Rutgers football continues to reshape its defensive coaching staff, and the latest addition brings another familiar face into the fold. Eric Finney is set to take over as the new cornerbacks coach, reuniting with newly hired defensive coordinator Travis Johansen. The two worked together last season at South Dakota, where Johansen served as head coach and Finney led the cornerbacks room.
This move is part of a broader effort by head coach Greg Schiano to inject new energy and proven player development into a defense that struggled mightily in 2025. Rutgers finished near the bottom of the Big Ten in most major defensive categories, and Schiano is clearly looking to reset the tone on that side of the ball.
Finney brings a strong background in defensive coaching, particularly in the secondary. His most recent stop before South Dakota was at Cincinnati in 2024, where he served as assistant defensive backs coach under veteran positions coach Kerry Coombs. That connection is notable-Coombs and Schiano worked closely during their time at Ohio State, giving Finney a direct link to the coaching tree Schiano trusts.
Before Cincinnati, Finney was the defensive backs coach and special teams coordinator at Iowa Western Community College, a program known for producing Division I talent. And he’s no stranger to Big Ten football himself-Finney played three seasons at Illinois from 2013 to 2015, giving him firsthand experience in the conference he now returns to as a coach.
Finney’s arrival isn’t the only domino to fall since Johansen took the reins of the defense. Drake head coach Joe Woodley is expected to join the staff in an assistant role, and Adam Cox-Drake’s defensive coordinator-is lined up to become Rutgers’ safeties coach. It’s clear Johansen is surrounding himself with coaches he knows and trusts, building a cohesive unit from the ground up.
For Rutgers, the hope is that this new-look defensive staff can revitalize a unit that simply couldn’t get enough stops last season. With Finney focusing on the cornerbacks and bringing a strong development track record, there’s optimism that the Scarlet Knights can tighten up their coverage and bring more consistency to the back end of the defense.
The pieces are starting to fall into place. Now, it’s about turning potential into production-and that starts with coaching.