into one of the nation's best. The Scarlet Knights earned their first national top-10 ranking in 2006 and won 11 games for the second time in school history. Senior Brian Leonard was also the recipient of the Draddy Trophy in 2006.
“All along we have said the same thing,” said Schiano. “What we're doing here, we're just scratching the surface. The sky is the limit here at Rutgers and we're going to do great things. We've recruited really great young guys in this program and this is home. The same things I said at this podium the first time in this room that were true then are still true now. This state and the New York and Philadelphia metropolitan areas have all started to come together here and that's only going to get better. It's something that's never been tapped, so to me, this is a great, great situation."
 A New Jersey native who returned to his roots to take over the reigns of the Rutgers football program, Schiano has led the Scarlet Knights throughout his tenure with the energy, passion and boundless enthusiasm that have been the hallmarks of his career.
Schiano's impact as head coach is evidenced in all aspects of the Rutgers football program. Schiano and his staff have continued to upgrade the level of talent by recruiting student-athletes with outstanding athleticism and great character, all part of the building process that continues to result in on-field success.
Rutgers now boasts one of the nation's finest football complexes, highlighted by an expansive strength and conditioning facility, a state-of-the-art training room and academic support facilities which include classrooms, study rooms and computer labs.
With a state-of-the-art scoreboard and FieldTurf playing surface in place, Rutgers Stadium continues to be one of the most scenic settings for college football in the country. Schiano's arrival signaled a new era at Rutgers, and he continues to guide the program at New Jersey's State University to the elite of the Football Bowl Subdivision. His tireless work ethic, winning attitude and commitment to the University are pillars which generate excitement throughout the "State of Rutgers."
Schiano, who grew up in Wyckoff and graduated from Ramapo High School, took over as the 27th head coach of the nation's oldest college football program on Dec. 1, 2000. On that day, Schiano proclaimed his vision of excellence for Rutgers football. "This program will be built on a rock foundation," he said. "It will take longer than building it on stilts, but when it's built, it will be built forever. This is where I started; this is where I was striving to get back to. I'm thrilled to be here. It's time."
Under Schiano's guidance, several former Scarlet Knights have advanced to the NFL. In the last three Super Bowls, a former Scarlet Knight has earned a Super Bowl ring. Gary Brackett was a captain of the XLI Super Bowl Champion Indianapolis Colts, Giants co-captain Shaun O’Hara won a ring in Super Bowl XLII with New York and Darnell Stapleton started at right guard on Pittsburgh’s Super Bowl Championship team in Super Bowl XLIII.
In the 2008 NFL Draft, two Rutgers players were selected – Ray Rice in the second round to the Baltimore Ravens and Jeremy Zuttah to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round – giving RU five draft picks in the last two years, the most in school history in consecutive seasons. Both Rice and Zuttah started multiple games during their rookie seasons in the NFL.
Eric Foster (Free Agent, Indianapolis Colts) and Ron Girault (Free Agent, Kansas City Chiefs) also signed professional contracts in April. Foster was a starter most of the season for the Colts at defensive tackle.
In all, 17 former RU players are currently in the NFL, 16 of which were coached by Schiano at Rutgers.
 In the 2007 NFL Draft, a school-record number of Scarlet Knights were drafted, including Brian Leonard in the second round to the St. Louis Rams. In all, seven players Cameron Stephenson (5th Round, Pittsburgh Steelers), Clark Harris (7th Round, Green Bay Packers), Darnell Stapleton (Free Agent, Pittsburgh Steelers), Derrick Roberson (Free Agent, Houston Texans), Ramel Meekins (Free Agent, Indianapolis Colts), Manny Collins (Free Agent, New York Jets) and Joe Porter (Free Agent, New Orleans Saints) from the 2006 squad signed NFL contracts prior to the 2007 NFL season. Following the 2005 campaign, five Scarlet Knights who played for Schiano signed with NFL teams, including All-American Ryan Neill (Buffalo Bills), All-BIG EAST standout Tres Moses (Baltimore Ravens), Val Barnaby (Detroit Lions), Chris Baker (San Francisco 49ers) and Sameeh McDonald (Detroit Lions). Other NFL Knights from Schiano's reign include OL Trohn Carswell (Carolina Panthers), DT Gary Gibson (Baltimore Ravens), DB Brandon Haw (Miami Dolphins), DB Jarvis Johnson (Baltimore Ravens), WR Aaron Martin (Dallas Cowboys), DE Raheem Orr (New York Giants), DT J'Vonne Parker (Cleveland Browns) and RB Dennis Thomas (Kansas City Chiefs).
 Another former standout, defensive back Nate Jones of the Miami Dolphins, was a remarkable talent on the field and in the classroom while at Rutgers. Jones became Rutgers football's first two-time Academic All-America selection, and was a member of the prestigious National Football Foundation/ College Football Hall of Fame National Scholar Class of 2003, one of just eight Football Bowl Subdivision players honored. Jones was also the recipient of the BIG EAST/Aéropostale 2003 Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award, and was the BIG EAST's Co-Special Teams Player of the Year in 2002.
The academic success is not just limited to individual players under Schiano, but the entire team. In the NCAA's most recent report, released in May, the Rutgers football team tied for third in the nation with an APR score of 977 - the highest mark of any state university. The Scarlet Knights were the only program in the nation to have an APR rate in the top five nationally and to have won a bowl game last season.
Achievement and success are nothing new to Schiano. Wherever he has been in his coaching career, success has followed. During Schiano's two-year stint as defensive coordinator at Miami (1999-2000), the Hurricanes posted a 20-5 record, including an 11-1 mark, the No. 2 national ranking and the Sugar Bowl championship in 2000. The Hurricanes boasted one of the top scoring defenses in the nation in 2000, and were the stingiest defensive squad in the BIG EAST Conference.
Under Schiano, the Miami defense showed rapid and marked improvement in his two seasons as defensive coordinator. The 'Canes defense closed out the 1999 season by not allowing a passing touchdown in 27 quarters, and was 12th nationally in scoring defense (allowing 17.2 points per game). In 2000, Miami surrendered just 15.5 points per game, the fewest allowed by any team in the BIG EAST and No. 5 nationally.
 Prior to his assignment at Miami, Schiano spent three seasons in the NFL with the Chicago Bears (1996-98). Schiano was a defensive assistant in 1996-97, and was the defensive backfield coach in 1998. The 1997 Chicago Bears' third-down defense showed measurable improvement under Schiano's leadership, finishing first in the NFC and fourth in the NFL as opponents converted just 31.7% of their third-down attempts. In 1996, the Bears' pass defense climbed from 27th to 11th in fewest yards allowed. Schiano was defensive backfield coach at Penn State University from 1991-95. While at Penn State, the Nittany Lions had 58 wins and made six bowl appearances in his tenure. Overall, in nine seasons as an assistant on the collegiate level, Schiano's teams advanced to eight bowl games.
Schiano's first assignment as a coach in the college ranks came during the 1989 season, when he served as a graduate assistant coach at Rutgers, following a one-year stint as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Ramapo High School. Schiano was a standout linebacker at Ramapo, playing for Coach Mike Miello. After his initial stint at Rutgers in 1989, he moved on to Penn State as a graduate assistant coach in 1990.
Schiano's influence reaches beyond the college playing fields, as his stable of NFL players continues to grow each season. In addition to former Scarlet Knights like Smith, Brackett and Jones, Schiano has helped guide such NFL standouts as Ed Reed, Dan Morgan, Kim Herring and Mike Rumph.
Schiano is a 1988 graduate of Bucknell University where he was a three-year letterman at linebacker. He was named to The Sporting News All-America Preseason Team in 1987. He served as team captain his senior year and, as a junior, he topped the team with 114 tackles and was named all-conference. Schiano and his wife, Christy, are the proud parents of four children, Joey, John, Matt and Katie. |
