Can you even believe what’s happening at Rutgers right now? Greg Schiano started the 2026 season on the hot seat, and after just a couple of games, things are already looking grim for the veteran coach in New Jersey. They got absolutely crushed in their home opener by none other than UMass. Yeah, UMass. This is a team that hadn’t beaten a Power Four squad since way back in 2012, and hadn’t won against *any* FBS opponent since 2023. Rutgers looked totally helpless on defense, and the offense wasn’t much better.
What’s Happening on the Field? It Ain’t Pretty
Listen, Schiano is still the most accomplished coach Rutgers has seen since Frank Burns in the 1970s, but a loss like that to UMass? That’s enough to make anyone question everything. Then, to make matters worse, they started slow on the road at Boston College on Friday night. That just poured gasoline on the fire of frustration for the Rutgers faithful. Fans are seriously starting to wonder if they’re the worst team in a Power Four conference, and that’s exactly what Rutgers tried to avoid when they brought Schiano back in 2020. But in his second stint, Schiano hasn’t managed to win more than seven games in a single season with the Scarlet Knights. It feels like they’re just plummeting back into football obscurity in 2026, and everyone’s asking if a change is coming.
The Brutal Cost of Making a Change
So, what would it actually take to make a move? Schiano signed an extension in 2023, after a 7-6 season that ended with a Pinstripe Bowl victory, locking him in through the 2030 season. He’s scheduled to pull in $6.75 million in 2026, and get this: he’s got three years and $22.5 million remaining on that contract. His buyout clause? A very specific 76.875% of that remainder. Do the math, and that means Rutgers would owe him a staggering $17,296,875 to walk away right now.
Sure, his contract includes a mitigation clause, meaning any future coaching gig he lands would offset that buyout. But here’s the kicker: the 60-year-old coach isn’t *required* to go find another job. For a Rutgers program that’s already deep underwater financially, coughing up more than $17 million to dismiss a coach after just a couple of bad games? That’s a massive ask, even if it’s not the biggest buyout in the Big Ten.
What’s Next For the Scarlet Knights and Coach Schiano?
Real talk, Schiano is probably gonna get the rest of 2026 to try and turn this mess around, to try and get the Scarlet Knights back to some kind of respectability. But if that turnaround isn’t coming, if they end up going a dismal 1-11 with their only win against Howard, then you can bet those phone calls will be made. Rutgers would have to figure out how to raise the funds to make a change. It’s an ugly situation, and right now, the future looks anything but certain in New Jersey.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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