NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ - NOVEMBER 19: Head coach Butch Jones of the Cincinnati Bearcats (L) shakes hands with head coach Greg Schiano of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights after a game at Rutgers Stadium on November 19, 2011 in New Brunswick, New Jersey. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)Greg Schiano is the only coach in college football history to both lose and obtain a job due to fan revolt.
The latter occurred at Rutgers, where Schiano was introduced as the program’s head coach for the second time today after originally holding the position from 2001-11. The former happened two years ago, when outcry from Tennessee fans led to Schiano ultimately not being hired and then-AD John Currie losing his job.
More than likely, the circumstances that led to his deal falling through still sting Schiano two years later. He even got a little jab in at Tennessee fans’ expense today.
According to Zach Braziller of the New York Post, Schiano was asked about the difference between how Tennessee and Rutgers fans received him.
He declared that New Jersey people are “a little sharper.”
Greg Schiano, asked about the difference between fans reception in Tennessee and Rutgers, said New Jersey has sharper people. “They just get it.” #rfootball
— Zach Braziller (@NYPost_Brazille) December 4, 2019
At the time of his candidacy, some Tennessee fans expressed concern over Schiano’s tenure at Penn State under Joe Paterno and Jerry Sandusky and whether or not he knew about the ongoing abuse there. Others just seemed angry about the potential fit from a football standpoint.
Two years later, Vols fans appear fairly happy with Jeremy Pruitt, who has the program in a bowl game this season. Schiano, meanwhile, is back home in New Jersey taking the reins at a program he knows well.
It worked out in the long run for both sides, but there are still hard feelings here on both sides.
If and when Schiano gets Rutgers back on track, it would be fun to see the Scarlet Knights meet the Vols in a bowl game at some point.
