Rutgers dismissed offensive coordinator Sean Gleeson on Sunday, the school announced.
The move was made in an attempt to jump-start the program’s struggling offense, as Rutgers 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 is 3-3 and 0-3 in the Big Ten after failing to score in the second half against Nebraska in a 14-13 loss Friday night.
“This was a difficult decision, but I believe it is in the best interest of our program to make a change at offensive coordinator,” Rutgers coach Greg Schiano said in a statement. “I want to thank Sean for his hard work and wish he and his family all the best in their future endeavors.”
Gleeson is a New Jersey native who came to Rutgers after spending the 2019 season as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Oklahoma State. He arrived there after a successful stint at Princeton, where he earned a reputation for explosive and creative offenses. He was under contract with Rutgers through February 2024.
But after some flashes of ingenuity and optimism in Gleeson’s first season in 2020, Rutgers’ offense struggled in 2021. Last season, Rutgers finished No. 120 in scoring offense and total offense.
In Schiano’s third season at Rutgers, the strides made by the defense had far outpaced the offense. Rutgers has the country’s No. 14 total defense and the No. 16 third-down conversion percentage defense. The Scarlet Knights struggled to move the ball in recent losses to both Iowa and Nebraska.
Rutgers has had a revolving door at quarterback all season because of injuries and limited effectiveness, as Gavin Wimsatt, Noah Vedral and Evan Simon have all played for extended periods. The lack of continuity has bogged down the offense.
Tight ends coach Nunzio Campanile will be the interim offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Campanile is a former interim coach at Rutgers, taking over after Chris Ash was fired. He also spent eight seasons as the head coach at Bergen Catholic, a powerhouse New Jersey prep program.
