Greg Schiano on the Rutgers crowd ‘at times you couldn't hear yourself think’

In an electric environment, Rutgers kicked off their Big Ten season and improved to 4-0 for the first time in 12 years.

Kyle Monangai rushed for 132 yards and scored a touchdown, helping Rutgers secure a 21-18 victory over Washington on Friday night.

The game ended dramatically when Huskies kicker Grady Gross missed a 55-yard field goal attempt as time ran out.

After the game, Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano talked about the experience.

“Let me start by thanking our students. That was special. Warm ups, they were out there, and they were getting after it early, and our fans, same thing. I mean, that's a legitimate Big Ten home-field advantage, that's what that was…at times you couldn't hear yourself think, and believe me, that has an effect. So I want to throw a big huge thank-you to them, and I want a big huge thank-you to our team. I thought the players, disciplined, tough football team. Not our best showing. Not our best execution. Some of that has to do with how good Washington is. I think a lot of it has to do with how good Washington is. But find a way to win; that's what these kids did, and they kept chopping. They kept fighting right down to the last play, and you know, you look at it, how did the game get decided probably third down in the red zone. That's where the big difference was and then ultimately, zero turnovers, right. We're undefeated. We don't turn the ball over. That's what we can do. We do that, we've got a pretty good chance of winning the game. Like I said, really proud of our guys, and try to answer any questions.”

What's your overall assessment of the way Athan played and the offense overall?

Greg Schiano : “I thought he that he played really well. It was nuts out there tonight. There was a lot of things to fix and a lot of things going on. But I thought Athan was a cool customer out there and delivered some really good balls. That is a yoked up front. I mean, they are physical. Hats off to Steven and his staff. They gave us a lot of problems blitzing, running through linebackers, playing through different fronts, mixing it up. I thought they did a good job. But the offense and Coach Ciarrocca, they found a way to score enough. That was really big. And Kyle and Sam, I mean, what a nice once, two punch they are. I think it was close to 180 yards rushing, two touchdowns combined and that's what this team is about. It's about us. I love watching that.”

You talked about dreaming about being in the Big Ten way back in your first stint. National television, national run-up. Is this kind of the picture you had in your head?

Greg Schiano: “Yeah, one of them, yeah. I've got a lot of pictures in my head. Some would call me nuts. But you could feel it in that stadium tonight. That's what Big Ten football is, and that's what I want for New Jersey. That's what I've always wanted for New Jersey is to have that in our state. I grew up here. I played in this state, high school football, and it was always somewhere else, right. I want it to be -- not every kid is going to stay, and nor do we want every kid but I want there to be a place that New Jerseyans can be proud of; and when I say that, I mean New York, and everybody that's right next to us. So tonight was a good step, but that's all it is. It's one win. It's an exciting one, good one, one we found a way to get. But it's just one.”

Watch the full press conference here: