Maryland’s trip to Rutgers now carries a different kind of edge after Greg Schiano used the 2026 Big Ten Media Days to spell out just how far his program has moved beyond simple rebuilding.
Schiano’s message was blunt: the Scarlet Knights are no longer “building”. They’re transforming.
And the change, as he described it, runs all the way through what he called "vertical alignment" - a connected line of support from Board Chair Amy Towers to President William Tate, AD Kelly Zinn, and the coaching staff. That matters for Maryland because Rutgers is presenting itself as something sturdier, more coordinated, and far more dangerous than the version the Terrapins have seen before.
The shift has changed how Schiano operates, too. With Rutgers’ administration now handling the “boots on the ground” NIL fundraising across New York and New Jersey, he has been able to settle fully into the role of program CEO.
That means more time in the film room, more time on the practice field, and more time on self-scouting during the middle of the season. In Schiano’s telling, Rutgers is now built to absorb the grind of a Big Ten schedule in a way it simply wasn’t before.
The biggest overhaul is on defense, where Rutgers is trying to erase the issues that defined last season’s 5-7 finish. Schiano called that unit’s play “really poor” and the scheme “middle‑of‑the‑road,” and the response was a major change at coordinator. Travis Johansson has been brought in to remake the defense around physicality, discipline, and a sharper edge.
Johansson’s priorities are clear. He wants bigger edges to shut down horizontal escapes, a more aggressive hunt for turnovers, and stronger player-coach “connection” so communication is cleaner on the field.
That blueprint lines up directly with Maryland’s strengths and Rutgers’ old weaknesses. The Terrapins like to stress defenses on the perimeter, which is exactly where Rutgers says it struggled a year ago.
If the Scarlet Knights can force plays “down the middle” and keep Maryland from getting loose outside, the matchup changes fast.
The series history adds another layer. Maryland leads the all-time matchup 12-9, owns 11 conference titles to Rutgers’ one, and has produced 237 NFL Draft picks, including 18 first-rounders.
Rutgers, by comparison, has 71 total selections and three first-rounders. The recent trend has bounced around, with Maryland winning three straight from 2021-2023 before Rutgers answered with two straight of its own.
But the larger picture still shows a program trying to climb uphill.
That is why Schiano’s overhaul feels so central to this October 17th meeting. Rutgers is betting that its new structure - institutional support, financial commitment, and a more modern football operation - can start closing gaps that have been there for years. The goal is not just to compete, but to do it with a program built to last.
For Rutgers to win this one, the formula is straightforward. It has to win the takeaway battle, keep Maryland from stretching the field horizontally, and get enough from Antwan Raymond to handle a 30-carry script. Schiano also wants to see his approach to “developmental money” for high-school offensive linemen pay off in the trenches.
At the core of it all is Schiano’s broader “Purpose”: develop players holistically while turning Rutgers into a sustainably competitive Big Ten program. If the Scarlet Knights beat Maryland, it would be a sign that the program has moved past the “unacceptable” 5-7 baseline and into something much more ambitious.
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Greg Schiano Just Drew A Hard Line For Rutgers This Season
Greg Schiano did not spend much time soft-pedaling Rutgers standard for this season. The head coach pointed back to last years 5-7 finish as a line the program cannot accept, then said the offseason was used to push the Scarlet Knights toward a better version of themselves. Schiano also emphasized that the people steering the program are aligned, from the top of the university through the athletic department, and he sounded convinced the roster now has the kind of depth and talent that can make that message matter.
The pressure point remains on the defensive side, where Rutgers never looked settled enough a year ago. Schiano said the unit has to improve, especially in the areas of takeaways and overall chemistry, and the staff has already made a change to help address it. For a team trying to turn a frustrating record into something sturdier, that side of the ball may end up defining whether Schianos hard line becomes a turning point or just another reminder of how much work is still ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Greg Schiano Heads To Media Days With Rutgers At A Crossroads
Greg Schiano heads to Chicago this week with Rutgers still trying to sort out what kind of team it can be in 2026. The Scarlet Knights are sending their coach and representatives to Big Ten Media Days at a moment when the program has real questions to answer, from who takes over at quarterback to whether the offense can keep building around KJ Duff and Antwan Raymond after a season that showed both promise and the need for more consistency.
There is also a bigger-picture test looming for a staff entering Schianos seventh year in his second stint. Rutgers has pushed to raise its NIL budget, a move that could matter in keeping and attracting talent, while the defense now turns to new coordinator Travis Johansen after a rough year on that side of the ball. Media days will not solve any of it, but they should give a clearer read on how Schiano plans to steer a team that finished with five wins and is still looking for a firmer footing in the Big Ten. [Read more 🡒]
Rutgers Just Got Meaningful Big Ten Respect Before The 2026 Season
The Big Tens preseason honors list is out, and it gives Rutgers a little more to point to as summer turns toward camp. The leagues annual group includes 12 players from across the conference, with Indiana leading the way with three selections, and eight of those honorees are slated to be on hand for Big Ten Media Days this week.
For Rutgers, the takeaway is a positive one: the Scarlet Knights landed two names on the list in wide receiver KJ Duff and running back Antwan Raymond. It is the kind of preseason recognition that does not change a season by itself, but it does signal that Rutgers has players who are drawing real conference attention before the 2026 campaign gets rolling. [Read more 🡒]