Rutgers University Athletic Director Tim Prunetti announced  Kyle Flood as the new head coach of the Scarlet Knights football team during a sometimes emotional press conference on Tuesday.

Tim Prunetti
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Prunetti revealed that the 41-year-old Flood signed a five-year contract worth $4.75 million. He will earn $750,000 during his first year, rising by increments of $100,000 per year over the length of the contract.

Prunetti described the search as quick. He was "very targeted, very precise. We knew what we were looking for,” Rutgers athletic director Tim Pernetti said. “This is not the same job as it was 10 years ago. We’ve built something really special here.”

Flood began to tear at the podium as accepted the job, thanking his wife Amy and two children. “This has really been humbling, going through this process,” Flood said. “The core values of Rutgers football don’t come and go with any one person. That’s how our players live their lives, and that’s what we’re about here at Rutgers."

The longtime assistant coach said he isn't Greg Schiano but hopes to build upon his success. "I'm not Greg Schiano and I'm not trying to be Greg Schiano," Flood said. "But the vision is the same."

In a press release the school pointed out that the last time Rutgers promoted an assistant coach on staff to the head coaching position was the naming of Frank Burns to replace John Bateman in 1973 — and Burns became the winningest coach in school history.

Rutgers had pursued Florida International football coach Mario Cristobal, but he opted to stay put.

Greg Schiano left Rutgers last week to become the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' head coach, leaving the school scrambling for a replacement less than a week before national signing day.

Flood was promoted to interim coach last week and interviewed for the job over the weekend. He has been a member of Schiano's staff since 2005, working his way up to assistant head coach in 2008.

Following his interview for the job on Saturday, Flood told reporters at the Rutgers-Cincinnati basketball game that none of the 17 high school players who committed to Rutgers have changed their mind before national signing day. “The response from the recruiting class is just tremendous.

Cristobal: 'Best recruiting class' kept him at FIU

 

Mario Cristobal
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Cristobal tells The Associated Press he believes the class of newcomers to Florida International will be the school's best yet which is why he passed on the Rutgers offer.

Cristobal has taken once-moribund FIU to consecutive bowl games, and often speaks of how appreciative he is for the chance to coach in his hometown of Miami. The school rewarded him with a four-year contract extension last year.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

 

 

 

The Flood File

Hometown: Bayside, N.Y.
Alma Mater: Iona, 1993
Born: 1/20/71
Age: 41

Coaching Career
2012: Head Coach, Rutgers
2011: Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Line, Rutgers
2009-10: Assistant Head Coach/Co-Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line, Rutgers
2008-09: Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Line, Rutgers
2007: Offensive Line/Run Game Coordinator, Rutgers
2005-06: Offensive Line, Rutgers
2002-05: Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Line, Delaware
1997-2001: Offensive Line, Hofstra
1995-96: Offensive Line, Long Island - C.W. Post
1993-94: Assistant Coach, St. Francis Preparatory High School, N.Y.

Bowl games as a coach:
2011: New Era Pinstripe Bowl
2009: St. Petersburg Bowl
2008: PapaJohns.com Bowl
2008: International Bowl
2006: Texas Bowl
2005: Insight Bowl

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