Greg Schiano has returned as the head coach of Rutgers football. Schiano, 53, signed an eight-year, $32 million deal, according to Yahoo Sports.
A Wyckoff, New Jersey native, Schiano changed Rutgers’ program when he became their head coach in 2001. During his tenure at the school, Schiano, a New Jersey native, went 68-67 from 2001-2011.
Schiano left Rutgers in 2012 and became a head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That experiment lasted two seasons. Then in 2016, Schiano had a brief stint at Ohio State under head coach Urban Meyer.
The next stop for Schiano was expected to be as the head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers. But that ended up not happening, as there were protests following the news of his expected hire, as ESPN reported.
Schiano also had a brief stint with the New England Patriots as an assistant coach earlier this year. He opted to step down.
Years later, here we are in Piscataway, New Jersey.
In a current era where everyone continues to say “trust the process,” last decade, Schiano’s motivational phrase “keep choppin'” was the thing!
His most memorable season as the Rutgers head coach came in 2006. That season, the Scarlet Knights raced off to a 9–0 record, which was highlighted by defeating the third-ranked and undefeated Louisville Cardinals. Following the win, Rutgers jumped to No. 7 in the national AP poll.
Rutgers would finish the season with an 11-2 record and competed in the Texas Bowl where the Scarlet Knights defeated the Kansas State Wildcats 37–10. This marked the program’s first-ever bowl game victory.
Rutgers’ success in 2006 got Schiano recognition and awards galore including being named the Home Depot Coach of the Year and the inaugural Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year.
Mike Teel played quarterback for Schiano from 2005-2009.
Former Rutgers QB Mike Teel (Getty)
A product of Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey, New Jersey, Teel was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the sixth round of the 2009 NFL Draft. Teel spent time with the Seahawks, New England Patriots, and Chicago Bears over the span of three years.
During his time with Rutgers under Greg Schiano, Teel played with future NFL players Brian Leonard, Tiquan Underwood, Eric Foster, Kenny Britt, and Ray Rice. In addition to guiding Rutgers to a win in the Texas Bowl in 2006, he helped guide Rutgers to a 17-6 win over NC State in the PapaJohns.com Bowl.
For those keeping score at home: Teel threw for 319 yards and two touchdowns in that victory over the Wolfpack.
Teel is excited to have Schiano back in New Jersey at Rutgers University. He appeared on the Scoop B Radio Podcast and discussed his thoughts on the move.
Why Greg Schiano Returning to Rutgers Is Important
In addition to Rutgers, Mike Teel was recruited by Penn State, Virginia, Michigan St, and Wisconsin. Teel tells Scoop B Radio that he is pleased that his coach is returning to the Garden State.
Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: So the news over the last week or so has been Greg Schiano joining Rutgers football. How do you feel about the move?
Mike Teel: “Personally I’m ecstatic for the program. More importantly, I’m happy for the current and future players of Rutgers football to have a chance to work with coach Schiano and be a part of his program. He laid a foundation for me in college that I still live true ‘til this day. You know he talks about the chop and doing things one thing at a time. Keeping your eye on one task until it’s finished and then moving on. There are so many things relatable that he has taught his team that works in the business world and that work as a grown man. So I’m excited for those kids to have a shot to really learn and develop as people under coach Schiano.”
Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: When people used to say Greg Schiano is coming back, I used to think of Allen Iverson in the sense of. I knew he would one day come back to the Sixers. I knew one day LeBron James would come back to Cleveland and be a member of the Cavaliers. In your mind did you ever think Greg Schiano would be coming back?
Mike Teel: “I did and I thought it was fate. I think it’s fate that he was there around the first time because he was the man back then for the job. There was so much work that had to be done. Frankly, it’s probably in a similar situation now. I think that there was only one man for the job who would be able to revive a program that frankly has been one of the worst in college football over the last couple of years. So, I’m excited to watch him rebuild it at this time. To not be a part of it as a player but as a fan. I’m excited for that.”
Mike Teel Joining Greg Schiano’s Coaching Staff?
Teel has coaching experience. Before serving as head coach of Don Bosco Prep for one season, Teel had stints as a quarterbacks coach at Kean University and Wagner College. Teel also served briefly as a wide receivers coach at Rutgers University.
With Schiano returning to New Jersey, could Teel become a Rutgers staffer?
Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: The million-dollar question. Greg Schiano is the head coach of Rutgers – any chance you get on the coaching staff?
Mike Teel: “That’s a really tough one. It would depend on what the opportunity was obviously you always want to hear every opportunity that comes your way in the business world. Whatever it might be whether business or sports. Being a part of coaches programming as a player and being a Rutgers guy, you would always entertain it. You always think about it and it’d be cool to be a part of the Rutgers team with the rebuild.”
Mike Teel Talks Former Teammate & Ravens RB Ray Rice
Former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice. (Getty)
In March 2014, TMZ released footage of former Baltimore Ravens running back, Ray Rice punching his then-fiancée in an elevator. Following the release of an additional video of the incident, Rice’s contract was terminated by the Ravens in September and was later reinstated after he successfully appealed the decision in federal courts. While Rice was reinstated, he has not played professional football since his final season with the Ravens in 2013.
Recently, Rutgers honored the 2006 Rutgers team that included Teel, Rice, Eric LeGrand and others.
Some on Twitter weren’t pleased. Teel stood up for his teammate.
I discussed Ray Rice With Teel on the Scoop B Radio Podcast.
Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: “Your teammate was Ray Rice. What I notice about you on Twitter recently was when the Rutgers team in 2006 was honored some people kind of came at Ray Rice and the transgressions with his wife. He’s since made peace with his wife – it’s almost 2020, how do you think people can move on from Ray’s case?”
Mike Teel: “Ray’s a dear friend of mine and you know, some people never will [forgive him]. I know that that’s how they feel – I’m not here to tell people what to think. I was there at that time [on Twitter] to voice. Ray’s actions were an inexcusable and disgusting mistake. But I know him personally I’ve known Ray for a long time. I know his family and his wife.”
“It’s a mistake that is intolerable and something that should never ever have happened. And I feel that a lot of times for a lot of the talk of domestic violence and domestic abuse. And when I spoke to him about everything that went down, he said: ‘As long as I can get my wife to forgive me and my father-in-law to forgive me, I’ll be able to move on.’ That was the important thing for him.”
“I was with him this past weekend and he’s doing great, as well as his family. I’m happy for him but I needed to make sure I defended my boy.”
Revisiting Rutgers Defeating Louisville & Team’s Future Outlook
Beating Louisville in a regular-season game in front of fans in the Garden State in 2006 was a true high point for the Rutgers football program. The win over the third-ranked Cardinals team bumped the Scarlet Knights in the national rankings.
Teel remembers it like yesterday.
Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: What is one mistake from that game, even though you won, that you wish you could take back?
Mike Teel: “Interception in the first quarter. Sometimes you’re kind of just on different pages with the receiver, and the DB was playing over the top I thought he was going to break in before the receiver. We were on different pages, I wouldn’t necessarily take that one back. Two guys not being on the same page, it wasn’t a true mistake really nothing anybody would’ve noticed.”
Teel has high hopes for his alma mater. Rutgers’ recruiting class is tied as the No. 61 overall group nationally as of Tuesday morning, according to Rivals. We discussed the future of Rutgers football on Scoop B Radio.
Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: This year, where are you looking for Rutgers to improve?
Mike Teel: “Well there’s so many areas that I think they need to improve in. Coach Schiano has mentioned this multiple times in these past seven days that he’s been head coach. They’ve got to recruit better and keep New Jersey kids home. When you look at the on-field difference, it’ll be some games where they’re outmatched the out-pounced but that’s all part of it. I know that they will have a good plan and they’ll have the kids playing very hard. I think for them, it’s that you can’t make mistakes – you have to not beat yourself.”
“When you’re playing in the league that you’re playing in and frankly when there’s teams like Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State that have top NFL draft picks, you have to do a great job of giving yourself a chance and that’s by not making stupid mistakes. Taking care of the football, giving yourself third and manageable opportunities on offense and being able to get off the field on defense to change the game on special teams. I think the first go-around at Rutgers for coach Schiano, he was able to change games on special teams. That hasn’t been the result of late so I’m excited to see that third phase of the game that he brings to the table.”
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Greg Schiano’s Return Good for Rutgers Football, Says Ex-QB Mike Teel