Coach new to the Big Ten tapped as Rutgers football's defensive coordinator

It was a long search, but Rutgers football has its new defensive coordinator.

Greg Schiano is targeting South Dakota head coach Travis Johansen to lead the Scarlet Knights’ defense, a source confirmed.

Johansen takes over as defensive coordinator after Schiano parted ways with Robb Smith and Zach Sparber, who shared the role last season, following a disappointing season on that side of the ball.

ESPN was the first to report the impending hire.

A native of Minnesota, Johansen spent one season at the helm of South Dakota and – the Coyotes went 10-5 and advanced to the quarterfinals of the FCS playoffs – after spending six years as the team’s defensive coordinator.

In 2024, South Dakota’s defense had a top-10 scoring defense among the 129 FCS teams and ranked in the top 25 in total defense, fourth-down defense and run defense.

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The Coyotes also had a top-10 scoring defense in 2023, and it also ranked in the top 25 in total defense and passing defense that same season. South Dakota also finished top 25 in scoring defense in 2021. That same season the Coyotes also ranked No. 21 in sacks per game with 2.75 and 24^th in rushing defense, allowing 120.9 yards per game.

Johansen previously spent six seasons as the defensive coordinator at Grand View University in Iowa. Grand View in 2013 won the national title at the NAIA level.

The team’s defense ranked inside the top-15 of the NAIA rankings all six seasons Johansen was at Grand View.

Overall, eight of Johansen’s defenses have ranked inside the top 25 of their level nationally.

Johansen has coached 16 players who were either drafted to the NFL or received camp invites.

Johansen, who was a linebacker at Division II Concordia University in Minnesota, now takes on a new challenge at Rutgers.

While his contract is not yet publicly available, Johansen is in line for what could be a considerable pay bump − he made $300,000 as South Dakota’s head coach in 2025, according to Open SD.

Sparber, for reference, made $700,000 last fall while Smith received $750,000.

Overhaul in progress for Rutgers defense

The Scarlet Knights last season owned one of the worst defenses in the country.

The Scarlet Knights ranked 126^th in the nation in total defense, yielding 432.8 yards per game. They gave up 750 total yards to Oregon in October.

Rutgers allowed a Big Ten-worst 209.9 rushing yards per game, as well as 222.9 passing yards per game, also among the worst in the conference.

The unit allowed 36 points per game against Big Ten competition, tied for worst in the conference with Purdue.

That production spurred Schiano to dismiss Smith and Sparber, as well as defensive line coach Colin Ferrell, shortly after the season ended.

Several other defensive coaches have also left the program since.

Schiano brought in eight defensive transfers this offseason, including former Maryland cornerback Kevyn Humes, to try to bolster the unit.

More than two months since the end of the 2025 season, Schiano has found a new defensive coordinator.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Rutgers hires South Dakota’s Travis Johansen as defensive coordinator