Greg Schiano has spent nearly two decades defining Rutgers football, first as the architect of its modern rise and later as the steady hand trying to keep it competitive in the Big Ten. Born June 1, 1966, in Wyckoff, New Jersey, the former Bucknell linebacker has compiled a college head-coaching record of 99-109 through the early days of the 2026 season, all of it with the Scarlet Knights. That total makes him the program’s all-time wins leader, ahead of Frank Burns’ 78. His NFL stint with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers added an 11-21 mark, bringing his overall head-coaching ledger to a mixed but eventful career.
Schiano’s path began far from the spotlight. After assisting at Ramapo High School in 1988, he worked as a graduate assistant at Rutgers in 1989 and then at Penn State the next year. From 1991 to 1995, he coached defensive backs under Joe Paterno, then moved to the Chicago Bears as a defensive assistant and later secondary coach. His breakthrough came as defensive coordinator at Miami from 1999 to 2000, where he helped shape a defense that featured future stars and finished among the nation’s best. That success earned him the Rutgers head job in December 2000.
First Tenure and the Transformation of Rutgers
When Greg Schiano took over a program that had endured years of losing, expectations were modest. The early seasons reflected the challenge: 2-9 in 2001 and 1-11 in 2002. Steady improvement followed. By 2005, Rutgers reached a bowl for the first time in decades, and 2006 became the breakthrough year. An 11-2 record, a Texas Bowl victory, and a final ranking of No. 12 produced a wave of national coach-of-the-year honors, including the Eddie Robinson, Walter Camp, and Big East awards.
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From 2005 through 2011, the Scarlet Knights made six bowls and won five of them, posting winning seasons in all but one year. Schiano left after the 2011 Pinstripe Bowl victory with a first-stint record of 68-67, having turned a perennial also-ran into a consistent contender and developed dozens of NFL talents.
Should Greg Schiano be fired after losing to UMass? pic.twitter.com/iTR6y2weU4
— Beerly Football (@BeerlyFootball) September 4, 2026
The jump to the NFL proved rockier. Hired by the Buccaneers in 2012, Schiano posted a 7-9 mark in his first season before the team slipped to 4-12 in 2013. He was fired at the end of that campaign. After time away from the sideline, he returned to college football in 2016 as associate head coach and defensive coordinator at Ohio State under Urban Meyer. Over three seasons, the Buckeyes went 36-5, claimed two Big Ten titles, and ranked among the nation’s top defenses. Schiano helped develop multiple first-round draft picks before stepping away again.
Return to Piscataway and the Big Ten Reality
In December 2019, Rutgers brought Greg Schiano back on an eight-year contract, later extended. The second tenure has been defined by the steeper climb of Big Ten competition. The pandemic-shortened 2020 season produced a 3-6 record. Subsequent years mixed progress with frustration: bowl appearances in 2021, 2023, and 2024, including a Pinstripe Bowl win, yet overall marks of 5-8, 4-8, 7-6, 7-6, and 5-7 through 2025. An opening loss to UMass in 2026 left the cumulative Rutgers record at 99-109. Across both stints, Schiano owns a 6-3 bowl record and has sent more than 100 players into the NFL.
His coaching style emphasizes physical defense, discipline, and the “Keep Chopping” mantra that became synonymous with Rutgers’ resilience. Academic success has also been a hallmark, with the program posting record GPAs and APR scores under his watch. While the Big Ten era has produced fewer signature wins than the earlier Big East peak, Schiano remains the central figure in the program’s modern history—the coach who raised the standard and continues to fight to maintain it amid rising conference demands and heightened scrutiny.
