Then-Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Greg Schiano leaves the field following a 23-13 loss to the St. Louis Rams on Dec. 22, 2013.
Credit: Courtesy of TNS
One Ohio State co-defensive coordinator left the Buckeyes to become the head coach of Rutgers, so OSU coach Urban Meyer brought in a replacement who formerly filled that role at the same school.
Greg Schiano, who coached Rutgers from 2001-2011 before leaving for a two-year stint with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the NFL, was announced on Friday as OSU’s new co-defensive coordinator, pending the completion of a background check and approval from the Board of Trustees.
“Greg Schiano is an excellent coach,” Meyer said in a press release. “He is someone I have known for quite some time now and someone who is going to align with our staff extremely well. I think he will be outstanding as a coach and mentor in our program and I am pleased to have him on our staff.”
Schiano will fill the role previously occupied by new Rutgers coach Chris Ash, who ended his two-year run in Columbus earlier in the week, though he is still expected to coach OSU through the Jan. 1 Fiesta Bowl against Notre Dame. In the role, Schiano will work with the safeties, as well as coordinating the defense alongside Luke Fickell and acting as an associate head coach.
Schiano was 68-67 in 11 seasons with Rutgers, including a 5-1 mark in bowl games. After a 9-4 season in 2011, he accepted the job with the Buccaneers but faltered there, going 11-21 in two seasons, which both ended in last-place finishes.
Prior to Rutgers, Schiano worked as a secondary coach at Penn State from 1991-1995, a defensive assistant with the Chicago Bears from 1996-1998 and defensive coordinator at Miami (Fla.) from 1999-2000 before getting the head coaching job with the Scarlet Knights.
Though it isn’t known if Schiano will be available to coach, the No. 7 Buckeyes are set to wrap up the 2015 season in the Fiesta Bowl against No. 8 Notre Dame. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. in Glendale, Arizona.
