What Rutgers' Greg Schiano Expects From Penn State
Penn State turns the page on Michigan by readying for its final home game of the 2023 season. The Nittany Lions host Rutgers on Senior Day at Beaver Stadium with plenty of change in store.
Penn State coach James Franklin promoted position coaches Ja'Juan Seider (running backs) and Ty Howle (tight ends) to interim offensive coordinators after parting ways with Mike Yurcich on Sunday. But Rutgers coach Greg Schiano, who said he has known Seider since Seider was in high school, expects the assistants to lean on their personnel strengths.
Schiano, in his fourth season at Rutgers, recently discussed his expectations for this game and his long-range plan for Rutgers.
The Penn State-Rutgers game kicks off at noon ET Saturday on FS1.
Schiano on Penn State's change at offensive coordinator
I know all the parties involved and I've known Ja'Juan [Seider, the interim co-coordinator] since he was a kid in high school. ... They are all good coaches. They will have a great plan put together, I'm sure. You know, when you look at their personnel, that's what I know. They have got two elite running backs, really, really good running backs, a very good offensive line with an elite tackle.
They have two or three depending on who is judging, I think, great tight ends. A young quarterback who is as acclaimed as they come and receivers that are definitely on the up. So yeah, they are a very complete football team. I've said it, I think they have a lot of pieces in place there.
Schiano on Penn State's defense
They are really good. They are good at all three levels. They run as well as any defense I've seen in a long time. Their front runs. Their defensive ends run as well as most team's safeties. They really have an unusual group of talent there this year. So, big challenge. Certainly have our hands full. Working hard to try to figure it out.
Schiano on Rutgers in Year 4 of his tenure
We are a developmental program. We are developing, for sure. We are going like this [indicating an upward trajectory]. But let's realize who we are. That's one of the biggest things I talk to our team about. At Rutgers, and I think that meant a lot that have been here longer than I have. So I kind of know about this place. I might not know about every place, but I know about this place. And at this place, you've really got to stay focused on who you are.
See, the way we've played the game has allowed us to be in every single game this year going into the fourth quarter with an opportunity to win. In the past, that wasn't the case. To me, that's an incremental improvement. I know we'd all love to go from 4-8 to 12-0, but it's just not going to work that way at Rutgers. Maybe somewhere else but not here. Maybe if you go into free agency — I'm sorry, NIL — and get all these players in a swoop because you had a bankroll the size of Detroit, then maybe you would turn it.
So we know who we are. I know who we are. And the way we are playing the game right now might not necessarily be the way we play it two years from now, when some of these younger players that we think are really promising now are developed and playing at a different level. Then we can play the game differently.
So everything we do right now, whether it's right or wrong that, can be argued, that's the beautiful thing about sports, right. That's why you guys have jobs. You write stuff. It stirs it up. People want to talk about it. That's why I have a job, because people want to come watch it. But we really think the way we are doing it gives us the best chance to win. It doesn't guarantee us a win. We are not at that point. Hopefully down the road we'll be at that point. That's kind of how we do it.
More on Penn State
Penn State bowl projections following the loss to Michigan
What we know about Penn State's offensive coordinator search
Potential candidates for Penn State's next offensive coordinator
James Franklin remains 'hopeful and excited' about Penn State's future
Ja'Juan Seider, Ty Howle take over as offensive coordinators for Penn State
Penn State fires offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich
Drew Allar struggles against Michigan. The coaches' gameplan didn't help
For Penn State and James Franklin, another missed opportunity
AllPennState is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on Twitter @MarkWogenrich. And consider subscribing (button's on the home page) for more great content across the SI.com network.
