Greg Schiano leaving Rutgers for Tampa Bay Bucs, Photo: The Fayj/Flickr

Greg Schiano will be leaving for the head coach job with the Tampa Bay Bucs, effective immediately. The coach leaves a successful record, with much ambitions not quite fully realized. However, Schiano's legacy is of success and rooting of new positive attitudes for Rutgers overall and for the Rutgers football program.

The first time the nation heard of Greg Schiano was in the 2000 season, when the Rutgers Scarlet Knights was wooing him for the head job as coach of the State University's football program.

It was an exciting time for a beleaguered college team looking and hungry for a football identity.

What has hiring Greg Schiano add to the Rutgers football program?

Two words: "New Life"

In 1991, the Scarlet Knights joined the already rising Big East Conference (which was known for its NCAA division I basketball prowess), to boost its profile and national scrutiny- within the nascent football expansion package the conference offered.

In the past, Rutgers was not much of anything, in Division I NCAA sports. For example, the basketball team hadn't been a notable force since the 1975 season, and the football team hadn't been in a bowl since the 1978 season when they faced the Arizona State Sun Devils in the Garden State Bowl.

In the late 20th century, from 1991-2000, the Scarlet Knights football team had a total of 40 wins and 80 losses- under two different head coaches- resulting in a 33% winning average. All culminating in bowl-less season, after another.

Students and alumni, accepted the results and what they had come to believe as a inescapable black hole; that Rutgers was to be satisfied being the largest public higher education institution in NJ, and that was it.

Now fast forward to 2012, with the news of Greg Schiano leaving to the Buccaneers (a 2011 season losers themselves with a 4-12 record), there should be congratulatory praise for the coach.

In the history of the Rutgers football program (where the first football game ever was played on campus), Schiano had brought the "swagger" back to Rutgers football, and Rutgers overall.

In the years he'd coached, Schiano commanded a total of 56-33 in his last 7 years as coach with 5-1 bowl winning record. Although his overall record (at 68-67) doesn't seem impressive, it shows how difficult the turnaround plan for Rutgers football was for the man from Wycoff, NJ.

In a higher level, many can agree, the whole of Rutgers sports programs and of the students and alumni, benefited from the jubilance and efforts of Greg Schiano's coaching at Rutgers. The direction he set out for Rutgers was simple and many believed in him to bring it forth.

Every football story doesn't come out roses. However, Rutgers is better for their choice in Schiano and the confidence the front office pressed on his abilities.

Ultimately, Rutgers must try to do Schiano better. The next decade demands it and the student body of Rutgers deserves the effort.

Jason Kim for DailyHarrison.com | Contact Jason @jasonsjkim