Rutgers Football Staff (Part 2)

httpss://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viHj3Y3kffQ

New Rutgers football head coach Chris Ash is putting the finishing touches on his first very own coaching staff. In late December, we gave a run-down of the first half of hires in part one here. Here are the final additions to his squad that bring a blend of experience, and young, up-and-comers who have the energy to recruit hard.

One interesting note however, none have ties to New Jersey. It will be interesting to say the least.

DB’s Coach Bill Busch

Bill Busch (Defensive Backs) – We touched on Bill Busch in a small update in the last article, but here is the run-down on the 50 year-old Nebraska born secondary coach. Busch comes over from Ohio State with Ash where he served as the defensive quality control coach in 2015. He has over 25 years of coaching experience including 12 in the Big Ten Conference with stops at Wisconsin (safeties coach from 2013-14 and graduate assistant in 1994), Nebraska (outside linebackers coach/special teams coordinator in 2004, safeties coach/special teams coordinator from 2005-07 and graduate assistant from 1990-93). Busch will be joined by assistant defensive backs coach Aaron Henry to coach the secondary that featured plenty of young freshman on the two-deep this past season for the Scarlet Knights.

Ash on Busch: “Bill is a veteran Big Ten coach and I am fortunate to have him at Rutgers. Bill brings with him a wealth of experience and has built a reputation as a great recruiter. We worked together at Ohio State and he knows our defense and how I want the secondary to be coached.”

Defensive Coordinator Jay Niemann

Jay Niemann (Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers) – Niemann is an interesting hire that isn’t flashy. Niemann comes over from Northern Illinois after spending the past five seasons as defensive coordinator for the Huskies. In all five years, the team has won the Mid-American West including three league titles. The team has also been bowl games each season including the 2013 Orange Bowl. Niemann’s career included many stops along the away, like at Drake, where he served as the defensive coordinator where he coached Ash during his playing days. What did Ash say about his new defensive coordinator? “Jay will be a great addition to our coaching staff as defensive coordinator,” Ash said. “Jay and I have known each other for over 20 years and I have always admired his approach to coaching. Jay and I share a defensive philosophy. It will be a defense built on effort, fundamentals, execution and toughness.”

It is likely that Ash will implement his own defense and Neimann is there to help install it. You can tell from a previous quote from the first-year head coach: “I know what I want. I know how I want it done. I want to trust that I can come in the room and do what I need to do with the defense. And if I have other things I need to go do, I can leave and I know that they are going to carry on doing it the way I want it done.”

DL Coach Shane Burnham

Shane Burnham (Defensive Line) – A former four-year letterwinner at South Carolina from 1995-98, Burnham has coached at Iowa State the past seven seasons including six with the defensive tackles before coaching the linebackers this past year. Ash and Burnham worked together at ISU in 2009 and new offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer from 2010-11. Burnham also has some special teams knowledge working them at Iowa State starting in 2012. He also spent time at Elon from 2005-08, serving as defensive ends/linebackers/and special teams coach and also had stops at The Citadel and Richmond.

Here is what Ash said in a statement on his new defensive line coach: “I am excited to be reunited with Shane here at Rutgers. We have worked together in the past and I have always been impressed with the way he teaches, the way he recruits and how he takes care of his players. Shane understands our defense and how we want the defensive line coached in our system.”

Nick Quartaro

Nick Quartaro (Director of Player Development) – Quartano brings over 30 years of college football experience to Rutgers including the last five seasons as an assistant coach (wide receivers/tight ends) at North Texas.

“With over 30 years in college football, Nick will be a great resource to the players in our program,” said Ash in a statement. “He knows the demands of being a college athlete and what it takes for them to be successful during their college careers and long after their playing days are over.”

Ash and Quartaro worked together at Iowa State from 2000-01. Quartaro has a wide-range of experience including time as head coach at Ash’s alma mater Drake from 1986-88 and at Fordham from 1994-97. Quartaro was a three-year letterwinner at kicker at Iowa and spend time coaching in the Big Ten at Northwestern as a defensive assistant and special teams from 1981-85. He was also a graduate assistant for Iowa in 1978.

*Take a look at the video below of a press conference that took place with Ash and offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer and defensive coordinator Jay Niemann. (Long)

For the hirings of Rick Mantz and Adam Caltury click here.

*Former recruiting coordinator E.J. Barthel has been let go. Rumors he will head to Temple. Former wide receivers coach Anthony Campanile is heading to Boston College under Steve Addazio coach the defensive backs.

Part 3 coming soon.

@ChrisWasky

httpss://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3qDfOAZYJk