Agreed. Bo covered up for the bigger problem. Which was supposed to be the strength of the defensive backfield, the safeties. Also it’s not like a Bo is a total unknown to the Texas coaching staff. He’s going to be playing for the guy that recruited him to Rutgers. Orphey.
Will Rutgers announce new DC this weekend?
- Thread starter teafan
- Start date
Stop it’s only been 48 days from end of season. We still have a month or 2 to get to his average length of coordinator hire time.
Difference is Texas has Defensive Coaches that know what they are doing. Our issue should be obvious to all.
Lots of time for pickups to be made.
Lots of quality players still available.
For example, cbs lists 33 available CBs rated 3 stars or higher, 31 who are ranked ahead of a player USC signed.
He has to have someone from Indiana or Miami lined up doesn’t he with a handful of portal transfers attached. Doesn’t he? I mean, if he didn’t, wouldn’t he have taken more D2 and lower level portal kids for the defense. We added no safeties, thin at corner etc. The portal is closing. Greg may be stubborn but he’s never been a moron in that way before. If he’s not adding someone who gets the 5 day extension for transfers wouldn’t we be hearing about a ton of low level transfers flooding in today? Or is he hoping more coaches resign and he’ll try to get guys that way with the 15 day opening but that seems really risky and un Greg like. He may think he knows best but I don’t see him going into the season short on players. Do you?
IDK what to think.
Was hoping for Hafley, and it seems he may be on his way to an NFL HC position.
Wonder if Greg has contacted Jim Leonhard, mentioned in the linked article below. Or Tim Tibesar?
4 Green Bay Packers Defensive Coordinator Candidates if Jeff Hafley Leaves
Green Bay Packers Defensive Coordinator Candidates: Who will replace Jeff Hafley? Here are a few Packers defensive coordinator targets.
sportsnaut.com
Schiano said Akron’s defense can “present some issues” and that it reminds of him of the scheme former Wisconsin defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard ran with the Badgers. Current Zips defensive coordinator Tim Tibesar was the outside linebackers coach and run-game coordinator under Leonard at Wisconsin in 2017.
“They gave (Ohio State) some problems up front defensively,” Schiano said. “So we’re really going have to work hard to be able to move the ball.”
What Greg Schiano said about Akron and the NJ connection at QB as Rutgers football preps for Zips
Rutgers football coach Greg Schiano watched Akron's game against Ohio State and came away impressed by the Zips in several areas.
sports.yahoo.com
Last edited:
I must have slept through Greg's 19 consecutive winning seasons and Super Bowl title.
stop
he's had more probowlers, easier schedule in an easier division with a hof QB, less wins, playoffs, and more staff issues while doing than both the pats and Packers over the same time period where their coaches were fired (they are the comp in this analysis). 8-8 seasons are not winning seasons and he's had no playoff wins in 13years. He's made more bonehead coaching calls than Greg has, think about that. He absolutely sucks so bad, they stripped him of his draft calls 3yrs ago.
Khan isn't really much better in the front office.
hahah touche
Nasser bin Radan Al-Rashid Al-Wada‘i 's final words were allegedly- I will never know the new Rutgers defensive coordinator. . . . .
IDK what to think.
Was hoping for Hafley, and it seems he may be on his way to an NFL HC position.
Wonder if Greg has contacted Jim Leonhard, mentioned in the linked article below. Or Tim Tibesar?
4 Green Bay Packers Defensive Coordinator Candidates if Jeff Hafley Leaves
Green Bay Packers Defensive Coordinator Candidates: Who will replace Jeff Hafley? Here are a few Packers defensive coordinator targets.
Schiano said Akron’s defense can “present some issues” and that it reminds of him of the scheme former Wisconsin defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard ran with the Badgers. Current Zips defensive coordinator Tim Tibesar was the outside linebackers coach and run-game coordinator under Leonard at Wisconsin in 2017.
“They gave (Ohio State) some problems up front defensively,” Schiano said. “So we’re really going have to work hard to be able to move the ball.”
Hafley is too marketable right now in the NFL to step down to college DC. It’s not him anyway, but at this point, if it was going to be him (or anyone from the NFL) we already would’ve had to bring in more defensive portal players than we’ve secured. We have not replaced most of the guys we’ve lost and have whole position groups like safety where we didnt bring anyone in at all.
It almost has to be the case that Greg is holding out for someone he hopes to get from either Indiana or Miami and knows that certain players will come along for the ride.
That doesn’t mean he’s not getting led along as a back up plan and about to be screwed. That scenerio is very much in play but Greg must at least “think” he has a good chance of landing someone who has access to portal additions after today which would only be the case for Indiana and Miami players.
Right? I mean we’re all talking about the same Greg here. The one thing he is - is organized. He must realize we haven’t filled quite a few slots in the defense like edge fisher, safety, etc.
One item that some may not appreciate is that players that have entered or will enter the portal (they can enter up until midnight--and Miami and Indiana players have from Jan 20-24 to enter the portal-no, we will not get any of those players) can commit at any time. There are still a LOT of players available in the portal:
Maybe it’s Heatherman with additional titles of Assoc HC and HC in waiting. It’s April 1st, right?
Corey Hetherman is from Massachusetts, and he has spent most of his time coaching in the Northeast, so we have that going for Rutgers. . . . .
| 006 | Fitchburg State (QB) |
|---|---|
| 2006 | Carinthian Black Lions (OC) |
| 2006–2007 | King's (PA) (intern) |
| 2007 | Wuerzburg Panthers (OC) |
| 2007–2009 | Springfield (GA) |
| 2010 | Northeastern (OLB) |
| 2010 | Western New England (RC) |
| 2011 | Old Dominion (OLB) |
| 2012–2013 | Old Dominion (def. RC/LB) |
| 2014 | Pace (DC/LB) |
| 2015 | Maine (DL) |
| 2016–2018 | Maine (DC) |
| 2019–2021 | James Madison (DC/DE) |
| 2022–2023 | Rutgers (LB) |
| 2024 | Minnesota (DC/LB) |
| 2025–present | Miami (FL) (DC/LB) |
Yeah I get that. I suppose it’s possible Greg thinks kids will get desperate and prices of certain players will come down so he’s waiting but I don’t know… it seems like more often the opposite happens. The longer time goes on that teams don’t fill a spot they become desperate and the next best player available in the portal can inflate their ask price. Not locking in players who can at least compete for a starting role on what was previously the worst P4 defense in the country just doesn’t make any sense.
We will know probably by next Wednesday if it’s the safety coach from IU. If nothing is announced before the end of next week, there are big, big problems.
I am doing everything I can to live longer than Nasser bin Radan Al-Rashid Al-Wada so that I can see and hear the new DC announced.
Championships will come so long as we Keep Choppin. Arthur Kill rivalry championships against Wagner, but championships nonetheless. The Grifter will be proud of the trophy case.
Should the title of thread be changed to “ Will Rutgers announce a new DC this year ? “. 
https://247sports.com/ season/2026-football/transferteamrankings/playing Portal Potty
this has RU #49 and that's not good, in my opinion
2026 College Football Team Transfer Portal Rankings
The 2026 college football transfer portal team rankings.www.on3.com
Hey not bad per 24/7. At least we above Liberty and Arkansas St. in the Portal Team Rankings. Number #74.
Last edited:
yea that looks bad , but that site's composite ranking of 50 looks better, but nothing to be proud of
on3 had RU #59 in portal ranking and 40 for HS talent commits #11 in B1G
Won't be going anywhere with those numbers unless develop superstars from the pretty good ,not great ,talent that came ,HS and portal.
I really hope that Schiano stashed away last year’s very highly rated Defense recruits and is planning get them into the Rotation this season.
As far as the Portal only 4 of the Top 30 CB’s are still available. Including the ones from Ohio St. and Texas. We won’t get them.
More than likely less wanted CB and S players from the MAC and such.
We are screwed.
So….
Assuming the DC is the DB coach at Indiana - or a coach in the National Championship game - how long is it until it’s announced? Tuesday? Wednesday?
Can’t imagine it’s an NFL position coach otherwise it would have been announced already after Black Monday.
Assuming the DC is the DB coach at Indiana - or a coach in the National Championship game - how long is it until it’s announced? Tuesday? Wednesday?
Can’t imagine it’s an NFL position coach otherwise it would have been announced already after Black Monday.
From Gemini, not a terrible overview:
As of mid-January 2026, here is the breakdown of why the search is still ongoing and what is happening behind the scenes:
1. The "Alignment" over "Scheme" Strategy
Schiano recently emphasized that he isn't looking for a specific defensive scheme (like a 4-3 or 3-4), but rather a philosophical soulmate. After the failed "co-coordinator" experiment with Robb Smith and Zach Sparber in 2025—which resulted in one of the worst defensive seasons in Rutgers history (ranking 133rd in sacks)—Schiano is being extremely cautious. He wants a "room leader" similar to what he found in offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca.
2. Targeting Coaches Still in Season
The highest-quality candidates are often still working.
• NFL Candidates: Since several NFL teams are in the playoffs or undergoing head-coaching changes (like the Giants hiring John Harbaugh), many top-tier defensive minds are currently unavailable for interviews or are waiting to see if they get retained or promoted in the NFL.
• College "Late Bloomers": Schiano has a history of waiting for the "right" guy rather than the "fast" guy. For reference, Ciarrocca wasn't hired until early January in his cycle.
3. Focus on the Transfer Portal First
While the DC spot is vacant, Schiano has been surprisingly aggressive in the transfer portal to fix the personnel issues that plagued the 2025 defense.
• They’ve already secured key commitments like Zahmir Dawud (Villanova) and Ty Morris (Rice).
• By focusing on talent acquisition first, Schiano ensures that whoever takes the DC job has better "tools" to work with than the previous staff did.
4. Avoiding the "Retread" Trap
There has been significant pushback from the fanbase and boosters against hiring "Schiano retreads" (coaches who have worked for him multiple times). This pressure might be forcing him to look outside his immediate circle, which naturally extends the vetting process for a coach who notoriously values loyalty and familiar terminology.
Current Status:
While "Hot Boards" from sites like The Knight Report are circulating names like Seth Wallace (Iowa) or Vince Kehres (Toledo), there is no indication an announcement is imminent. Schiano is likely operating on a "measure twice, cut once" timeline to avoid a repeat of last season's 5-7 disappointment.
As of mid-January 2026, here is the breakdown of why the search is still ongoing and what is happening behind the scenes:
1. The "Alignment" over "Scheme" Strategy
Schiano recently emphasized that he isn't looking for a specific defensive scheme (like a 4-3 or 3-4), but rather a philosophical soulmate. After the failed "co-coordinator" experiment with Robb Smith and Zach Sparber in 2025—which resulted in one of the worst defensive seasons in Rutgers history (ranking 133rd in sacks)—Schiano is being extremely cautious. He wants a "room leader" similar to what he found in offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca.
2. Targeting Coaches Still in Season
The highest-quality candidates are often still working.
• NFL Candidates: Since several NFL teams are in the playoffs or undergoing head-coaching changes (like the Giants hiring John Harbaugh), many top-tier defensive minds are currently unavailable for interviews or are waiting to see if they get retained or promoted in the NFL.
• College "Late Bloomers": Schiano has a history of waiting for the "right" guy rather than the "fast" guy. For reference, Ciarrocca wasn't hired until early January in his cycle.
3. Focus on the Transfer Portal First
While the DC spot is vacant, Schiano has been surprisingly aggressive in the transfer portal to fix the personnel issues that plagued the 2025 defense.
• They’ve already secured key commitments like Zahmir Dawud (Villanova) and Ty Morris (Rice).
• By focusing on talent acquisition first, Schiano ensures that whoever takes the DC job has better "tools" to work with than the previous staff did.
4. Avoiding the "Retread" Trap
There has been significant pushback from the fanbase and boosters against hiring "Schiano retreads" (coaches who have worked for him multiple times). This pressure might be forcing him to look outside his immediate circle, which naturally extends the vetting process for a coach who notoriously values loyalty and familiar terminology.
Current Status:
While "Hot Boards" from sites like The Knight Report are circulating names like Seth Wallace (Iowa) or Vince Kehres (Toledo), there is no indication an announcement is imminent. Schiano is likely operating on a "measure twice, cut once" timeline to avoid a repeat of last season's 5-7 disappointment.
Focusing on the portal to fix the problems? Any DC worth anything would want a say in personal for the scheme they want to run.
Greggy once again showing why he is a bad HC and wrong man for the job
Numerous coaches coached bowl games that took other roles with much higher profiles than Rutgers DC role. Schiano doesn’t have anything and the a strapping the barrel. Like last year.
Not much better, took five prompts to get Grok to go from general candidates to specific names and Keheres is still #1, though noted he was hired at Syracuse. And Grok still hasn’t given a name that isn’t hired.
While exact current lists are often paywalled or insider-only, here are 10 possible/actual candidates drawn from reported hot boards, rumors, and logical fits based on Schiano’s network (past staffs, Big Ten ties, Northeast recruiting, proven leadership/turnarounds):
1. Vince Kehres — Former Notre Dame defensive coordinator/special teams expert; was a top early target but quickly hired by Syracuse, removing him from consideration.
2. Rob Aurich — Another high-priority name early on; taken off the board almost immediately by Nebraska.
3. NFL defensive position coaches (general pool) — Schiano has interest in several NFL assistants (e.g., DBs, LBs, or DL coaches) post-season; these are viewed as strong fits for experience and scheme flexibility, though specific names remain unconfirmed publicly.
4. Assistants from Schiano’s tree — Familiar faces who’ve worked under Schiano previously (e.g., past Rutgers, Ohio State, or Tampa Bay Buccaneers staffers) for trust and cultural fit.
5. Big Ten or Power conference coordinators — Experienced DCs from the conference or similar programs with recruiting ties to the region and turnaround success.
6. Group of 5 rising coordinators — Coaches who’ve built strong units at mid-major schools, offering fresh ideas and energy.
7. Veteran college assistants with leadership pedigrees — Position coaches elevated to coordinator roles elsewhere, emphasizing player development and stability.
8. Former Rutgers/Big Ten connections — Names with prior ties to the program or conference for quick integration.
9. NFL-to-college transitions — Defensive minds from pro staffs seeking college opportunities, aligning with Schiano’s NFL background.
10. Proven play-callers with Northeast roots — Coordinators who can recruit the Mid-Atlantic effectively and lead a full reset.
Damn yeah maybe we can perfect it so when GS leave we will have a system in
Place to recoup our $$$$$ that he has stolen
Stubborn HC who insists on micromanaging everything. Schiano will never make us a winner in the B1G.