Bucknell University Athletics
Photo by: Jon Lambert
Bison Football Feature: Joe Schiano
10/9/2019 8:00:00 AM | Football
Joe Schiano comes from a Bucknell football family.
His father, Greg, was a Bison linebacker in the late 1980s who served as team captain and captured All-Colonial League honors. His maternal grandfather, Tom Mitchell, graduated in 1966 with multiple school receiving records and was later inducted into the Bucknell Athletics Hall of Fame.Â
So, when it came time for Schiano to commit to a football program, there was never any doubt in his mind which he would choose.Â
"I just liked a lot of things about Bucknell, from the academics to the football program," Schiano said. "I've had a lot of family members go here, including my mom [Christy] and dad. It's really cool being at the same school as so many people in my family. It's definitely wild to think about how my grandfather played in the same stadium as I do over 50 years ago. I look up to my dad and my grandfather, and it's been an amazing experience to follow in their footsteps."
While the elder Schiano is best known for his coaching exploits, which included leading Rutgers University to one of its most successful stretches in program history and serving as the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he also made his mark at Bucknell. As a junior in 1986, he led the Bison with 114 tackles. The next season, he was recognized with the C. Dale Wolfe Recognition Award as Bucknell's Most Inspirational Player, an award his son would earn 31 years later.Â
"He was a good player, and it led him into coaching," said the younger Schiano. "It's pretty cool to be at the same place where he played and started his love for the game."
By a stroke of luck, or perhaps fate, Schiano was even assigned his father's old number.
"When we were asked for our number choices, I put down 38 and a few other numbers," Schiano said. "I was excited when I got his number. I've definitely embraced it."
Schiano has also embraced receiving an extra year of eligibility due to medical hardship. During his first two seasons as a Bison, he battled injuries, breaking his ankle early in his freshman campaign and undergoing two shoulder surgeries as a sophomore. After spending his junior season working his way back into playing shape, he became a key member of Bucknell's defensive line as a senior. Most notably, he came up with a strip sack that led to a Bison touchdown in the 2018 opener against William & Mary.
"It was definitely a tough start to my career here," Schiano said. "It's been good to be able to help the team senior year and this year."
The quintessential coach's kid, Schiano has a high football IQ and an intuitive understanding of where he, and his teammates, fit into Bucknell's defensive schemes. Because of that, he can help "coach" his teammates on the field and in the meeting room. But he makes an even greater impact because of his work ethic, which was instilled in him by his father.
"My dad taught me to always do my best because you can't do any better than your best," Schiano said. "You can't worry about the results. You have to commit to the process. If you do that, the results you want will follow."
Schiano has emerged as a leader on the defensive line, though he'll be the first to admit that he's not the most vocal player in a deep and talented room.
"I'm not a huge talker," Schiano said. "I'll speak up when I feel I have to, but I mostly lead by example. On the defensive line, we have a lot of experienced players. No one guy is leading the way. We all try to push each other."
Junior Roger Mellado said that he looks up to Schiano because of his work ethic and perseverance. He also noted that Schiano has a knack for fostering camaraderie among his fellow "lunch-pail boys."Â
"Joe has welcomed me since I got here," Mellado said. "He made me feel like one of the guys from the moment I got on campus freshman year. He's someone the younger players and I look up to not only on the field but in the classroom."
Schiano knows that the younger players look up to him. He said that, as one of two fifth-year players on the roster, he has worked hard to help advance new head coach Dave Cecchini's vision for the program.
"Coach Chick always talks about how you have to act like a champion before you truly become a champion," Schiano said. "I really appreciate the three pillars of attitude, character and toughness. And, on defense, we're all about putting in work. We want to have a blue-collar mentality, and that's the kind of mentality you need to have if you're going to win football games. No matter what happens, you have to go to work and do your job. I do my best to do just that."
By doing that, Schiano is living up to his father's ideal of always giving 100 percent. But whether he'll follow in his father's footsteps after graduation remains to be seen. Schiano, who is on pace to graduate in December with a history degree, said that he's considering making a career in football.
"I haven't had a lot of time to think that far ahead," Schiano said. "All I can say now is that I'm going back and forth about whether I want to stay in football and coach. I'm not quite sure. Right now, I'm focused on helping my team win football games."
Bison Bits
1) Favorite Sports Team: New York Yankees
2) Dream Vacation Spot: Hawaii Â
3) Hidden Talent: I can impersonate people
4) Biggest Fear: Losing loved ones
5) Three People You Would Invite to Dinner: Jesus, LeBron James, Vince Lombardi
This feature story originally ran in the program for Bucknell's game against Holy Cross on Oct. 5, 2019.
His father, Greg, was a Bison linebacker in the late 1980s who served as team captain and captured All-Colonial League honors. His maternal grandfather, Tom Mitchell, graduated in 1966 with multiple school receiving records and was later inducted into the Bucknell Athletics Hall of Fame.Â
So, when it came time for Schiano to commit to a football program, there was never any doubt in his mind which he would choose.Â
"I just liked a lot of things about Bucknell, from the academics to the football program," Schiano said. "I've had a lot of family members go here, including my mom [Christy] and dad. It's really cool being at the same school as so many people in my family. It's definitely wild to think about how my grandfather played in the same stadium as I do over 50 years ago. I look up to my dad and my grandfather, and it's been an amazing experience to follow in their footsteps."
While the elder Schiano is best known for his coaching exploits, which included leading Rutgers University to one of its most successful stretches in program history and serving as the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he also made his mark at Bucknell. As a junior in 1986, he led the Bison with 114 tackles. The next season, he was recognized with the C. Dale Wolfe Recognition Award as Bucknell's Most Inspirational Player, an award his son would earn 31 years later.Â
"He was a good player, and it led him into coaching," said the younger Schiano. "It's pretty cool to be at the same place where he played and started his love for the game."
By a stroke of luck, or perhaps fate, Schiano was even assigned his father's old number.
"When we were asked for our number choices, I put down 38 and a few other numbers," Schiano said. "I was excited when I got his number. I've definitely embraced it."
Schiano has also embraced receiving an extra year of eligibility due to medical hardship. During his first two seasons as a Bison, he battled injuries, breaking his ankle early in his freshman campaign and undergoing two shoulder surgeries as a sophomore. After spending his junior season working his way back into playing shape, he became a key member of Bucknell's defensive line as a senior. Most notably, he came up with a strip sack that led to a Bison touchdown in the 2018 opener against William & Mary.
"It was definitely a tough start to my career here," Schiano said. "It's been good to be able to help the team senior year and this year."
The quintessential coach's kid, Schiano has a high football IQ and an intuitive understanding of where he, and his teammates, fit into Bucknell's defensive schemes. Because of that, he can help "coach" his teammates on the field and in the meeting room. But he makes an even greater impact because of his work ethic, which was instilled in him by his father.
"My dad taught me to always do my best because you can't do any better than your best," Schiano said. "You can't worry about the results. You have to commit to the process. If you do that, the results you want will follow."
Schiano has emerged as a leader on the defensive line, though he'll be the first to admit that he's not the most vocal player in a deep and talented room.
"I'm not a huge talker," Schiano said. "I'll speak up when I feel I have to, but I mostly lead by example. On the defensive line, we have a lot of experienced players. No one guy is leading the way. We all try to push each other."
Junior Roger Mellado said that he looks up to Schiano because of his work ethic and perseverance. He also noted that Schiano has a knack for fostering camaraderie among his fellow "lunch-pail boys."Â
"Joe has welcomed me since I got here," Mellado said. "He made me feel like one of the guys from the moment I got on campus freshman year. He's someone the younger players and I look up to not only on the field but in the classroom."
Schiano knows that the younger players look up to him. He said that, as one of two fifth-year players on the roster, he has worked hard to help advance new head coach Dave Cecchini's vision for the program.
"Coach Chick always talks about how you have to act like a champion before you truly become a champion," Schiano said. "I really appreciate the three pillars of attitude, character and toughness. And, on defense, we're all about putting in work. We want to have a blue-collar mentality, and that's the kind of mentality you need to have if you're going to win football games. No matter what happens, you have to go to work and do your job. I do my best to do just that."
By doing that, Schiano is living up to his father's ideal of always giving 100 percent. But whether he'll follow in his father's footsteps after graduation remains to be seen. Schiano, who is on pace to graduate in December with a history degree, said that he's considering making a career in football.
"I haven't had a lot of time to think that far ahead," Schiano said. "All I can say now is that I'm going back and forth about whether I want to stay in football and coach. I'm not quite sure. Right now, I'm focused on helping my team win football games."
Bison Bits
1) Favorite Sports Team: New York Yankees
2) Dream Vacation Spot: Hawaii Â
3) Hidden Talent: I can impersonate people
4) Biggest Fear: Losing loved ones
5) Three People You Would Invite to Dinner: Jesus, LeBron James, Vince Lombardi
This feature story originally ran in the program for Bucknell's game against Holy Cross on Oct. 5, 2019.
Players Mentioned
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