“Won’t Have Enough Guys” Greg Schiano Shares His Thoughts On Rutgers’ Injury Plague
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Rutgers recently broke their four-game losing streak after clinching a 24-27 win against Purdue. While the fans celebrated the win, coach Greg Schiano was clouded by another serious concern on the horizon, which could have some severe consequences for the team in the near future.
Twenty-two players have missed the last game, the highest single-game total in a season already ravaged by injuries. In a recent media appearance, Schiano shared his thoughts on the issue.
Rutgers Ravaged By A Massive List Of Injured Players
Through eight games, Rutgers has lost 12 players for the season. True freshman wide receiver Michael Thomas III became the latest addition on Saturday. The list includes three projected starters: linebacker Moses Walker, defensive tackle Doug Blue-Eli, and left tackle Ryder Langsdale. Special teams contributors and key depth pieces are also gone.
Starting right tackle Taj White and backup cornerback Al-Shadee Salaam suffered apparent serious injuries against Purdue. Schiano declined to comment on their status. Nine others have missed at least three games, including safety Davoun Fuse, who has sat out all eight.
Recently, Schiano made his appearance in a press conference (currently available on YouTube) to share updates on the team’s current status, their upcoming game plan, and his thoughts on the injuries.“If you’re looking for somebody to feel sorry for you, wrong place,” Schiano said, “You got to go play with who you got.”
Injuries have also gutted Rutgers’ ability to develop younger players. The team has eliminated post-practice developmental periods. “We’ve had to stop doing that because we can’t risk the injury,” Schiano said, “If we have an injury in our developmental period at the end of practice, then we won’t have enough guys to run the scout team.”
Schiano warned of worse to come if the proposed 105-player roster limit takes effect. “Can you imagine if the 105 was in effect?” he said. “We are a developmental program. How do you practice when you can’t run two fields at the same time and practice productively? We are on the verge of not being able to do that right now.”
This marks the second straight season of widespread injuries for Rutgers. Last year, the Knights finished with eight players out for the season and six questionable by the finale. “I get frustrated with our kickoff coverage sometimes, but a lot of those guys that should be on that kickoff coverage are out,” Schiano said.
He has no definitive answer for the severe amounts of injuries plaguing his lineup, but pointed to changes, including replacing longtime strength coach Jay Butler with Spencer Brown. “Everything in life has a lag time,” Schiano said. “I think we will get better.”
Despite the setbacks, the Scarlet Knights need two wins in their final four games for bowl eligibility, starting Saturday at Illinois.“There’s a lot that goes on, if you can imagine being responsible for 250 people,” Schiano said, “When you love those people like we do, you feel their pain.” With a depleted roster, Rutgers marches on because that’s all they can do.
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Rituraj Halder is a football junkie. He covers everything from clutch game-day moments to the stories that offer a glimpse into the locker room. Over the years, he’s written for outlets like Pro Sports and Football Network, Esports on Sports Illustrated, Sportskeeda, and EssentiallySports, carving out a voice that blends sharp analysis with genuine passion. Whether it’s breaking down a Big Ten rivalry, highlighting rising stars, or capturing the emotion that fuels the game, Rituraj writes football the way fans feel it: loud, proud, and all in.