Greg Schiano says he's staying at Ohio State
by Chip Patterson (CBS Sports)
Despite multiple reports linking Greg Schiano to the defensive coordinator opening for the New England Patriots, the Ohio State assistant told Sports Illustrated's Bruce Feldman that he has no plans to leave the Buckeyes.
Feldman notes that Schiano played a big part of landing a commitment from five-star offensive tackle Nick Petit-Frere from the Tampa area, one of the biggest wins early on National Signing Day.
Greg Schiano tells me he is staying at #OhioState contrary to reports from Monday that he was leaving for the Patriots. Big day for the Buckeyes. Schiano played a key part in landing top OT Nick Petit-Frere out of Tampa.
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) February 7, 2018
Even when the reports first surfaced from NFL circles that Schiano was expected to join the Patriots coaching staff, the indication out of Columbus was the expectation that he'd be around for 2018. Early enrollee Tyreke Johnson told reporters on Wednesday that "Coach Schiano isn't going anywhere" and now the Buckeyes' defensive coordinator has confirmed his intentions to stay in college football.
Coach Urban Meyer told reporters on Wednesday the same, noting that Schiano turned down a dozen opportunities in the NFL and college.
"He's informed me that he's 100 percent staying at Ohio State."
Schiano's relationship with Bill Belichick contributed to the interest, but it was never confirmed that the Patriots were offering the defensive coordinator position. At Ohio State, he's helped the defense continue to be one of the best in the country, ranking No. 1 nationally in tackles for loss, No. 3 in sacks and No. 5 in yards per play allowed.
