If you’re an NFL or college football coach with a good reputation for building a program, chances are that you’re currently being rumored for the USC Trojans head coaching job. Everyone from Urban Meyer to Eric Bieniemy to James Franklin to Mario Cristobal to Bob Stoops seems to have had their name thrown out there for the job. Many of them have outright denied any interest while others have vaguely implied that they’d be open to hearing about it.
Early list for USC: James Franklin, Matt Campbell, Bill O'Brien, Luke Fickell, P.J. Fleck, Mario Cristobal, Greg Schiano and Tony Elliott. Former coaches who could be sought include Chris Petersen and Bob Stoops.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) September 13, 2021
One coach who has been rumored in some circles is Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano. Schiano made his mark turning Rutgers into a solid program in the 2000s before trying his hand at the NFL. That didn’t work out so he returned to college football, working as an assistant at Ohio State for a few seasons before returning to Rutgers where he has the Scarlet Knights at 2-0 so far this season.
Schiano spoke to reporters on Friday and the question of interest in the USC job came up. Greg did not mince words with his response.
“There’s nothing to talk about, guys. I promise you,” Schiano said according to 247 Sports. “We’re just figuring out how to get our first down. That stuff is really not in my wheelhouse. Like, zero.”
Schiano was long the focus of coaching rumors when he was in the middle of his previous run at Rutgers. He also infamously almost got the Tennessee job a few years back before a backlash reversed that decision. But now that he’s back at Rutgers and rebuilding the program that fell apart after he left, it’s hard to believe he’d want to give that up so soon, especially with the pressure that comes with taking over the USC job.
