Greg Schiano

Greg Schiano is recognized in college football for his role in transforming Rutgers University's football program into a nationally competitive team. As the all-time wins leader in Rutgers football history, Schiano has served as head football coach for the Scarlet Knights across multiple tenures. He began his coaching career as an assistant at Ramapo High School, then worked as a graduate assistant at Rutgers and Penn State. Schiano later became the defensive backfield coach at Penn State, where the Nittany Lions achieved 58 wins and six bowl appearances, including a Rose Bowl victory and a No. 2 national ranking. He also held coaching positions in the NFL with the Chicago Bears and served as defensive coordinator for the University of Miami Hurricanes, where the defense ranked among the top 15 nationally in points allowed.

Schiano's first tenure at Rutgers is noted for a significant turnaround, guiding the Scarlet Knights to their first winning season in over a decade and a bowl appearance after a long absence. Under his leadership, Rutgers achieved a 9-0 start in one season, highlighted by a win over the third-ranked Louisville Cardinals and reaching the highest national AP Poll ranking in school history. Schiano received multiple national coaching awards, including the Eddie Robinson, Walter Camp, Home Depot, and Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year honors, as well as Big East Coach of the Year. His motivational phrase, "keep choppin'," became widely associated with the program.

Following his initial Rutgers tenure, Schiano served as head coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFL and later as defensive coordinator at Ohio State. He played a key role in supporting the program during a transitional period. Schiano returned to Rutgers, continuing to build the program's legacy with nine postseason berths and six bowl championships. He has coached 118 Rutgers players who have signed NFL contracts, and the program has achieved notable academic success, with 310 student-athletes recognized on the Fall Academic All-Big Ten list and the team posting its highest GPA on record. Schiano's six bowl wins are tied for third among active Big Ten head coaches and 11th among active FBS head coaches. His career reflects a focus on college football coaching, program development, and student-athlete achievement both on the field and academically.