The Patriots will not be turned into Schiano Men. Former Buccaneers and Ohio State coach Greg Schiano, who had just been tabbed as New England’s defensive coordinator in February, announced his resignation today. The team hadn’t yet officially announced his hire, but he’s already gone.
Here’s Schiano’s full statement:
I have informed Mr. Kraft and Coach Belichick that I am stepping down from my position at the Patriots. This is not the result of any one event, but rather a realization that I need to spend more time on my faith and family. I don’t want to look back years from now and wish I had done things differently. Therefore, I am taking time away from the game to recalibrate my priorities.
Huh. Huh! Former Pats player Jerod Mayo was just hired Wednesday as the team’s linebackers coach, but he was expected to be working with Schiano and the rest of the defensive staff. Another thing worth mentioning is that defensive end Michael Bennett, who was traded to New England on March 14, played for Schiano on the Bucs and very much disliked the experience:
“He gathered us before we practiced and told us that if Belichick said something to us on the field, we should listen,” one current Bucs player recalls. “He said, ‘Treat their coaches like they’re your coaches.’ We were like, ‘Huh?’ When we practiced together, whatever Belichick wanted, he did. It was hilarious — here (Schiano) is, acting like Mr. Tough Guy all the time, and when Belichick wanted something he was like, ‘Yes, Bill.’ “
Bennett, who laughs at the recollection, put it this way: “He’s trying to be Belichick. Yeah, some people think Belichick’s an (expletive), but he’s a legend. When this guy acts that way, it’s a whole different deal.”
I guess there are a lot of possible reasons a coach might quit a high-profile job on a successful team after one month, without making it to a game or even training camp. If you know what happened in this specific case, though, drop a line.