Greg Schiano Explains What 'Vertical Alignment' Means for Rutgers Football
Rutgers Football Head Coach Greg Schiano spoke about vertical alignment and how it will help transform the Scarlet Knights.
"“One of the things that thrills me about the vertical alignment at Rutgers now is I get to spend more time doing the thing that I love to do, and that’s investing in the players’ lives,” Schiano said."![]()
Greg Schiano Explains What 'Vertical Alignment' Means for Rutgers Football
Rutgers Football Head Coach Greg Schiano spoke about vertical alignment and how it will help transform the Scarlet Knights.www.on3.com

That's always been a source of pride but somehow running the cleanest mediocre program in the country just doesn't resonate with the mainstream fans and counts very little as to the perception of Rutgers Athletics we all get to deal with on a daily basis.He came to Rutgers because of "vertical alignment" with Mulcahy and McCormick. It worked pretty good until the media ambush of 2008. I've seen it work other places too. Hope Greg can make improvements (get a real offense) of "vertical" might mean sky-to-ground
“One of the things that thrills me about the vertical alignment at Rutgers now is I get to spend more time doing the thing that I love to do, and that’s investing in the players’ lives,” Schiano said. “My goal is to win a national championship at Rutgers, but my purpose is to make sure that every young person that’s put under my watch, that we’re developing them as husbands, as fathers, and as productive members of society.”
He overdoes that stuff somewhat imo.
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Mediocre ? LOL. Not by P4/5 standards. You know that. His Big10 winning percentage is under 30%. That's not mediocre.That's always been a source of pride but somehow running the cleanest mediocre program in the country just doesn't resonate with the mainstream fans and counts very little as to the perception of Rutgers Athletics we all get to deal with on a daily basis.
We can certainly move down a few notches with the real chance to even win a conference and still be the good guys if that is the vision.
Means nothing. D1 sports and football specifically is big business. Winning is all that matters.That's always been a source of pride but somehow running the cleanest mediocre program in the country just doesn't resonate with the mainstream fans and counts very little as to the perception of Rutgers Athletics we all get to deal with on a daily basis.
We can certainly move down a few notches with the real chance to even win a conference and still be the good guys if that is the vision.
Not here it doesn’t. He’s still the coach and will be for a long time.Means nothing. D1 sports and football specifically is big business. Winning is all that matters.
Not if he doesn’t start having 8 win seasons. 6-6 gets him another year. 5-6, maybe. Anything less he’s done.Not here it doesn’t. He’s still the coach and will be for a long time.
8 wins LOL. I missed it: 16 games a year now ? And you note plural. No way no how will that happen and he’ll keep stealing salary for as long as he wants to.Not if he doesn’t start having 8 win seasons. 6-6 gets him another year. 5-6, maybe. Anything less he’s done.
have to agree, no more rope and no more excuses8 wins LOL. I missed it: 16 games a year now ? And you note plural. No way no how will that happen and he’ll keep stealing salary for as long as he wants to.
4 wins two years in a row might get him fired by 2028. Zinn won’t take her first swing at a hire otherwise.
Todd Knisley, that one shocked a few people when it happened.Who has zinn hired already of any consequence that required effort? The WBB coach is almost irrelevant because she just dipped into the “easy” LSU bag…someone she knew from the place she came from. That took little to no effort. Now said coach comes from the mulkey coaching tree and since he’s replacing the disaster that was CW, that is the lowest of all possible hanging fruit.
Her hiring prowess is still under review until she fires and hires someone of consequence. This being said, I think she’s leaps and bounds over the dude bangin the gymnastics coach.
I can’t understand how people question her ability to hire. You can discount the Redus hire by saying it was “easy”. Name another administrator or executive that doesn’t hire early from one of their previous stops.Todd Knisley, that one shocked a few people when it happened.
She also brought on Oliver Luck as board chair of Scarlet Knight Enterprises (SKE).I can’t understand how people question her ability to hire. You can discount the Redus hire by saying it was “easy”. Name another administrator or executive that doesn’t hire early from one of their previous stops.
Agreed Kingsley is an absolute stud. But so are 3-5 of her other hires. Just because they’re not as visible as a “coaches” hire doesn’t mean they aren’t as impressive.
I was taking the high road lol.Mediocre ? LOL. Not by P4/5 standards. You know that. His Big10 winning percentage is under 30%. That's not mediocre.
Yes i think that was what i was trying to say.Means nothing. D1 sports and football specifically is big business. Winning is all that matters.
He had a good eye for the floor exercises.She also brought on Oliver Luck as board chair of Scarlet Knight Enterprises (SKE).
Noticing certain accounts, mainly anonymous ones, that want to pick nits on what Zinn has done. She has been on the job for exactly one year tomorrow. She has done more than her two predecessors in one year than in the 12 years her predecessors occupied the office. Occupied the office seems appropriate for the predecessors. In fairness, Hobbs had a good start in securing funding for the practice fields and other buildings, but his stance on NIL set Rutgers back and then the focus on gymnastics.
Set a high bar too. . . . .He had a good eye for the floor exercises.
Keli isn't amassing both human and financial capital to win 6 games. She could be on cruise control and have that as a goal. Too much work going on behind the scenes by a lot of people to accept what we've been accustomed to in the past. She and Tate come from a place where winning championships is expected. That's not Rutgers, but they aren't dumbing down to the mediocrity we've seen accepted in the past. Not with all of the work they are doing. If we don't start winning more in numerous sports (lacrosse included) it won't be for lack of effort and settling.8 wins LOL. I missed it: 16 games a year now ? And you note plural. No way no how will that happen and he’ll keep stealing salary for as long as he wants to.
4 wins two years in a row might get him fired by 2028. Zinn won’t take her first swing at a hire otherwise.
Most people would see it as a benefit to have a bag like that. We will see if he can coach, but there is no doubt he was a star in his last role.Who has zinn hired already of any consequence that required effort? The WBB coach is almost irrelevant because she just dipped into the “easy” LSU bag…someone she knew from the place she came from. That took little to no effort. Now said coach comes from the mulkey coaching tree and since he’s replacing the disaster that was CW, that is the lowest of all possible hanging fruit.
Her hiring prowess is still under review until she fires and hires someone of consequence. This being said, I think she’s leaps and bounds over the dude bangin the gymnastics coach.
the only thing that matters is footballWho has zinn hired already of any consequence that required effort? The WBB coach is almost irrelevant because she just dipped into the “easy” LSU bag…someone she knew from the place she came from. That took little to no effort. Now said coach comes from the mulkey coaching tree and since he’s replacing the disaster that was CW, that is the lowest of all possible hanging fruit.
Her hiring prowess is still under review until she fires and hires someone of consequence. This being said, I think she’s leaps and bounds over the dude bangin the gymnastics coach.
he was referring to coaches I surmiseMost people would see it as a benefit to have a bag like that. We will see if he can coach, but there is no doubt he was a star in his last role.
Who has she hired? Some of you guys need to pay a lot closer attention. She axed SAMCO and started Scarlet Knight Enterprises chaired by Oliver Luck, which was a major coup. This move alone told me how serious she is.
In fairness, Hobbs had a good start in securing funding for the practice fields and other buildings, but his stance on NIL set Rutgers back and then the focus on gymnastics.
She's hired one coach because the last one left her no choice.he was referring to coaches I surmise
agree on rest
Who is Keli’s #1 concern ? Easy question. Herself. Her job is 100% safe, and surely even down the road Tate will protect her. It will be several years before she’ll face real pressure and until then the thumb is firmly on The Grifter’s side of the scale.The AD wants to win in a lot more than football. Which is great. It's the sign of a mature Big Ten department.
Any other thinking is small time Big East.
Be great in everything you do. That's the only mindset.
Who is Keli’s #1 concern ? Easy question. Herself. Her job is 100% safe, and surely even down the road Tate will protect her. It will be several years before she’ll face real pressure and until then the thumb is firmly on The Grifter’s side of the scale.
The smug ‘vertical alignment’ quote is about their future PR and excuses, not about real commitment to winning.
Keli will only act when she needs to, and that won’t be for many more years of conference football failings.
Yes and where we disagree is on needing 8 win seasons to keep his job. And she’s not ‘going to the mat’ because she’s under no pressure. Status quo for as long as she can lengthens her stint here. Milking it. Not a knock on her but it’s the way of the world.Of course she will only act when she needs to. 4-8 will make that act happen sooner rather than later.
She was no political NJ appt. She was handpicked by the President. Of course he supports her. You say that like it's a bad thing.
No AD is going to the mat for a losing football coach that they didn't hire. Especially one that has the complete backing of the President and Board that hired her.
You assume she wants to just coast by and milk it at RU. I think it’s more likely she wants to make big waves, do things that haven’t been done before, and raise her profile on the national stage. That’s what ambitious talented people do. Will that happen? Who knows, but I’d sure rather have a person with that mindset than another NJ political appointee.Yes and where we disagree is on needing 8 win seasons to keep his job. And she’s not ‘going to the mat’ because she’s under no pressure. Status quo for as long as she can lengthens her stint here. Milking it. Not a knock on her but it’s the way of the world.
No, my assumption is that long term security is her main objective, the way these dynamics always work, understandably, so therefore slow rolling a HC change is in her best long-term interest. Barring consecutive 3 or 4 win seasons she won’t be forced to make a change. Yea she will milk it. So would I and so would you.You assume she wants to just coast by and milk it at RU. I think it’s more likely she wants to make big waves, do things that haven’t been done before, and raise her profile on the national stage. That’s what ambitious talented people do. Will that happen? Who knows, but I’d sure rather have a person with that mindset than another NJ political appointee.
All that matters may indeed be just football, but her performance on the hiring of other coaches says a lot about her process and how she goes about hiring a coachthe only thing that matters is football
also, Greg isn't smart, certainly not as smart as he's trying to be. He's discussed this stuff before, years before so it's clear he doesn't understand it or he was lying
that said, having the prez and ad aligned is key
You should get to know her. The people who are great at anything have the highest expectations of themselves. She wouldn't have made the moves she made if she was just looking for the status quo.Yes and where we disagree is on needing 8 win seasons to keep his job. And she’s not ‘going to the mat’ because she’s under no pressure. Status quo for as long as she can lengthens her stint here. Milking it. Not a knock on her but it’s the way of the world.
biggest issue we have faced is top down approach so 100% agree with you. Also agree to let it play out even though we all want immediate upswing in the 2 key sports.You should get to know her. The people who are great at anything have the highest expectations of themselves. She wouldn't have made the moves she made if she was just looking for the status quo.
You should really let it play out. You have no basis for your opinion other than "it's the way of the world". I'd look around you. There are people all over doing exceptional things. Not because other people make them. It's because they want it.
Rutgers isn't USC. It's much harder to win at RU. She may or may not get the department as a whole there, but it won't be because she didn't put everything she had into it. Alignment is what this is about. No school can win without that piece. We finally have that piece.
Listen, I hope you are right. And I'm sure she wants giant gains in football and basketball sooner, not later. But 'looking out for #1' means playing the long game. The longer she can put off canning the Grifter and/or Pike lengthens her job security. Other recent and upcoming changes are window dressing to show she's engaged and doing something but the delaying the only 2 firings/hirings that matter extends her job security. If she ever gets fired it won't be until after one or two of her own hires bust. Not in her career interest to fire anyone soon unless forced by utter, embarrassing failure.You should get to know her. The people who are great at anything have the highest expectations of themselves. She wouldn't have made the moves she made if she was just looking for the status quo.
You should really let it play out. You have no basis for your opinion other than "it's the way of the world". I'd look around you. There are people all over doing exceptional things. Not because other people make them. It's because they want it.
Rutgers isn't USC. It's much harder to win at RU. She may or may not get the department as a whole there, but it won't be because she didn't put everything she had into it. Alignment is what this is about. No school can win without that piece. We finally have that piece.
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