Ralph Friedgen will be Kyle Flood's offensive coordinator at Rutgers, sources confirmed to FootballScoop on Tuesday afternoon.
Friedgen has been out of college football since 2010, after he closed a decade-long run as his head coach at Maryland. Friedgen led Maryland, his alma mater, to a 75-50 record from 2001-10, exploding on the college football scene with an ACC championship and a trip to the Orange Bowl during his debut season. The Terrapins were 31-8 (19-5 ACC) during Friedgen's first three years on the job, with three top 20 finishes. It was the greatest three-year run in the modern history of Maryland football.
The Terps went to bowl games in four of Friedgen's next seven seasons, including his final season of 2010 in which Maryland posted a 9-4 record with a win in the Military Bowl and another top 25 finish in the AP and Coaches' polls. Despite that success, Friedgen was let go at the end of the 2010 season. Maryland has posted a 13-24 record since his departure.
Friedgen has a litany of offensive coordinator experience, dating back to The Citadel in 1977. From there, Friedgen coordinated offenses at William & Mary, Murray State, Maryland, Georgia Tech, the San Diego Chargers and Georgia Tech again before getting the Maryland job. He's an accomplished, well-respected mind and well-liked by his fellow coaches and beloved by his former players.
What we're saying is, this was the best hire Flood could have realistically made with close to a week before National Signing Day. And speaking of recruiting, Friedgen's ability and desire to recruit will be contingent in aiding Rutgers' move to the Big Ten a successful one.
Rutgers went 6-7 in 2013, with a 29-16 loss to Notre Dame in the Pinstripe Bowl to close the season. Following a 9-1 start to Kyle Flood's tenure as the Scarlet Knights' head coach, Rutgers has gone just 6-10 since.
Rutgers ranked 107th nationally in total offense, 93rd in yards per play and 98th in scoring a year ago, and 96th in total offense, 90th in yards per play, 77th in scoring, 94th in passing efficiency and 101st in rushing this season.
In year one of life as a member in the Big Ten East, Rutgers' 2014 schedule includes a season-opening trip to Seattle to face Washington State, home dates against Penn State, Michigan and Wisconsin, and road trips to Navy, Ohio State, Nebraska and Michigan State.