Rutgers To Approve Greg Schiano As Head Football Coach Tuesday

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ — He's back! After several weeks of testy contract negotiations, Chris Christie speculating he didn't actually want the job and Rutgers even walking away from talks at one point — Greg Schiano has agreed to return and resume the head coaching job for Rutgers Scarlet Knights football. This comes as New Jersey's state university tries to prove to the world they do indeed belong in the Big Ten.

In fact, Rutgers will hold a special Board of Governors meeting at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 3 where they will vote on approving the employment contract for Schiano to return as head football coach. The meeting will be held in Winants Hall on College Avenue and is open to the public.

Here are the terms of Schiano's contract, according to The Athletic: Schiano agreed to an eight-year, $32 million contract, with $25.2 million guaranteed.

This makes him one of the highest paid college football coaches in the country, according to Fox News. At $4 million a year, he's certainly the highest publicly paid employee in the state of New Jersey.

As part of his agreement to return, Schiano also wants massive upgrades to Rutgers football program. He is demanding Rutgers build a new football-only facility, plus an indoor practice facility, according to NJ.com, plus upgrades to the existing High Point Solutions stadium. The investment will cost Rutgers about $150 million total. However, the $150 million for stadium improvements will be raised privately, and not through taxpayer dollars, NJ.com reported.

Schiano will also have 10 assistant coaches and other various staff, who will be paid from a $7.7 million salary pool.

Gov. Phil Murphy, who had been pushing for Schiano to return to Rutgers, announced the news Sunday in a tweet. Murphy has been particularly eager for Rutgers to heavily invest to turn it into a top-name program.

"Just took a call from Greg Schiano and spoke to President Barchi," tweeted the governor Sunday. "Thrilled to usher in a new era of @RFootball with Greg at the helm. Rutgers student-athletes, alumni, and fans deserve a top-flight program that strives for excellence both on and off the field."

Schiano coached Rutgers football from 2001 to 2011, and was the most successful head coach in the program's history. From there, he became the Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach from 2012 to 2013.

After a dismal 2019 season — where Rutgers football was 2–9, and 0-8 in the Big Ten — former coach Chris Ash was fired in mid season this year and RU was attempting to get Schiano back on board. Murphy reportedly got involved in the negotiations, trying to convince Schiano to return to the bank of the Raritan.

Did Christie inadvertently get this deal done?

It seemed like everyone in New Jersey had an opinion on the Schiano-Rutgers contract negotiations, with even the mayor of Piscataway chiming in to say that Schiano was a model Piscatway resident whose wins brought fame and money to Central Jersey.

Eric LeGrand, who was famously paralyzed from the neck down while playing Rutgers college football, is also a Schiano fan. Schiano was his head coach when LeGrand took the devastating hit that paralyzed him.

"Welcome back coach @GregSchiano F.A.M.I.L.Y.," he tweeted Sunday when the news was announced.

LeGrand had previously criticized Rutgers for not making the contract negotiations work, and for failing to woo back Schiano. LeGrand tweeted this last week, when talks stalled:

"Yesterday’s actions leave me Disappointed and Embarrassed. I try to represent Rutgers with the most respect I possibly can. To see how this situation was handled makes me sick."

Meanwhile, former Gov. Chris Christie blasted Schiano for making what he said were outrageous demands, such as wanting use of a private jet.

"He's not Bear Bryant, he's not Urban Meyer," the never-shy Christie said last week while speaking at an event in Woodbridge. "He's an unemployed football coach who now wants the taxpayers of the state of New Jersey to pay for his private air travel."

Christie said he even thought Schiano's demands were so outrageous that he didn't actually want the job. Over the weekend, NJ.com reported that Schiano was extremely offended by and that Christie's remarks gave him the motivation to get the talks completed.

Here's what Schiano was asking for, according to his terms, a copy of which was obtained by NJ Advance Media:

• $4 million a year salary, with $400,000 retention bonuses every two years after the second year of his contract.
• A $25.2 million guarantee if the university were to terminate his contract without cause before 2021.
• Use of private-jet travel for all recruiting activities and for university-related travel.
• That his wife and kids would've been allowed to travel to away games on the team's charter flight, which is a standard provision for many major-level college football coaches.

Rutgers had originally offered Schiano a six-year, $24 million contract, sources told NJ.com.

Christie weighs in last week:

Related: Chris Christie Bashes Ex-Rutgers Coach Schiano For His Demands