It took the better part of a month, but after an exhaustive and somewhat controversial search throughout January, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers finally have a new head coach.
On Thursday, January 26, word leaked out that Greg Schiano of Rutgers will become the 9th head coach in the 36 year history of the franchise.
Not afraid of making a commitment to the right man, Adam Schefter of ESPN is reporting that the Bucs are prepared to give their candidate a 5 year contract.
The news comes as a surprise to most observers, as Schiano was not previously considered a candidate, nor was the New Jersey native known to be seeking a return to the NFL.
Schiano has been the coach of Rutgers since 2001, where he compiled a 68-67 record and was further honored as the 2006 NCAA Coach of the Year. Prior to assuming top duties at the Big East school, the 45 year-old was the defensive coordinator for the University of Miami (FL) for two seasons and spent 3 years as a defensive assistant for the Chicago Bears.
Yet, it has been in leading Rutgers that Schiano has come to national prominence and been lauded for his work with the Scarlet Knights. Once a doormat team in all of college football, Schiano suffered through 4 losing seasons before turning around the program. Indeed, it took the former Bucknell University linebacker the better part of 3 campaigns even to win a conference game.
However, in preaching discipline and practicing an emphasis on rushing and defense, Schiano has completely transformed the culture in Piscataway, New Jersey. In place of a legacy of failure, Rutgers has qualified for 6 bowl games in the past 7 years and become an annual contender in the Big East Conference.
Schiano has not only triumphed in 5 of those post-season contests, but the former understudy to Joe Paterno has landed numerous top recruits and placed such contributors into the NFL. Current Pro Bowl caliber players who learned under the former Rutgers coach include Ray Rice of the Baltimore Ravens, Kenny Britt of the Tennessee Titans, and Gary Brackett of the Indianapolis Colts.
Perhaps nothing is a better testament to Schiano’s impact on the New Jersey school that the $100 million renovation to High Points Solutions Stadium in 2009 that drastically improved the experience of attending big time college football in the all-important New York/New Jersey sports market.
With Raymond James Stadium rarely filled on football Sundays, surely ownership envisions such an analogous revitalization occurring in Tampa under their new football leader. That hope undoubtedly influenced the decision to make a bold hire and inject hope into a fan-base that has been wounded.
After being spurned by Chip Kelly of Oregon, and then dangerously flirting with a handful of NFL retreads, the Bucs believe they have found the ideal choice to succeed Raheem Morris and erase bitter memories of the disappointing 2011 season.
The track-record of Greg Schiano indicates ownership is correct and, as a supporter of the Bucs, I am thrilled by the hire.
I applaud the Glazer’s family willingness to go in a completely different direction, after the failure of the player-friendly approach of the prior coach. Schiano’s success with Rutgers — on and off the football field — is impossible to question. His defensive background will mercifully assist in minimizing critical problems like poor tackling and sloppy fundamentals.
Finally, the new coach’s experience from working with veterans like Paterno, Butch Davis, and Dave Wannstedt certainly provides credibility that the young players on the Buccaneers desperately need.
Simply put, Greg Schiano is the kind of coach who can not only teach, but can also kick butt and this team better realize it. Hopefully, beginning with the 2012 season, the Bucs will be able to do the same to the rest of the NFL.
Sources:
Yahoo! Sports, ScarletKnights.com, ESPN.com.
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Jeff Briscoe is a writer from Florida who covers sports for the Yahoo! Contributor Network and the Fort Myers Examiner. A loyal Tampa Bay Bucs fan, he co-hosts the popular, twice-weekly, Sports Train podcast.