Indiana vs Rutgers: Schiano Prepares for Tough Showdown

Rutgers Scarlet Knights head coach Greg Schiano spoke with the media about his upcoming matchup against the Indiana Hoosiers.

Rutgers has never faced a tougher task this season than this one. After blowing out Howard Bison last Friday, Schiano must bring that same fire against the Hoosiers.

"Hats off to Coach Cignetti and their entire program for what they've been able to do here for the last few years and really great testament to what really fine coaches there are," Schiano said. "It's been fun to watch from a distance."

Schiano has great respect for Cignetti. The Hoosiers won the national championship last season by defeating the Miami Hurricanes. Schiano would love to experience this someday with Rutgers, but he has a long way to go. Schiano is excited to play against Cignetti and the Hoosiers, who came off a tough Week 3 battle against a talented Northwestern Wildcats team.

"When you look at their team, their front seven on defense is as good as there is in America," Schiano said. "You look at the job Brian Haynes has done as a defensive coordinator. He's done a remarkable job.

Hoosiers have a very good defense. The Wildcats' offensive line struggled to protect quarterback Aidan Chiles because of the pressure and blitz. Chiles played a great game and had to use his legs to scramble. The Scarlet Knights have struggled this season to protect their quarterbacks. This needs to be at the top of their list. Protect your quarterback at all times.

Schiano understands how good not only their defensive line is, but also their offensive line and their special teams.

"There's no weakness in this team," Schiano said. "That's why they've won 20 straight. They do what I cherish: they take care of the ball and take it away. They've won or tied the turnover net margin for 28 straight weeks, which is a modern-day record. It goes along with many of their other accomplishments."

Given that Schiano knows all of this information about the Hoosiers, there's no excuse for why he can't have his team well prepared for this matchup. When a team goes up against an elite team, they must think about every single little detail, and practice needs to be excruciatingly tough.

It's a great opportunity for Rutgers to play their best in a blackout, homecoming game in New Jersey. One thing Schiano can continue to learn from Coach Cignetti and implement in his program is the importance of evaluating, developing, and coaching. Cignetti has done that in every school he has coached throughout his career.

No matter how many years of coaching experience a coach has, there's always room for growth and learning. Hopefully, Schiano can take his coaching skills to bigger heights by learning from some of the greats like Cignetti.

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