The addition of Pat Flaherty to the Rutgers football coaching staff can’t be understated, with the veteran offensive line coach charged with revamping the program’s weakest unit over the past several seasons.
Flaherty, who spent the last two decades in the NFL, is best known for winning two Super Bowls with the New York Giants. He returns to Rutgers after spending seven seasons with the program as an offensive line assistant, leaving in 1991 to take a series of college jobs before landing in the NFL with Washington in 2000.
The hiring of Flaherty is an important offseason move for Rutgers as they look to take the next step in head coach Greg Schiano’s rebuilding of the program. The struggles on offense have been a major issue for Rutgers for much of the last decade, resulting in the Scarlet Knights consistently being bottom three of the Big Ten in scoring for much of that time.
But the addition of the seasoned and experienced Flaherty, along with offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca, is being counted on to turn the offense into a functional unit.
“Well, without a doubt, you know, I’ve known Pat for heck, as long as I’ve been coaching,” Schiano said in an interview with NBC Sports Chicago’s James Neveau.
“I was his GA (graduate assistant) back in 19…whatever it might have been. I get that I’m starting to get old now. Right. 1989, 1990. So we’ve known each other a long time and he’s an excellent coach. Again, someone that I consider a dear friend.”
Schiano detailed the impact of Flaherty and what his experience brings to the program. In particular, how he can elevate an offensive line that has some solid pieces but didn’t play at a good level last year.
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“I think they have, you know, Hollin is a guy, Curtis Dunlap is a guy but I think really, you look at it, the guy who’s leading that show is Pat Flaherty,” Schiano said.
“With his experience, he’s going to show them the way he wants it done. And I think what they’ve shown is that they really respect and are really working very hard to try to do what he’s asking them to do.”
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