An open letter to Greg Schiano.
Dear Greg:
I take it all back what I said about you. I savaged you for not winning enough big games at Rutgers during your successful time at Piscataway. I thought at times your team came off soft. I often felt you were complacent after your Rutgers football program broke through in the 2006 season. I wondered if Rutgers went as far as it could with you in your final years there.
I was so wrong based on what Rutgers accomplished since you left Rutgers to what you thought could have been a stepping stone of your life in coaching the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It obviously did not go well for you since you were fired after a forgettable 11-21 record in two seasons. But that’s in the past. Rutgers needs you back in the worst way. Even your critics want you back knowing that you would make Rutgers relevant again.
You are aware that Rutgers is looking for a head coach to resurrect them after you left. Chris Ash lost his job as Rutgers head coach on Sunday after Rutgers lost 52-0 to Michigan on Saturday at Ann Arbor. He leaves Rutgers as an 8-32 head coach after three underwhelming seasons that included a 3-26 record in Big Ten play and $8.47 million richer.
This sets the stage for you to return as the savior. You would bring memories and pride back if you return to Rutgers. You wouldn’t even have to buy a drink or food in this state anymore. There would be a statue of you being erected one day if you come back and make Rutgers great again. Also, you may have unfinished business such as leading Rutgers to play in the college football playoffs or a Jan. 1 bowl game.
Rutgers athletic director Pat Hobbs needs you because you can make his job easy and keep him employed. New York and New Jersey high school football coaches need you because you provide a productive working relationship with them, not to mention you can develop those players in college and have them play in the NFL. Prospective high school players in the state seek your service since you can coach them up and make them better men in society.
I know you may want a better challenge. I understand maybe you accomplished all you could at Rutgers. I get it coming back home after a successful stint could be tough to replicate again. I know you may not want to tarnish your legacy after putting so much work at Rutgers.
But that’s the thing. You would be bigger than life if you resurrect Rutgers again. Your legacy becomes enhanced by making Rutgers a Big Ten contender. You would get a free pass as long as you wish while rebuilding Rutgers. You would get the benefit of the doubt no matter what based on what you did in your first stint. You would make Tennessee look like fools after Fox Sports Radio’s Clay Travis and Tennessee fans decided their program was too good to hire you.
The point is we need you more than you need us.
You would bring pride and integrity back at Rutgers. We know you won’t cut corners to get players and win games, which was your best asset as a head coach. Your players represented the program well by being out of trouble and attending classes.
You would coach the players up. You created a good product in your first stint at Rutgers, and there’s no doubt you can do it again. You know what you are doing. You get Rutgers, and you understand the state more than your successors or any candidates would. Having Bill Belichick out to give his seal of approval of your coaching says it all on why you should be the only choice to coach Rutgers.
Unlike most coaches, you don’t do gimmicks and silly motivations. You bring substance with your past success at Rutgers.
You would make Rutgers great just by showing up. It would even be good for you since your ego would be stroked. We all know you have one, even though you present an image of an aw shucks coach. You need power, and Rutgers and Hobbs would be more than happy to give you that at the price you want.
Rutgers football turned out to be unwatchable since you left. Forget that Rutgers lost so much to count. They didn’t develop players, coach them up, play defense or score much. Atmosphere at SHI Stadium (geez how many stadium names changed since you left) has been dead.
You can do all that. You command respect based on what you accomplished at Rutgers. You got them to bowl games, which is hard to do for a school like Rutgers despite every team playing in one. You got them to winning seasons. Of course, the players and high school coaches will gravitate to you. You already have street credibility that your successors never had and potential candidates may never have.
You are the best Rutgers got. Not many experienced coaching candidates want to take the Rutgers job, let alone even come to Piscataway to visit. Coaching candidates such as Army head coach Jeff Monken could get better opportunities to run a football program than Rutgers despite his name being bandied about for the job.
If you don’t take the job, Rutgers is in trouble. There’s no one good out there. Firing Ash was easy since his coaching and the results spoke for itself. No high school coach will ever take his prized high school recruit to Rutgers. It will be another waste of taxpayer dollars here in New Jersey where losing and apathy are rolled into one at Rutgers.
Please take this job, Greg. We are begging you. With sugar on top. We love you. I won’t ever rip you if you take the job. All is forgiven from my end.
