Despite all the attention being paid to a deep and heavy Big Ten schedule. Rutgers football head coach Greg Schiano said that his team is focused only on their season opener at Boston College.
Everything else, will be given attention in due time.
Rutgers is looking to continue its rebuild in what is a third season under Schiano. Last season, Rutgers went 5-8, playing in the Gator Bowl. It was the program’s first postseason appearance since 2014 under Kyle Flood.
That season was the program’s first in the Big Ten.
Boston College is an impressive task for Rutgers football. They are traditionally strong in the trenches and a disciplined program. If Rutgers wants to qualify outright for a bowl game this season, then a win at Boston College is a must.
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Schiano made his comments on Monday during an interview with WQAM in south Florida. The show was hosted by Larry Blustein.
“We’re focused on one game and that’s Boston College and it’s another guy who worked for us, Jeff Hafley, was here with me at Rutgers and he was also with me in Tampa Bay,” Schiano said on WQAM.
“Another guy you knew was going to be a head coach. What a great job he did for us at both players and now we’re coaching against him.
“A lot of the guys on his staff are former Rutgers guys. So, it’s going to be a real exciting Labor Day weekend…we open up…on Boston on the road and then we get back here and eventually start our Big Ten season with Iowa at home is huge. Then we go out to Ohio State and then we have a night game with Nebraska. It’s awesome. I think the Big Ten is great football, tradition, excellence. It is something that I’m proud we’re a part of.”
In his previous answer, Schiano talked about his coaching tree that includes Hafley as well as Mario Cristobal (head coach, Miami) and P.J. Fleck (head coach, Minnesota). All three head coaches spent time as assistants under Schiano.
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In 2021 in his second season with Boston College, Hafley led the Eagles to a 6-6 record.
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