PISCATAWAY – Rutgers football is heading into a bye week, and coach Greg Schiano vowed to examine just about everything.
He needs to, because his team continues to struggle.
Specifically, his defense.
The Scarlet Knights lost 47-15 to defending champion Indiana on Saturday, falling to 1-4 as the disappointing and frustrating start to the season continues, largely because of a defense that has failed to play to the level it needs to in order to be competitive.
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“We didn’t perform well enough,” Schiano said. “That’s taking no credit away from Indiana, they’ve won 21 straight. They’re a heck of a football team. Well coached, good players. But I expected us to play better. It’s my job to get this fixed. I’ve been doing this a long time, I know how to do it. I’ve got to go do it. I can’t talk about it, got to do it.”
The numbers are ugly.
Travis Johansen’s unit gave up 593 total yards of offense. The Hoosiers rushed for 329 yards. They averaged 8.7 yards per play.
Too often, players on Rutgers’ defense were out of position.
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Too often, the tackling was poor.
The Hoosiers connected on too many explosive plays, something Schiano earlier in the week his team needed to limit.
Schiano said he saw improvement the previous two weeks – a seven-point loss to USC and a blowout win over FCS-level Howard – but that disappeared against Indiana.
“I do think we have to examine exactly what we’re doing in all phases of defense and what are we capable of doing here and now,” Schiano said. “Not maybe a year from now or two years from now, but what are we capable of doing effectively (now).”
The unit underwent a complete overhaul in the offseason after also struggling last season.
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A new coaching staff, more than 10 new transfers.
None of it has worked, starting from the stunning and embarrassing season-opening loss to UMass.
Schiano said he’d look at everything, but stopped short at saying exactly where he’d begin or what it might involve.
“Anything’s on the table – like I said, I love the coaching staff, I love the players,” Schiano said. “It won’t be any of that. It’s going to be what can we do improve? We have to improve. I thought we did improve the last weeks and we didn’t improve this week.”
Schiano said he still has full belief in his coaching staff to fix the problem.
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Why does he have that belief?
“It’s like anything, why do you believe anything? Because I do,” Schiano said. “That’s a choice. Belief in something is a choice. I believe in these guys because I’ve worked with them every day and I see the players practice. I know how we’re capable of improving.”
Schiano said his team needs time to improve.
The Scarlet Knights will have a week off to find some answers.
It better find them, or else the final seven games could be as ugly as the first five.
“Do I think we’re make the College Football Playoff this year? No, I don’t think we’re there yet,” Schiano said. “But again to me the operative word is yet. I think we will get there. It’s frustrating right now, no doubt. There’s a lot of reasons we are where we are. I know what we’ve got to do. Some of it just keep working. We need some time. Some of it is we better fix some things and change some things because it’s not working. Belief is a strong thing if it’s real.”
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Greg Schiano faces ‘tough decisions’ at Rutgers football’s bye week
