PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) — Rutgers fired offensive coordinator Sean Gleeson on Sunday, two days after the team’s third straight Big Ten loss.
Head coach Greg Schiano announced the move, which comes following the sixth game of Gleeson’s third season with the Scarlet Knights (3-3, 0-3 Big Ten).
The Rutgers offense has struggled this season. The team ranks No. 108 in total offense (334 yards per game), No. 104 in scoring offense (22.8 PPG) and No. 118 in team passing efficiency. Rutgers lost to Nebraska (3-3, 2-1) 14-13 on Friday night, mustering 85 total yards and no points in the second half.
”This was a difficult decision, but I believe it is in the best interest of our program to make a change at offensive coordinator,” Schiano said in a statement. “I want to thank Sean for his hard work and wish him and his family all the best in their future endeavors.”
Schiano was scheduled to address the media later Sunday.
“We are going to have to really examine everything we are doing, why we are doing it and who is doing it and when they are doing it,” Schiano said after Friday’s loss. “That’s going to take some time, but we have the bye week to do it. We have a lot of football ahead of us.”
Tight ends coach Nunzio Campanile will serve as the interim offensive coordinator. Campanile served as the interim head coach at Rutgers between Schiano’s hire and his predecessor Chris Ash’s firing.
Schiano hired Gleeson as his first offensive coordinator in his second stint at the school.
Rutgers has the week off before hosting Indiana (3-3, 1-2 Big Ten) on Saturday, Oct. 22.
Gleeson was the first Rutgers assistant to be paid over a million dollars. He’ll be paid the remainder of his salary on his deal, which is set to expire after 2023. He will be paid $1,025,000 this year and $1,050,000 in 2023.
Seen as a wunderkind for his work coordinating Princeton and Oklahoma State’s offense, he began his tenure at Rutgers with some innovative play-calling. However, the offense has struggled to produce yards or points this season.
The Scarlet Knights have had a quarterback carousel, with senior captain Noah Vedral injured to start the season. Prized recruit Gavin Wimsatt was injured in the third game of the season, and Evan Simon was also splitting time.
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