Rutgers football is finally closing the book on its long defensive coordinator search, with South Dakota head coach Travis Johansen set to become the Scarlet Knights’ next defensive coordinator, multiple sources reported on Friday, February 6, 2026. The move, first confirmed by Pete Nakos of On3, indicates Rutgers is finalizing a deal to bring Johansen to Piscataway.
The hire comes after a lengthy and widely discussed search — one that followed the dismissal of co-defensive coordinators Robb Smith
and Zach Sparber after Rutgers’ defense struggled mightily throughout the 2025 season. Rutgers was abysmal throughout defensively, but one particular statistic that highlights it was that the Knights allowed an FBS-worst 7.6 yards per play, which is more than three-quarters of the way to a first down.
Who Is Travis Johansen?
Johansen, currently the head coach at the University of South Dakota, hasn’t previously been a defensive coordinator at the FBS level. But he brings over a decade of experience running defenses at the collegiate level. Johansen spent six years with South Dakota before becoming head coach, including multiple seasons as the Coyotes’ defensive coordinator.
In 2025, Johansen led the Coyotes to a 10-5 record and an NCAA FCS quarterfinals appearance — a strong outcome for the program. Prior stops include defensive coordinator roles at Grand View University (Iowa) in the NAIA and at DII Concordia-St. Paul (MN), where he played college football, before leading the Coyotes to become one of the top five defenses in the FCS.
What This Means for Rutgers
Greg Schiano has emphasized finding a leader who can reignite the defense, calling for a coordinator capable of running the unit and leading players autonomously. Johansen’s track record of defensive organization and player development was likely a key factor in the decision.
The Scarlet Knights’ defense finished near the bottom of the Big Ten in several major statistical categories in 2025, which intensified fan and media scrutiny of the coordinator search.
Bringing in Johansen signals Rutgers is investing outside the traditional Power Five assistant pool — banking on his upward trajectory and ability to adapt to FBS competition. It also ends what became one of the more talked-about offseason coaching sagas in college football, as Rutgers fans and insiders waited over two months for clarity.
Looking Ahead
Official confirmation from Rutgers should follow once formalities are completed. Once signed, Johansen will be tasked with overhauling a unit that struggled mightily last season, improving defensive execution, and ultimately helping the Scarlet Knights be more competitive within the Big Ten.
For a program eager to rebound defensively, this hire could mark a critical turning point for Rutgers football, which underwent a historically poor defense last season under Robb Smith and Zach Sparber. With the offensive side of the ball looking as good as it has in at least a decade, Johansen’s hire will look to help to restore the Scarlet Knights to the defensive prowess the program is used to under Greg Schiano.
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