In his initial stint with Rutgers, Greg Schiano lifted the football program out of the depths of despair and turned it into a somewhat respectable team.
His second stint as head coach hasn’t gone quite as well, and Thursday night’s loss to UMass, a 29.5-point underdog, might have returned the program to the misery that came before him.
After losing to UMass, who snapped a 16-game losing streak against FBS teams with a win over the Big Ten school, Rutgers fans took to the internet and radio waves to voice their frustrations. But no one summed up their experience and feelings quite like Gus, who called into The Zach Gelb Show on WFAN.
Rutgers fans are done with the program.
Never thought Rutgers Football would light up the phone lines tonight on @WFAN660.
Feel for fans like Gus. pic.twitter.com/ak1aGw0YeH
— Zach Gelb (@ZachGelb) September 4, 2026
“‘m a 20-year season ticket holder,” Gus told Gelb. “I’ve traveled all across the country and followed this team. I have tickets next week to go to Boston College for the Red Bandana game. I have an Airbnb booked for the Wisconsin game to go to Chicago to watch Manungai play on Sunday night. I’m done. I’m canceling everything. It’s done.
“And it’s not emotional. Taking the emotion out of it as best I can. I’m done. What I saw tonight was the most deplorable, despicable, horrible adjustments on defense, from being the worst team in football last year defensively to what they did this year and now what they did tonight. I’m done. I don’t know what else to say. A 20-year season ticket holder. I’m done.
“Tomorrow I’m calling the athletic director. My opinion means nothing, but, you know, I’m done. And I’m sorry. I want to root for a hometown team. I want to root for a New Jersey team. Like you said, we have a great fan base. We have a great rooting section in my section, people that I’ve known for years. We’re done.”
Gelb then asked Gus if he felt Schiano, who is 31-42 since returning to Rutgers in 2000, should be fired.
“Absolutely,” he said. “Should be fired tomorrow. Sorry, the whole staff. The whole staff.”
Gus then took it a step further, saying that the post-game fireworks following Thursday night’s embarrassing loss were a little off base.
“Fireworks? Forget about fireworks. We need a firing squad.”
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.