Schiano has produced another good Rutgers defense

PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) -Long before he was a bowl-bound coach, Greg Schiano faced a make-or-break season in 2005.

He understood that he needed to produce a winning record after posting four consecutive losing campaigns. That's when Schiano dismissed his defensive coordinator and took charge of the unit himself. He changed the defense from a basic 4-3 alignment to the zone-blitzing, Cover 2 scheme.

The rest is history. No. 25 Rutgers has gone to four straight bowl game and qualified for another this year.

"Our identity changed midway through our time here at Rutgers," said Schiano, whose Scarlet Knights (7-2, 2-2 Big East) will play Syracuse (3-6, 0-4) on Saturday in the Carrier Dome. "We went in a little bit different direction. We still have a four down front, but 2005 we kind of went in another direction schematically."

Call it the foundation for one of the nation's stingiest defenses.

"The reason I liked it is I think it gave us more multiplicity, but I didn't think it made it a lot more complicated for our kids," said Schiano, whose defense ranks 11th nationally and leads the Big East in allowing 15.6 points per game. "It was a change in system, how to call things, how to get them lined up. The fronts themselves aren't any different. It's just a more flexible system getting there."

Schiano, whose nine-year record is 53-53, has built a defense known for pressuring the quarterback, creating turnovers and keeping points to a minimum. This year's unit is no different, ranking first nationally with 29 takeaways and leading the Big East in fewest yards allowed per game (304.7).

"That's really been the key for us," Schiano said. "Taking care of the football and taking the ball away has been what's kept us in the win column."

In its most recent win, Rutgers sacked South Florida quarterback B.J. Daniels seven times, forced four turnovers and limited then-No. 23 South Florida to a season-low 159 yards en route to a 31-0 shutout.

"It was one of the better defensive performances we've had here," Schiano said. "Eleven guys executing their techniques the way you envisioned it."

In many ways, Schiano's defensive philosophy boils down to swarming the football.

Asked to define what his players simply call "the swarm," Schiano said: "All 11 guys going after the football through their responsibility. What we talk about is swarming through your gap. Just to run crazy, that's dangerous. But to swarm through your gap, that gives you disciplined defense."

The mantra of the defense can be found in the team's meeting room, where a placard with the inscription "1/11" is strategically hung over the podium at which Schiano speaks.

"It's preparation, chop the moment, swarm and finish," freshman linebacker Steve Beauharnais said of his team's defensive philosophy. "That's what we believe in week in and week out. That's why we're 7-2 right now."

While there are variations of the zone-blitz scheme Rutgers employs, the basic goal is the same: Confuse the offense by dropping pass rushers into coverage while at the same time blitzing the players expected to be in coverage situations.

It's the reason why 14 different players have recorded at least one sack and 11 Scarlet Knights have at least one interception.

"I like this system we use," Schiano said. "It gives us flexibility to adjust as the game goes on. Is it perfect? No, there is no perfect system but I really do like it obviously more than the one we were doing."