Rutgers expected to hire South Dakota’s Travis Johansen as defensive coordinator

Rutgers appears poised to pivot quickly on defense by tapping Travis Johansen, the architect of South Dakota’s stingy units and the Coyotes’ head coach last season. ESPN reported that “Johansen informed his team in a meeting on Friday that he's leaving for Rutgers,” and that “He has agreed to a three-year deal, which is expected to be formalized shortly, sources said.” The hire would mark the end of a 64-day search and a clear signal that Greg Schiano wants change up front.

The need for change is stark. Rutgers finished 5-7 in 2025 and missed a third straight bowl, and ESPN notes that Robb Smith, who took over the defense this year, oversaw a unit that “finished No. 118 in team defense.” The program fired co-coordinators Robb Smith and Zach Sparber after the regular season, and FootballScoop reported that “Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano would like to have his new coordinator in place no later than Monday,” underscoring the rush to install a schematic reset before spring drills and recruiting ramps up.

Johansen is coming off a rapid rise. He spent six seasons on the South Dakota staff and served as the Coyotes’ defensive coordinator beginning in 2019; ESPN wrote that “He brings 14 years of defensive coordinator experience.” Promoted to head coach after the 2024 campaign, Johansen guided South Dakota to a 10-5 record and a 6-2 mark in Missouri Valley Football Conference play in 2025. Sources agree the Coyotes made a deep FCS playoff run this year; some reports list a quarterfinal exit while others say semifinals, but all cite Johansen’s defense as the engine of that run.

Player development is a selling point for Johansen. FootballScoop noted that “Johansen has produced and coached 16 defensive guys who have gone on to be drafted in the NFL, receive camp invites, or signed as an undrafted free agent in his coaching career,” and added that “He's seen 10 guys go pro at South Dakota, including three from both of his stops at Grand View and Concordia University, St. Paul.” One tangible example: defensive back Myles Harden was selected in the seventh round of the 2024 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns.

Beyond schematic tweaks, the hire fits an emerging pattern of FBS programs mining FCS and lower-division staffs for coordinators who have led high-performing units on tighter budgets. Analysts and blogs framed Rutgers’ pursuit as a bet on Johansen’s ability to translate success at the FCS level to Big Ten competition and to jump-start recruiting and defensive grading metrics that lagged last season.

Next steps are formalization and staffing. Rutgers and South Dakota are expected to confirm official announcements once paperwork is complete. For Rutgers fans, Johansen’s arrival would shift the offseason narrative from quarterback competition and portal churn - names like Athan Kaliakmanis, Antwan Raymond, KJ Duff and Ian Strong remain fixtures in that story - to defensive identity, position coaching hires, and the spring blueprint that will define how the Scarlet Knights defend the Big Ten in 2026.