After eleven seasons as head coach of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, Greg Schiano has a scheduled meeting with Rutgers where it will be announced that he is leaving the school to become the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Schiano was the Big East's longest tenured head coach and compiled a 68-67 record in his eleven seasons. Often chided for failing to win a Big East title, Schiano undoubtedly leaves Rutgers in far better shape than when he took it over. In 2000, Rutgers was easily one of the nation's worst coaching jobs. In his eleven seasons Rutgers went to seven bowl games after going to just one in its entire history prior to that.
Schiano will reportedly sign a five-year contract with the Buccaneers. His departure leaves Rutgers in a difficult situation as it seeks to find a head coach well after the time most schools have completed their coaching changes, and just seven days before national signing day. Rutgers had received several high profile commitments in the past week and were in line to receive several more before today's news broke. It will be difficult for Rutgers to hold on to the recruits that it does have committed, much less land elite prospects like defensive end Darius Hamilton on signing day.
Speculation about Schiano's replacement is wide and rather wild. Swinging from FCS coaches like Delaware's KC Keeler, to former Schiano assistant Darren Rizzi, to Florida International head coach Mario Cristobal. It is also possible that Rutgers attempts to keep the recruiting class together by promoting from within and making offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti the head coach. It's unlikely that Rutgers will have its head coach in place by signing day.