May 31, 2008
JoPa retiring, Schiano next at PSU?
While we've heard the rumor that Greg Schiano would leave Rutgers to replace Joe Paterno at Penn State before, the guys at Black Shoe Diaries renew the discussion in light of anonymous sources who say that JoPa will indeed retire after this season.
A source told The Phanatic Magazine Thursday that a succession plan to replace Penn State head football coach Joe Paterno is being ironed out.The man in the middle of this plan -- Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano.
The source told The Phanatic Magazine that Paterno's recent poor health and a divided board of trustees over the program's future has led University President Graham Spanier down this path.
It is unclear, according to the source, whether Paterno or the program will issue a statement about the plan or clarify that this is Paterno's final season at Penn State.
The source also stated that the university, by NCAA by-laws, can not have any official contact with Schiano, who is under contract at Rutgers, but has put out feelers to gauge Schiano's interest.
That interest, according to a source, appears to be substantial and mutual.
Barring a last-minute power struggle or change of heart, the source indicated that this will be Paterno's last season in Happy Valley, and that Penn State would move quickly after Schiano at season's end.
As "news" goes... there's absolutely nothing here. Zero. Just annoymous sources repeating things we've heard before, but... the climate is certainly right for such a discussion and JoPa's contract situation hasn't done anything to tamp down the talk.
But... let's presume that there is some smoke and perhaps an ember or two here.
Schiano is currently under contract with Rutgers at approximately $1.7 million through 2016. His current contract contains a phased-buyout that decreases annual. If Schiano were to leave the Scarlet Knights following the 2008 season, he would owe $650,000. The buyout decreases to $500,000 after the 2009 season and stays at $500,000 through 2013.
From a contract standpoint, there's no question that Penn State has the pull to buyout Schiano and make him one of the highest paid coaches in college football.
Rutgers has certainly rolled out the red carpet to keep Schiano happy - including setting up a zero interest $800,000 mortgage for Schiano, forgiving $100,000 per year of the mortgage, selling university land to the coach for his new home and steamrolling the zoning changes through. (Side note: If Schiano leaves Rutgers, he has to sell the house & land back to the school and repay the outstanding mortgage debt.)
And -- in turn -- Schiano has repaid Rutgers' support with a (generally) firm commitment to the Scarlet Knights. There was some scuttlebutt two years ago that Schiano "list" of dream jobs was Miami -- whom he spurned after the 2006 season -- and Penn State, who hasn't needed to hire a coach since 1966. Schiano flirted briefly with Michigan last year, but decided to stay at Rutgers.
Schiano inherited a very, very bad football program in 2001 after stints as an assistant at Penn State and Miami. He has amassed a 38-46 (.452) record in seven seasons, and got the Scarlet Knights to their second, third, and fourth ever bowl game in 131 years of football. Under Schiano, RU has made three straight bowl appearances, winning their last two. Schiano - named Big East "Coach of the Year" in 2006 - is credited with paving the way for Rutgers' stadium expansion project, set to begin in 2009.
So... he has certainly righted the Rutgers ship and put the team back on the college football map, but does that mean he is right for the Penn State job? In my opinion, yes. Or... ask it this way: if not Schiano, then who?
Schiano is the best, most viable option for the Nittany Lions. He has a PSU pedigree, serving as a graduate assistant and an assistant coach under Paterno from 1991-1995, before stints with the Chicago Bears and Miami Hurricanes. He has proven himself as a strong recruiter - breaking JoPa's previous stranglehold on New York City & New Jersey and muscling into South Florida.
"Rutgers is definitely expanding its recruiting base, especially in New York," said recruiting expert Mike Farrell of Rivals.com. "It helps when you've gotten guys like Brian Leonard and Ray Rice. You can definitely use that. Eastern Pennsylvania has always been Penn State country -- until a few years ago. Now Rutgers is going in there and getting players that Penn State might normally get. That's impressive."
A great recruiter... who's turned around a miserable program... with a Penn State pedigree....
It's a great storyline, but one has to wonder how much ego might play into any future decision by Schiano. Allow me to explain....
Schiano is the king at Rutgers. He's been pursued by the Miami Hurricanes and the Michigan Wolverines (with both being considered significantly better jobs) and has turned both of them down to stay at Rutgers.
Is Schiano really inclined to go from "King" to "the guy who replaced JoPa"? There's no question in my mind that Schiano is the best option at Penn State... but does he really want the job?
This won't be the last of the JoPa/PSU/Schiano rumors, unfortunately, and it's a shame.
If JoPa is going out this year, he deserves the chance to enjoy the season - not answer retirement questions every time he takes the field. But... then again... this is in JoPa's hands. Only Paterno (perhaps) knows the answer to the question... and he ain't talkin'.
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