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The atmosphere on Saturday afternoon for Rutgers football against Ohio State should be electric, especially since the Scarlet Knights gained considerable respect following Saturday’s tight loss at Michigan. A big crowd, perhaps a sell-out, and a hyped-up fanbase.
And games like this, against the No. 11 Buckeyes, is the backdrop for what Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano is looking to create and foster away from the football field. For the meticulous Schiano, part of the rebuilding process is happening off the field with the creation of a culture and home game environment. It is in the details of what he is seeking to accomplish on and off the field.
A true home-field advantage is something that has been lacking around Rutgers home games for the better part of a decade.
“You know we’ve had two home games – and you know I’m very focused on what we’re doing but I spend time on that part of the program with people that that’s their job,” Schiano told reporters on Monday during his weekly press conference.
“But I do have I do spend some time on that because when you build a program as you’re mentioning.- but it is everything. It’s the recruiting, it’s the coaching, it’s the scheme.
“It’s also the game day environment, you know, it’s the students are so important. This is a college football team at an awesome AAU University and I want our students to have something that they can come here, be proud of, first of what we do on the field but enjoy the day.”
Schiano has made it a point of emphasis to get the students involved in gameday as well. The past few seasons, the student section has been lacking energy and not exactly overflowing. To the point that during one home game, away fans once took over the section.
Leading up to the season opener, Schiano made it a point to speak at freshman convocation as well as attend student events and post on social media about the importance of selling out the student section. It has been a point of emphasis for him since taking over the job.
The students have turned out strong in the season’s first two games, led by the raucous Rutgers Riot Squad.
“And we had a great student section, and I’ve been really proud of them, they’ve gotten here we’ve had some early games they’ve gotten here. We had some games that you know, I’m really proud when I looked up there and our warm-ups and [the student sections] are in there. That to me is really cool and especially when we had the early game and they were there like people said ‘They won’t do that.’ Well, they did that day. And that’s, that’s what we need,” Schiano said.
“And then I kind of like can hear the crowd, having their own things and I’m in the huddle talking, but I can just hear a bunch of stuff going on in the stadium, while the play is stopped. And that to me is, that’s what college kids want to do. They want to have fun, make it a fun day for him. We have people that do a great job of promoting that. And I’m proud of the way they’re doing that.
“It’s not going to happen overnight, but it’s going to happen here and it’s going to be a lot of fun to go to a Rutgers football game. It starts with winning I get that. But then there’s more to it than just that.”