Former Buccaneers head coach Greg Schiano is generating a “lot of interest” for NFL defensive coordinator positions, according to Bruce Feldman of FOX Sports (Twitter link).
While Schiano spent two years as Tampa Bay’s head coach from 2012-13, the majority of the 51-year-old’s experience has come at the collegiate level. He’s currently the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator at Ohio State, but he’s perhaps best known for his 11-year run as the head coach at Rutgers. Schiano nearly landed the Tennessee head coaching job last year before seemingly misplaced social media backlash caused the Volunteers to back out of a deal.
Schiano’s reputation and record in the NFL is a mixed bag, to say the least. He posted an overall mark of 11-21 in two season with the Buccaneers, and drew criticism around the league and within the organization for his “autocratic” management style. Schiano was also infamous for sending his defensive players on all-out rushes when opposing offenses were executing game-ending kneel-downs, a controversial strategy that drew ire around the league.
But Schiano does have a solid relationship with Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and other members of the New England coaching tree, leading Ben Volin of the Boston Globe to speculate (via Twitter) that Schiano could potentially follow either Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels or defensive coordinator Matt Patricia if either accepts a head coaching position elsewhere.
I guess it’s up to Twitter if he gets hired.