The WFAN-Rutgers partnership begins in earnest on Saturday, as WFAN broadcasts the Scarlet Knights' football season opener at Boston College beginning at 11:30 a.m. – and that means on Friday, Sal Licata and Rutgers men's basketball voice Jerry Recco got to host the first edition of The Greg Schiano Report sponsored by Jersey Mike's!
This is Schiano's third year back in Piscataway and 15th year overall as a head coach – but he still gets butterflies on the day before game day.
"Of course you do, if you don't, it's time to call it a career," Schiano laughed.
Already, Schiano has six alumni from his second stint in the NFL, and he's looking forward to continuing to build that legacy with the 2022 team.
"I'm very proud of that, and I think it speaks to the young men we have here and the way the program is run," Schiano said. "When we were here the first time, we were in the Top 10 in active NFL players when we left in 2012. Since we've been back it's now six, and we're keeping on going."
However, when the 2022 season starts tomorrow…well, Schiano still isn't sure who will be starting, or even playing when, under center.
"I don't know if this is good or bad but I can tell you the truth: I'm still bouncing it around in my head because I feel good with all of them, and our team does too," he said. "I don't think the guys will be fazed at all if they split series. Everyone will get a chance to play, and well figure it out as we go. This is a young team and this is the beginning of something."
Schiano will be facing a former assistant in BC head coach Jeff Hafley, who was his defensive backs coach at Rutgers in 2011 and then with the Buccaneers in 2012. Hafley's staff also includes three fellow former Schiano assistants, so it's a homecoming of sorts.
"It's going to be a real battle in every way, and that's what makes it fun," he said.
Schiano also wants people to remember his first tenure in Piscataway, too, because as he told Sal when asked about getting marquee wins, he's ready to get NYC and New Jersey invested in the Knights again.
"I guess my question is if someone was old enough to buy in the first go-round and if so, come on back because we're doing it again," Schiano said. "We'll get some of those marquee wins, we just need some time to develop, but this program will be fine. We have more starters on our roster from NYC and Long Island than any other team in the country – this is the backbone of who we are."
A lot has already changed in the three years since he returned, but Jerry & Sal finished their first Schiano report by asking about the biggest one: Name, Image, and Likeness opportunities.
"The job I took in December 2019 is at least a 50 percent different job today, and NIL is the biggest shift," he said. "The professionalization of college athletics has occurred whether people like it or not, so the question is how we're going to do it responsibly, how we're going to do it in a way that aligns with our culture as a program and a university. That's what we're working through, but it certainly does change the dynamics."
Check out the first edition of the Greg Schiano Report above, and tune in the day before every Rutgers game day for more from the head coach!
For more on Rutgers football, visit https://scarletknights.com/sports/football.
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