Rutgers Names Kyle Flood Interim Head Coach in Wake of Greg Schiano's Departure

Rutgers lost Greg Schiano to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday, and the school has just now announced his temporary replacement.

According to Jason Baum, Rutgers' Associate Athletic Director for Communications, Kyle Flood has been named the team's interim head coach:

Flood had been the Scarlet Knights' offensive line coach for seven years, also serving as the team's assistant head coach for the last four seasons.

What Does It Mean?

Presumably, this means that Rutgers isn't going to bother trying to find a permanent replacement for Schiano right away. Instead, the university will give Flood a shot to prove himself in the 2012 season.

Flood has a good team to work with. The Scarlet Knights won nine games in 2011, including the Pinstripe Bowl against Iowa State. Rutgers was consistently one of the best teams in the Big East under Schiano's watch, and it will be up to Flood to keep it up.

If Flood fails in this regard, Rutgers will find a head coach who can uphold the team's winning ways.

What Happens Next?

To keep Rutgers afloat, Flood's best bet is to not change how the team goes about its business. The Scarlet Knights had a good thing going under Schiano, so there's no reason to start making changes.

If all goes according to plan, the Scarlet Knights will carry on as if Schiano never left. They will play just as well under Flood as they did under Schiano, once again competing for the Big East title and a bowl berth in 2012.

If Flood manages to keep the job beyond the 2012 season, the interesting part will be how he handles recruiting. Schiano turned Rutgers into a legit football school because of his recruiting abilities, so Flood will have a tough act to follow if he actually hits the recruiting trail next year.

But first things first. Before Flood can worry about the future, he needs to prove he's the right man for the job.