Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Schiano's Secret Deals Lead to Penn State?

A day after the Newark Star-Ledger reported that Greg Schiano had a previously unknown side agreement with marketing group that paid him $250,000 a year, another clause was revealed in the coach's contract.

Schiano will be able to break his 10-year contract without penalty if Rutgers is unable to complete an expansion of its stadium by 2009. Currently, the buyout on his contract is $500,000.

Rutgers president Richard McCormick apologized for the university's continuing "lack of transparency" involving Schiano's deal and said all terms should have been made public.

"I'm not sure why we didn't, but I regret it," McCormick said.

So let's get right to it. Schiano, a former Penn State assistant, has long been the odds-on favorite to replace Joe Paterno, who is likely in his final year as Nittany Lion coach. And yes, that renovation of Rutgers Stadium is — you guessed it — running into all kinds of roadblocks.

It all seems too perfect, doesn't it?

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Schiano has made too many promises to kids and their parents to renege on them. He's always said his dream was to build Rutgers up like Paterno built Penn State, not to take over at Penn State. It seems out of character based on what he's told people, but money is money, anything can happen, and these rumors won't ever really stop until he has to turn the job down.

Anonymous said...

I have played for Coach Schiano, and I was playing there when he was introduced as RUs new coach. I heard his plans from the beginning, and he has not broke stride in turning the RU program around. I believed in Schiano from the start. Once he took over the program RU was on the rise. Schiano came from great programs and knows how to win. If he wants to move on after 8 years then I feel he has the right. Even though it would be great to see him on the banks of the Raritan for many more years to come. Just a little side note..Back in 2000 if U of M made Schiano Head Coach they would never have to rebuild their program today.

Unknown said...

Anyone who thinks Schiano is staying at Rutgers if/when the Penn State job opens up is in for the same rude awakening at least half a dozen schools get every year when their coach bolts after promising everyone he wasn't going anywhere

Anonymous said...

Yes, "money is money," but who's to say that Rutgers won't give as much, or more than Penn State will? Also, did anyone consider the fact that Rutgers may have a much brighter outlook in the coming years than the Nintany Lions?

Anonymous said...

Schiano, a former Penn State assistant, has long been the odds-on favorite to replace Joe Paterno, who is likely in his final year as Nittany Lion coach.

In the past week Joe told ESPN he was going to coach "three, four, five years" and told reporters he was going to be there "four, five, six years."

Moreover, Schiano is not the "odds-on favorite" to replace JoePa. That would be cornerbacks coach Tom "Scrap" Bradley, who is the untitled defensive coordinator.

H.C. Prick said...

Schiano is going to Penn State. There's no loyalty in coaching a team, no matter how good they are right now, when legendary programs are prepared to throw a ricockulous amount of money at you. Then again, what do I know? (WVU student)

Anonymous said...

Schiano will definitely NOT be going to Penn State.

I don't really think this is much of a story anyway. The stadium expansion will be completed on time. A 250k buyout, which will likely remain in place, wouldn't be enough to scare away anyone.

So we are...exactly back where we were before we learned this news.

Anonymous said...

A buyout of $250k or $500k or even if they got it to $1 million is not going to stop a school from hiring a coach. Those dollars are simply not significant enough.

Anonymous said...

"Schiano has made too many promises to kids and their parents to renege on them. He's always said his dream was to build Rutgers up like Paterno built Penn State, not to take over at Penn State."

How does the Kool-aid taste?