Rutgers tabs Flood to replace Schiano

PISCATAWAY, N.J.  – Rutgers Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Tim Pernetti announced on Tuesday the appointment of Kyle Flood as the 29th head coach at the Birthplace of College Football.

Flood, who served on Rutgers’ coaching staff for the previous seven seasons, assumes the head coaching vacancy created after Greg Schiano resigned his position to become head coach of the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

One constant on any coaching staff with Flood is how successful those teams have fared. As an assistant coach, 16 of Flood’s 17 seasons his teams have finished with winning records, including earning a National Championship at Delaware.

The last time Rutgers promoted an assistant coach on staff to the head coaching position was the naming of Frank Burns to replace John Bateman in 1973 — and Burns became the winningest coach in school history.

A highly respected figure in the coaching profession, Flood has served as the assistant head coach of the program since 2008 and has been a key part in Rutgers’ six bowl appearances over his seven-year tenure in Piscataway. In addition to his four years as the assistant head coach, Flood has been in charge of the offensive line since coming to RU in 2005.

Known as an excellent tactician with strong recruiting ties, Flood has served on the coaching staff of the team with the nation’s longest active bowl winning streak at five games. While being part of a program producing victories at a rate unprecedented in Rutgers’ history, Flood has understood the value of academics for the Scarlet Knights. In 2010, Rutgers’ football program ranked first in the nation in Academic Progress Rate and in 2011 the team followed up with the nation’s No. 2 ranking.

During his time 'On the Banks', the Rutgers offensive line has consistently produced top-level talent, including several of which who have gone on to the National Football League. Most recently, Anthony Davis became the highest player ever drafted in Rutgers history as the 11th overall pick of the 2010 NFL Draft. Davis has started every game of his two-year career with the San Francisco 49ers at right tackle and helped guide the 49ers to the NFC Championship game this season.

In 2011, Flood helped tutor true freshman right tackle Kaleb Johnson into one of the nation’s premier rookie offensive linemen, earning Freshman All-America honors. In addition, senior offensive guard Art Forst collected All-BIG EAST first team honors while senior offensive guard Desmond Wynn was named to the All-BIG EAST second team.

Since arriving at Rutgers, Flood has coached 10 All-BIG EAST first or second team selections on the offensive line, one All-American and two Freshman All-America honorees.

Flood has helped engineer some of the most potent offenses in Rutgers history – evident in a record-breaking 2007 season. The Scarlet Knights' offensive line ranked second in the nation with just 10 sacks allowed in addition to an RU offense that became the first in NCAA history to have a 3,000-yard passer, 2,000-yard rusher and two 1,000-yard receivers in the same season.

The Rutgers offense was ranked 18th nationally in total offense in 2007. The offensive line featured two of the top tackles in the nation in Pedro Sosa and Jeremy Zuttah. Both players earned All-BIG EAST honors and were also invited to the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, with Zuttah becoming a third round selection by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Flood added run game coordinator to his duties in 2007 and his offensive line helped pave the way for All-American running back Ray Rice, who rushed for a school and then-BIG EAST record 2,012 yards that season. Rice went on to become one of the most-recognizable faces in the NFL en route to consecutive Pro Bowl appearances in 2010 and 2011.

In 2006, Flood coached an offensive line that helped Rutgers to one of its most productive seasons as the group relinquished the fewest sacks in the nation with just eight. His unit was regarded as one of the best in the country and featured Cameron Stephenson and Darnell Stapleton, both who played in the NFL. Flood's corps of hard-nosed blockers helped guide Rice to an All-America season, as he finished second in the nation with 1,794 yards.

Flood came to Rutgers after three seasons at the University of Delaware, where he helped the Blue Hens to a 30-11 record, including a 15-1 mark in 2003 en route to the NCAA FCS National Championship and a share of the Atlantic 10 title in 2004. He also served as assistant head coach and recruiting coordinator during his stint.

Prior to his three seasons at Delaware, Flood was offensive line coach at Hofstra from 1997-2001. While at Hofstra, he helped the Pride earn berths in the NCAA FCS playoffs in 1997 and 1999-2001. The Pride were among the top offensive teams in the nation during his tenure, ranking second in total offense, fourth in passing and fifth in scoring in 2001.