Chris Ash couldn’t survive this embarrassing loss, and Rutgers may hand the keys to its football program back to a familiar face.
According to NJ.com, former Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano is expected to be a top candidate to return to the program after Ash was fired Sunday, a day after the Scarlet Knights were trounced by Michigan, 52-0. Offensive coordinator John McNulty has also been fired, and tight ends coach Nunzio Campanile will take over as interim head coach.
Other candidates, according to NJ.com, include Mississippi State’s Joe Moorhead, Buffalo’s Lance Leipold, Pittsburgh’s Pat Narduzzi and Princeton’s Bob Surace.
Schiano, 53, led Rutgers for 11 seasons from 2001-2011. The Scarlet Knights peaked in 2006 with an 11-2 record and their first ever bowl win. Schiano eventually left to become the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, lasting two seasons. He was Ohio State’s defensive coordinator from 2016-18. Schiano was set to join the New England Patriots as defensive coordinator early this year, but he abruptly resigned in March, saying in a statement, “This is not the result of any one event, but rather a realization that I need to spend more time on my faith and family.”
The 45-year-old Ash finishes with an 8-32 record as Rutgers coach, including a 3-26 Big Ten record.
“We appreciate Chris’s dedicated efforts on behalf of our football program, our department and our University,” Rutgers athletic director Pat Hobbs said in a statement. “This change is especially difficult because of the steadfast commitment that Chris and his family have made to our student-athletes. Progress has been achieved in many areas, but, unfortunately, that progress has not been realized on the field of play. As such, it is in the best interest of the program to make a change.”