Greg Schiano is entering year seven during his second stint at Rutgers.
The Scarlet Knights brought Schiano back ahead of the 2020 season to help bring the program back to relevance after an era under Chris Ash that will be remembered as one of the worst of all-time.
After a disappointing 2025 season, there are many questions around Schiano and the Scarlet Knights. Athlon Sports spoke with fellow Big Ten coaches anonymously about each team heading into the upcoming season.
When discussing Rutgers, one
coach claimed that this could be a deciding year for Schiano.
“Schiano is an excellent coach,” the coach said. “He works incredibly hard. But at some point, it’s a results business, so I would imagine that the rubber meets the road in the next year or so if they can’t make a run.”
Schiano currently has a record of 99-108 during his time at Rutgers and holds the record for most wins in school history. In stint two, Schiano has gone 31-41 through six years with a 15-39 record in conference play.
Rutgers returned to a bowl game in 2021 after Texas A&M dropped out of the Gator Bowl. After a 5-8 season, this did not feel like a true return. Two years later, Rutgers defeated Miami in the Gator Bowl. It would end with back-to-back bowl appearances after going 7-6 in 2023 and 2024.
The 2025 season ended with five wins and just two in Big Ten play. This happened with what was one of the best offenses in recent memories.
Athan Kaliakmanis threw for 3,124 yards last season with the dynamic duo of KJ Duff (1,084 yards) and Ian Strong (784 yards) on the outside. Antwan Raymond averaged 5.1 yards per carry on his way to 1,241 total.
The defense did not play to the same level and this was a major problem.
“They were just not talented on defense last year,” the anonymous coach said. “You turn on the tape, and they didn’t have anybody that could do anything. That’s a program problem. If you’re in the Big Ten, and you’re unable to recruit good players into your program, it’s gonna be tough.”
Athletic Director Keli Zinn has been putting plenty of work into the department, including improving NIL. She has also shown willingness to change coaches when needed. Replacing the football coach would be as big a move as there is, but if Rutgers does not perform in 2026, it might not be off the table.
“I get the sense that the school thinks they’re actually going to make this investment and give (head coach) Greg Schiano a chance to get it done because they have not done that yet. The people there know that he’s basically been fighting that fight with a hand tied behind his back.”
