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Patriots rumors: Greg Schiano to be defensive coordinator

ByJoe Romano|
NEW ORLEANS, LA - DECEMBER 29: Greg Schiano, head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, watches action during a game against the New Orleans Saints at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on December 29, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana. New Orleans won the game 42-17. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - DECEMBER 29: Greg Schiano, head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, watches action during a game against the New Orleans Saints at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on December 29, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana. New Orleans won the game 42-17. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

The New England Patriots will have a different staff entering the 2018 season with coordinators leaving.

When the final whistle rang after Super Bowl LII on Sunday, it was clear that the Patriots will be undergoing changes. Entering the game everyone knew that both coordinators will likely be leaving. Defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, and his beautiful beard, will be leaving Foxboro to take over head coaching duties of the Detroit Lions.

Patricia has been the defensive coordinator for the past five seasons. Now that he will be taking his patented ear-placed pencil to Detroit, the Patriots are looking to the collegiate ranks to find a new defensive coordinator. According to Zach Barnett of Football Scoop, the Patriots will hire former Ohio State defensive coordinator Greg Schiano.

Now Schiano will join coach Bill Belichick’s staff as defensive coordinator of the New England Patriots. Belichick has a great relationship with Schiano’s previous boss Urban Meyer, which likely aided in this decision.

Schiano has experience in both the NFL and collegiate. The former New Jersey resident made a name for himself as the defensive coordinator of the Miami Hurricanes during their national title runs in 1999-2000. Rutgers hired Schiano as head coach in the immediate aftermath and eventually entered the top 10 nationally for the first time in history in 2006.

In 2012, Schiano left Rutgers to coach in the NFL with the head coaching job for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  Two seasons later, with a record of 11-21, he was fired.

After a two-season hiatus from major football, Ohio State pulled Schiano back to college. He took over the defensive duties for Meyers’ staff. He has been the defensive coordinator for the Ohio State Buckeyes for the past two seasons. This offseason his name began to pop up in the head coaching circles, including being offered the head coaching job at the University of Tennessee. The bizarre story ended with boosters and fans of the school making enough noise to end the chance of that happening.

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New England will need some defensive changes after allowing over 500 yards and 41 points in the Super Bowl. Schiano will bring his aggressive defensive schemes to mesh with Belichick’s principles already in place.