Greg Schiano hired as Tampa Bay Bucs coach
By RALPH D. RUSSO AP College Football Writer January 26, 2012 11:00AM
FILE - In this Oct. 19, 2010 file photo, Rutgers football head coach Greg Schiano listens to a question during a news conference in Piscataway, N.J. A person familiar with the negotiations says the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in talks with Schiano to become the team's next coach. The 46-year-old Schiano has been with the Scarlet Knights for 11 seasons, taking them from college football laughingstock to a program that has had winning records in six of the last seven years. (AP Photo/Mel Evans, File)
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Updated: January 26, 2012 12:59PM
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have hired Rutgers’ Greg Schiano as the head coach, a source tells the Associated Press.
Bucs general manager Mark Dominik confirmed that the club is discussing the job with Schiano and that “many” of the other candidates have been told they are no longer under consideration.
ESPN first reported the Bucs and Schiano are close to an agreement.
The 45-year-old Schiano has been with the Scarlet Knights for 11 seasons, taking them from college football laughingstock to a program that has had winning records in six of the last seven years. He was an assistant coach in the NFL with Chicago from 1996-98.
The Bucs fired Raheem Morris this month after a 4-12 finish that included 10 straight losses to end the season.
Schiano’s contract with Rutgers runs through 2016 and pays him around $2.35 million per year.
He played linebacker at Bucknell, but never in the NFL. His first big break in coaching came at Penn State, where Joe Paterno hired him to coach defensive backs in 1991. He was at Penn State through 1995, before being hired by the Bears.
Because of his success at Rutgers, there had often been speculation for years about Schiano possibly replacing Paterno when the Hall of Famer was done coaching. But when Penn State was looking for a replacement after firing Paterno amid a child sex-abuse scandal involving one of his former longtime assistants, the school hired Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien.
Schiano has been courted by several other colleges during his time at Rutgers, most notably Miami and Michigan.
Michigan pursued Schiano after Lloyd Carr retired in 2007. Schiano passed and the Wolverines hired Rich Rodriguez.
Schiano’s first four seasons at Rutgers produced losing seasons, but the program he took over was practically at rock bottom in major college football. Before he was hired, the Scarlet Knights played in only one bowl game in their history.
In 2005, Rutgers went 7-5 and the next season the Scarlet Knights were 11-2. They have played in six bowls under Schiano, winning five, including a victory over Iowa state in the Pinstripe Bowl to cap a 9-4 season in 2011.
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