Greg Schiano Dec. 30 Press Conference Quotes
Dec 30 | Football
On whether this season is a springboard: "I look at it as just that'a springboard. It's a great accomplishment by this senior class, but if it's not a springboard, then it's all wasted, because we're building something here that the reason we're building it is to stand the test of time. Not every year are you going to be champions and not every year are you going to win 11 games; there are ebbs and flows, but our goal is to be a winning football team year in and year out. Some years you'll in the top 10, some years you'll win the national championships, some years you'll drift back a little bit, but to be a consistent winner, that's what we came here to build, and that's what we're going to give the school and that's what we're going to give the state."
On how good the team can be next year with 13 starters returning: "We'll see. So many things have to happen that create a football team. We do have 13 starters coming back, could be 14 if you consider Timmy Brown a starter. Jeremy Ito would be another guy. I've looked at all the depths at the positions. For recruiting you have to look a year ahead and see where your needs will be. We have a chance from an athletic standpoint to be a very good team, so we'll see how the chemistry is. This year we were fortunate. If you look, our five offensive linemen started every game. That's rare, to be blessed like that without an injury. Same thing with the linebackers, quarterback. We were really very, very fortunate to be blessed we were able to stay healthy in a lot of positions. One of them where we weren't, wideout, was one where we had depth. No matter how young we might be, we had guys we could put out there. That all goes into play in how your year ends up from a win-loss standpoint, but from a starting standpoint, I think getting into the '07 season, we have some good, talented players to start with and we'll see where it goes."
On expectations for next year: "I think expectations will be heightened and they should be. That's what we want. That's what we're trying to create. We hope we'd be better than just the top 25 after what we did. There aren't many 11-win teams, but all that doesn't matter. We're going to get our opportunity to come out and play next year and show what we are and that will all come out in the wash, so to speak. Again this year, wrapping it up, I think you can't underestimate how hard it is to win 11 football games in college football. Someone told me something the other night, that we're the only the fifth team in the BIG EAST Conference to do that (win 11 games), and I know there's additional games, but it's still a tribute to those seniors. For what they've been through, when they decided to come here, what they decided to join. On the surface what they decided to join and what they knew they were joining were two different things. To the uneducated fan or someone who doesn't have an intimate knowledge of the program, what it looks like they joined was a 1-11 team or not a good football team, and really, what were the signs it was going to take off other than their belief in us? So those guys, making that first choice to come here and then continuing to make the right choice throughout their career, to get us to the position to win 11 games. I talked to the team about it before the game, I said the last few years we've talked about making history here at Rutgers and I think by winning a bowl game we made history, but as importantly, and maybe more importantly, is that we've started a tradition, a new tradition here at Rutgers and that, I think, is the legacy these seniors will leave behind. That's a little bit sentimental, a little bit deep, but that's the truth. Where do these things start? Bowl traditions, all these traditions, they have to start somewhere, and this what this group of seniors gets to do."
On whether he considers team a "Cinderella": "I never tried to correct anybody when they called us a Cinderella, but no, I don't that all. I think Cinderella is, year two, all of a sudden you find a flip the switch, but this has been a hard grind, six years. I think last year we took a step. There's one time where I thought in the '04 season we were 4-2 and then we slipped back after the tragic car accident and all the things that happened. Other than that, I think we just kept stepping forward, forward, forward. We went 7-5, lost a bowl game, we go 11-2 and win a bowl game. I think this program has logically kind of climbed the ladder. I think had we found a way to win all our games, maybe that would have been a Cinderella because we kind of skipped a step, so to speak, but I think right now we're just climbing and building a football program and the next step, if we can take it, will be a very exciting one."
On Shawn Tucker returning for sixth year: "We've already started the process, so I'm confident we can start the process. In all my years of dealing with these kind of issues, my gut's been wrong more than it's been right, so I don't know. I've learned not to even have a feeling on it, just let it unfold, but what I'm trying to do is get it to unfold as quickly as possible. I do very little, I just supply the facts and our compliance office gets it all prepared, sends it in, and there's a whole chain of command it goes through, but as soon as I know, I'll let you guys know. I think that could be really big for our football team to have a guy that wants to come back. After all this, a guy might say let me take my shot at the league, but Shawn wants to do it again here and be a part of it again and that to me says a lot.
On when the decision on Tucker will be made: "Again, you don't know. The thing that happens is it goes through an appeal office. First it goes to our league office, then there's a whole chain of events that happens, then it gets to an appeal committee. An appeal committee is people from different universities that sit on the committee, so getting them together, it being heard, that takes a little bit of time, but hopefully pretty soon. For us, it's important, but probably more important for Shawn and his preparation for his next step."
On perceptions changing about Rutgers and the adjustment for the players: "I think it is. As you evolve, as you build and you evolve, your program has to understand the steps, as well. That's my job. There are different situations you look at. You look at this season, the Cincinnati game. I think, not to dredge up bad memories, but I think that the next time we're in the same situation, if we're blessed enough to be, we'll be better prepared. Although at the time I thought we were doing things the right way, there are things now I would do differently. As we approach next season, I think we're going to have to understand is we were 11-2, and we tied for second, but the team we tied for second with beat us, so we tied for second but we were in third place in a competitive nature. We know what we have to do, now it's can we do it to be the team we want to be? Our league first, then national second."
On filling the leadership of Brian Leonard: "That's one of the things I was referring to before. That's the interesting part about coaching. Talent-wise, we have enough talent. It's going to be chemistry, it's going to work ethic, it's going to be leadership, all those things that are the impetus to drive the team forward. We're at a point now where I don't handle every little thing with the discipline. Bowl week, I'm sure there are things that occurred down there in Houston that never got to my desk, that were taken care of by the seniors before they became issues. Those are the things, hopefully their tradition and legacy of leadership has been passed down throughout the program, and now it's the next group's chance. One thing, when you look forward, it's not a very big senior class in numbers, so that alone will be a collaborative effort between the junior class and the senior class, just by numbers alone. Some of our "highlight" players, guys that made plays on the field, are juniors to-be, so I think it will be a good mix, but that's all the stuff that has to take place for us to have an '07 edition that's a success. That's the fun part to me. A lot of that is the head coach's job, developing leaders. Certainly the assistant coaches help with that, but that's something I can do in the off-season, meet with individuals, meet with leadership groups, try to prepare them for what's ahead. There's a lot of things to do, but right now's not the time to do them. I'm going to take this weekend, not do much, watch some bowl games with my kids, and get back at it. Last night I was exhausted, but I was watching Maryland and they're on our schedule, and they were lighting it up when I fell asleep, and when I woke up the score was 24-7, but it was it was 24-7 when I fell asleep, so I thought I was going to wake up to a 56 score, so that always makes you feel good. I haven't researched them, but when I heard them announce the quarterback's name and that he was playing his final game, that's when I said 'I can go to bed.'"
On any surprises this season: "The Illinois game. A lot of things went our way. They're a better team than that score showed, and that was evidenced in some of the people they beat and how they played during the year, but that one being as lopsided as it was, with the talent they have. I knew the talent they had. Not that they're young, even though they had a young quarterback, but that one maybe. And did I know the Cincinnati game'?I knew the risk was there, so to say it was a surprise that we didn't play well, it's not a surprise. I thought we were prepared, but when I look back, maybe I do see some things that were signals. I don't know if I could have done anything, or we could have done anything. Maybe it's something you have to go through. I wish we didn't, though."
On assistant coaches getting calls and his future as defensive coordinator: "My assistants already have gotten calls, which we'll see how that all plays out. I keep that confidential because there's a lot of reasons. Number one, it's different when an assistant gets a call and investigates a job than when a head coach does, because you're running the program, you're the leader of the program. These guys are just checking things out to see if things are better for their family. But no doubt, when you win, especially when you take a program that hasn't won, people say, well what are they doing? Our guys are respected coaches throughout the country, both on a collegiate level and a professional level, so this won't be a 'done this weekend story,' it'll be throughout recruiting. Football coaching changes continue. Certainly, I think the continuity of our staff has helped over the last two years, and I would love to keep this group together. It's a great group of coaches, a great chemistry, but I also know we have quality coaches that are going to get offers that advance their careers. My philosophy is when guys lay on the line for you and for the program, I do everything I can to help them better themselves and better their situation, whether it be at Rutgers or somewhere else. That will continue to happen this off-season, I'm sure of that. As far as the defensive coordinator position, I have to reevaluate everything, just like I do at the end of every season, I sit down and really look at it. Right now is not the time to evaluate it. I really enjoy it, and so far it's working pretty well, so I don't know. We'll have to see. Certainly there's things I have to do a better job at, in other areas of the job as well as the defensive coordinator, so however best to do that is what we'll do. We have quality coaches that are capable of doing it if I choose to."
On whether any juniors are thinking about leaving for professional football: "I'll talk to all the ones that are possibilities. Certainly there are some that could if they chose to. I don't know yet. My philosophy is if they're going to be a first-round pick, I think that's something they really have to think about. After that, a first-round pick is truly a matter of financials. You'll never make that money back, I don't care how long you play. If you're a second-round pick, and you could be a first-round pick, you make that money back plus some the year after if you stay in and become a first-round pick. To me, that's a matter of finances unless there's a driving force in their own personal life that I'm not aware of that requires them to do that, and that's an individual decision, as we did with Brian. I'm always 100% upfront with the guys because they've given so much to this program and that's the way you should be with people. As I told Brian last year, his position in the draft would skyrocket after he's tested, and I think that will happen now after he's tested."
On whether this is his most rewarding season: "This is, without a doubt, the most rewarding experience I've had in coaching. You hit it on the head, because you're in charge of everything, you're responsible for everything. During it, it's very hectic. That bowl trip'?bowl trips are very hectic for a head coach, for all the coaches, but especially for the head coach when you think about all the different thing that have to happen, all the logistics you're not used to doing. You're constantly doing, planning, thinking, checking, but that's why this weekend I want to just relax and enjoy the season we had, then this Tuesday it's time to get cracking. The reality is we're already dealing with off-season surgery stuff, trying to plan those, so you never really get away, but that's ok. I've said it many times, my job is my hobby, so I enjoy it, I just want to get some rest."
On whether Ray Rice's season was great offensive season in RU history: "You're better at the history part of it; I have not studied Rutgers' football history very much, but it was an excellent year, though. The thing that's more impressive is that he was over five yards a carry. When you have as many carries as he had and you average over five yards a carry, that to me is incredible. He's a tough guy. That's a tremendous statistic."
On how many times Rice carried for a loss: "We'll do that in all our off-season studies. The thing that everybody who knows football talks to me about is the kid seems to always be going this way (motions ahead). Every play ends with him going that way. Part of it is his height. He's not a high guy so you're not going to knock him back, but such strength and toughness."
On when Rice's Heisman campaign begins: "I think it already began the second half of this year. He played his way right into that. That was not planned. This year we said it was Brian, then Ray maybe, but midseason, no one had to say a word. You guys were thinking it, we were thinking it, Jason (Baum) was thinking it, Kevin MacConnell. We all just said let's kick it off here in midseason and had we not faltered there at Cincinnati, who knows? It is an individual award, but as you guys know, it's also a team-related deal. We will do everything that we think is appropriate to promote Ray for the Heisman because I think he deserves that consideration, but I think Ray would be the first to tell you it's team first and that's the kind of young man he is. I think our team is at the point where we can promote a guy for an individual award and they can appreciate that and not have the jealousy, and that's what you have to guard against. Right now, the way our program is, I think that's ok."
On an unnoticed event that led to such a special season: "I think training camp. You guys were with us through our training camp. It was as good a training camp as a team has had and I think the North Carolina team we beat in week on was a pretty good football team that had a chain of events that led it to the season it had, so I think that win was critical. To get off to the right start and Tom (Luicci) said to me before the game, this is a big game, and it was a big game. To go on the road against a team people picked at the beginning of the year to be really a good football team, a bowl football team, and even an upper-echelon bowl team, so that to me was a huge test, and then from a pure football standpoint, going on the road for three-straight weeks against one-loss teams and beating them, at that point you think 'maybe we can do this thing.' The thing I thought was good, and maybe it's because I didn't have a lot of time to think about anything, our whole staff just kept grinding away at it and our kids followed suit. You don't give it much thought during the time, but when we won those three games on the road, I think everybody kind of steppe back and said 'that's not easy to do against one-loss teams.'"
On who may not be available for spring practices: "There's going to be some guys. We're still working through it, but there are some guys that are going to be getting tests; there are going to be some surgeries. There are guys who were playing hurt this year at different points and just pushed through it, knowing they would get it fixed at the end of the year. So yeah, there will be guys. It's not only the spring, it's the winter program. We'll get up probably six to eight times at 5:30 in the morning and do intensive conditioning in the bubble and our whole winter training program will pick up in the strength and conditioning phase; those guys who have off-season surgeries will go through it, but they won't be in the main population, they won't be in there leading, and get the opportunity to lead. Some of these guys I'm concerned about are leaders. We'll see and know better in a couple of days. Tim Brown had an opportunity play because of some injuries and some other guys will get opportunities to play and get more snaps than they thought they might if, in fact, guys have to have the off-season surgeries."
On who the spring will be important for: "I think the whole linebacking crew. I was thinking about this when I was getting ready this morning, we were all critical of the linebackers two years ago, and now those same guys were really a lot better last year and I thought played excellent this year. Quintero (Frierson) and Devraun (Thompson) were big time Division-I linebackers this year, the way they played. They were a big part of our defense being as good as it was, so they developed through the system and hopefully these young guys are going to have to step up in their place. It'd be great to have Renkart (Brandon) back because he's been a really consistent performer and one that, when we moved there in the spring, thought one of these guys would beat him out, but this guy is that special of a guy, there was no way he'd let that happen, and now he comes back as one of our leaders and a returner that we're really counting on. Those other two spots'?someone is really going to have to rise up. We have a lot of young, talented guys at that position, but out of that group, someone is going to have to rise up and we're talking about our middle linebacker. We have to replace our middle linebacker."
On the importance of the spring: "It'll be big for a lot of the young guys who will have an opportunity. We have talented young guys across the board, talented young guys on the defensive line, talented young guys on the secondary. Everyone is going to have to fight their way to get their position in training camp. Once we get back past week two or three of training camp, we kind of lock it down and that's the team we're going to go with for the year, so this is the time a lot of that stuff will shake out."
On whether next year's team will be the most talented: "It has a chance. We don't have a lot of scholarships left to give, but we a few, and the few that are remaining are great players, so put them in the mix, plus those who have already committed to us, and then you take the talent already in the program from top to bottom, it's got a chance to be. But, as you know, that's not always the secret but it sure is a nice place to start."
On the quarterback position and depth: "I think there's competition at every position, all the time. I think we've proven that over the years, last year in the middle of the season we changed quarterbacks; the minute I think someone else gives us a better chance to win with all things being considered, we'll make the change, but not before then, not on a hunch. I think Mike (Teel) has performed tremendously, especially at the end of the season. The way he rebounded after that Cincinnati game, there were three games in a row I thought he played great football. He did it other times during the year, and I think he's very, very comfortable right now with his young receivers, with those guys working all off-season. The thing that's great about Mike and those receivers, and all the quarterbacks, really, is they love football. They want to be in that bubble, they're going to be throwing. I tell the story about Jabu. Last year after the bowl game, he goes into the bubble at Giants' Stadium because he lives up there, and he's throwing. He's throwing at garbage cans. I said, 'Jabu, what made you think it was open? Usually NFL teams don't want you using their facilities.' Those are the kind of guys we have now in the program. They love football and we have purposely made that, other than character, made that the number one trait we're looking for, that they love the game. If they love the game, everything else takes care of itself."
On the play from the freshmen: "I did (like what he saw). Ryan D'Imperio playing on special teams, you're talking about Blair Bines playing on special teams. Guys that show that they have the ability. They're big, they're more traditional big-time college linebacker size; 6'3", 6'3.5", 6'2.5", 230, 240 pound linebackers. It's a good starting point, but again, they play, they love the game, so I'm excited about those guys. There are some guys who did a great job on the scout team week in and week out. You look at the quarterbacks. We have a very talented group of quarterbacks. There's a freshman who rehabbed from a knee injury all year, Charlie Noonan, who's a guy who will be a good football player. So there are a lot of young guys who maybe you haven't' seen do much who we'll give the spring to make a name for themselves and I think there's promise in that group."
