Blasting Greg Schiano
January 27th, 2012
Yesterday, when it was learned that Team Glazer found its man, Rutgers coach Greg Schiano, the move was mostly met with positive reviews, including from the likes of Bill Belicheat and Peter King. Even Joe was impressed.
But Michael Rosenberg, King’s colleague at SI.com was anything but impressed. He put fingers to keyboard and took apart both the Bucs for hiring Schiano and Schiano himself.
It’s true that Schiano built the Rutgers program from nothing. The question is: from nothing to what? He was 28-48 in the Big East, which is not a major conference by any reasonable measure except the one used by the Bowl Championship Series (which, of course, is not reasonable).
In the last three years, Schiano’s Big East record was 8-13. He never won the Big East. He is considered a good guy, and his graduation rate was very high, but he could be a saint and the Saints wouldn’t care.
Schiano is also known for discipline and organization — you’ll hear a lot about that before next season, because it’s his strength and Morris lost the team. But he did not go 8-13 in his league the last three years by accident. There is a reason he never won the Big East.
Fair points, but let’s be honest. We’re talking Rutgers here. Rutgers! That program was a complete toilet when Schiano took it over.
Why didn’t he win the Big East? Joe thinks that question could be better directed at Jim Leavitt than Schiano, who seems to be doing OK for himself as a linebackers coach at San Francisco this past season.
Rutgers is not Penn State, which has top-flight facilities and a bulging river of cash flowing into the program to help bankroll massive recruiting budgets.
Rutgers is not Miami, which sits in the middle of an absolute treasure trove of high school football talent where coaches can roll out of the rack in the morning and be within reach of dozens of high schools stocked with four- and five-star talent, and be back home for lunch.
We’re talking Rutgers here. Rutgers! The job that Schiano did in Piscataway is simply amazing. That takes organizational skills and supreme discipline, something that has been sorely lacking in recent years at One Buc Palace.
January 27th, 2012 at 1:07 pm
Read this and Mike Freeman’s idiocy and got depressed especially with the 8-13 Big East record and the in-game management critiques.
Crossing my fingers for a good coaching staff.
January 27th, 2012 at 1:09 pm
You hit the nail on the head. It’s Rutgers for crying out loud. I think St. Pete Junior College has more of a following than Rutgers. So making an IRRELAVENT program a little less IRRELAVENT does not make you qualified for the NFL. Hope he can do it but the odds are stacked against him. Go Bucs!
January 27th, 2012 at 1:11 pm
Exactly. It’s freaking Rutgers! Mike Freeman was another writer that blasted the hiring. Why aren’t these guys blasting the Raiders hiring some D coordinator from Denver that was carried in a lot of games by his QB! (okay that one was sorta just to piss off Tebow haters).
I love the Schiano hire. He seems like a genuine guy that wasn’t just looking for any NFL gig. He really wants to coach here, and I like that. If we can get him a real staff he’s gonna do great. I’m totally behind this and I’ll stick up for him on JBF as much as I stick up for Winslow. Which is a lot lol.
January 27th, 2012 at 1:20 pm
Time will tell I guess, but it seems like the vast majority of analysts and people “in the know” think this is a great hire. Can’t wait to see who he brings in for OC.
January 27th, 2012 at 1:23 pm
I am in complete agreement with Joe’s assessment. I am a High School coach, and have been for many years. Sometimes wins and losses do not tell the full story. There are places that just being average is actually an incredible accomplishment. I know no one strives to be average, but sometimes your measuring stick is weighing the beginning status against the current status. Schiano has done well considering there is no real appeal to go to Rutgers. I am on board with the new coach. I really hope he can right this ship. I look forward to watching his evolution.
January 27th, 2012 at 1:23 pm
Turned around Rutgers, ok.
Does that qualify him to turn around an NFl team? Not really.
That said, the guy makes a very good impression and has coached in NFl and in big time college programs. So confining the analysis to Rutgers is unfair. THe U and Penn State look good on his resume IMO.
Just hope Wanstadt and Davis didnt rub off on him too much. Two failures as NFL Head Coach. Makes me alittle nervous.
Rockstar says he is a “defensive fundamentalist”. Man I hope that manifests itself pretty dang soon. We might have been the most anti-fundamental defensive team i have had the displeasure of observing last year. Young man has a big job ahead. Get him the tools rockstar or your an even bigger schmuck than some think you are.
January 27th, 2012 at 1:24 pm
What impresses me is the amount of players he coached at Rutgers, that have gone on to succeed at the next level in the NFL!
January 27th, 2012 at 1:35 pm
but he did help guide the Miami hurricanes to a National championship appearance ?? wouldn’t want to mention that would he 🙂
January 27th, 2012 at 1:40 pm
I too have heard all the “experts” who might be better served hooked up to a Prozac Drip.
“All Schiano ever did is ride Ray Rice’s Coattails” is a common criticism.
I call BS, because if I had a talent like Ray Rice, I would ride him too.
Our new coach is undefeated in Tampa, and deserves our respect until and if he loses it.
Unless that happens, let’s not spoil the honeymoon.
January 27th, 2012 at 1:42 pm
the guy has a shot, let’s see if the Glazers give him the ability to hire a good staff and bring in some important FA’s starting with a Middle Linebacker (the key to a great d).
We will know if Ownership gives this guy the tools he needs and it will be sooooo obvious if they don’t.
Good luck Coach, Go Bucs!
January 27th, 2012 at 1:48 pm
Here’s my take, if Ray Rice was such a blue chip prospect why didn’t he get recruited to the BIG schools in the BIG Conferences, he’s from West Chester, NY not exactly a hot bed of football talent, but Schiano found him, thats what impressed me, his ability to eval talent and to get that talent to go to a crappy school, which takes even more talent.
January 27th, 2012 at 1:57 pm
flmike ………….. true
January 27th, 2012 at 2:09 pm
People will hate no matter what … Cant have Ying without Yang.
I am intrigued by the hire and interested to see the Presser later today.
I will also be interested in digging to see what player types he worked to recruit ?? Power Backs ?? Scat Backs ?? Ray Rice/MJD style backs ??
Was the RB used alot in the passing game ??
Run/Pass Ratio through the years. Blitz/No Blitz ratio.
January 27th, 2012 at 2:09 pm
Listen:
Unlike the prior coach who I knew from Day 1 was incompetent and doomed to destroy a team that finished the prior year 9-7, Schiano is an unknown NFL commodity – I have no reason to conclude that he won’t do a good job.
I love Schiano’s character and strong personality – the exact opposite of the hyperactive, weak and immature prior coach. Schiano will tolerate none of what RahRah’s weakness encouraged – no more Blount being late and not knowing the plays, no more tolerating dumb Talib and Winslow penalties, know more dance-offs instead if practices.
Schiano will end that b.s. day 1.
Now, Schiano’s record at Rutgers is good, not great. Here, Schiano has inherited a team that I believe was playing worse than any NFL history at the end of the year (42-0 falcons in 2nd quarter?).
The team has some talent: Free, DJ, Penn, Clay, Bowers but very little compared to where they should be. Schiano needs to tell Dom, I dont care what round these fools were drafted in, best 53 make the team and 22 play. Period.
Rah/Dom were making decisions that were protective of their investments; Benn, Black, Winslow are 3 examples.
I hope Greg immediately cleans house. Count me as Schiano’s biggest supporter – I hope he tells Dom to stick to errands though.
January 27th, 2012 at 2:16 pm
I’m sorry, but I look at it this way:
And average NFL coach gets anywhere from 3-6 years on a contract.
Over the last 6 years, Schiano went 49-28…if it had been an NFL job, he would be considered among the elite coaches with that record…even if most of those 28 losses came within his own division.
January 27th, 2012 at 2:17 pm
@K2 Denver’s defense carried their QB. Not the other way around.
January 27th, 2012 at 2:23 pm
It’s brutal that there is so many “analysts” that criticize professional athletes!!! Obviously jealous that they could not make it so they take up a career of bashing those that did!!! As for coaches….they all had to start somewhere, it’s not like every coach came out of the womb and into the pros, they started at the bottom and worked their way up the ladder gaining experience. Schiano has been at the NFL level before and worked his way through the learning process aswell just like the rest of the successful NFL coaches before him….but just watch all the critics start jumping on the bandwagon when Schiano does well. All he has to do in draft Claiborne then move up late 1st and get Vontaze Burfict (or hopefully he there in early 2nd for us so we don’t have to give up more for him)
January 27th, 2012 at 2:24 pm
We need to put the term “great hire” into context. Does great hire mean Superbowl champion? Or does it mean the very best hire to reclaim an exceptionally young football team whose performance last season was absolutely abysmal? I don’t know if Schiano will ever win a Superbowl. But I’m damn sure that without a coach that could turn this team around, we have no chance of ever getting there. This man fills that bill, and by that definition, this man is a “great hire”!
January 27th, 2012 at 2:34 pm
There have been common complaints about the Bucs: Glazers, Dom, Raheem
Now, the Glazers just write the checks, Dom brings in talent, Raheem coaches.
Raheem is gone and I think we have better talent than most think. So with Schiano we will see if it truly is coaching or there is a bigger or additional issues. This is step one.
I’ll support this guy until he gives me reason otherwise.
Truth is, NONE OF US know how he will do. If you’re a fan, give him the chance to succeed and support him.
January 27th, 2012 at 3:04 pm
Is anyone’s press conference link working on the bucs’ website? Not working for me.
January 27th, 2012 at 3:29 pm
Okay the fact that eric hates the hire makes me all the more confident that it was a good one.
BTW – Thomas I am impressed that you have started making rational sense and have had some level headed and quality posts lately, cheers man I hope you can stay objective and minimize the hate now that your buddy Rah and all that was associated with are a memory.
January 27th, 2012 at 3:29 pm
Rutgers! Exactly. We hired a coach from a bad program in a subpar conference. Insanity. I can’t believe you are impressed, Joe.
January 27th, 2012 at 3:30 pm
Yeah, I love all those 4th quarter drives to win games the Denver defense had! The same defense that went 1-4 with Orton. The same defense that allowed 40+ points in 25% of their games. LOL
January 27th, 2012 at 3:40 pm
Some of you that continue to point to his moderate success at Rutgers are obviously not very educated to college football. Most people didn’t even realize they had a football team until he got there. It would be like a school like Florida Atlantic becoming a relevant team. They could never be a national championship contender, but to just have them ranked would be a major accomplishment. That is what Schiano did at Rutgers. Nobody knows how that will translate to the NFL, but it is completely ridiculous to downplay what he has done at Rutgers. Some people’s negativity and overall piss poor attitude always amazes me.
January 27th, 2012 at 3:44 pm
if the arguments its all about his rutgers campaign, tell me why mike shanahan and the super redskins have done squat over his tenure?? he won a super bowl right??
my point is, the past is just that, the past, no one can guaranteed a tittle or something like that, but at least we know how this team will look, or at least have an idea!!!
i preffer an unknown coach who can work quietly, over a bunch of overhyped coaches spoiled by the media!!!
January 27th, 2012 at 6:25 pm
Listen, anyone who thinks Schiano is going to come in and clean house is going to be very disappointed. That’s just not the way it works in the NFL. These players are under contract and Schiano is not going to just come in and start chopping wood. He will evaluate every player and do his best to use the talent that we have and bring in the missing pieces through FA and the draft. Last year will have no bearing in his mind on who stays and who goes. It will be a fresh start for the players and for the coaches and each individual will have to win their job or lose it based on their ability to perform up to Schiano’s standards. I would expect our focus to be DB and LB on defense and RB and WR on offense. The front lines on both sides of the ball will remain intact and we’ll probably just add some depth. I know it’s early to talk draft but I strongly suspect that Trent Richardson is high on this guys radar. It’s easier to find DB’s than it is to find a RB like Richardson.
January 27th, 2012 at 7:02 pm
@Bobby,
I agree 100% with every single word you wrote.
January 28th, 2012 at 3:12 pm
Stats are selective for whatever point the writer wants to make. If you take into context what he inherited, the resources of the program and what the general ceiling of that program is if all things break perfectly, show me someone else who would’ve have done a better job than Greg Schiano at Rutgers.
Does that mean he’ll succeed here? Beats me. But to downplay or bash the job he did at Rutgers is absurd.