If Rutgers asked P.J. Fleck for his opinion on the ongoing coaching search, his suggestion would be Greg Schiano. His postgame press conference after Minnesota’s 42-7 win over the Scarlet Knights on Saturday essentially became a reference call.

Fleck worked under Schiano early in his coaching career, serving as the wide receivers coach at Rutgers from 2010-11. Schiano was the head coach is Piscataway from 2001-11, and had one of the most successful runs in program history.

So, now that athletic director Pat Hobbs has decided to part ways with Chris Ash and open the job back up, Fleck thinks Schiano would be a perfect fit. He didn’t say that directly in his postgame press conference Saturday afternoon, but he did drop a few subtle hints.

“The one thing I learned from Greg Schiano a long time ago was this: ’Don’t ever talk for me. I don’t need you to,’” Fleck said. “That was in a meeting room when I was a wide receivers coach for him. I will not start doing that now. But I will say this, he’s one of the best coaches I’ve ever seen, he’s the greatest coaching influence of my life, I learned more college football, I learned more business, I learned more (about) how to treat people, I learned more Xs and Os, I learned more discipline, I learned more work ethic from that man that I ever learned from anybody in my entire life.”

Rutgers has reportedly honed in on current Mississippi State head coach Joe Moorhead as the top candidate, but Schiano has also been a popular name in Piscataway. Most fans are high on bringing him back to the program he once had as a regular bowl team.

The question would be weather or not Schiano is interested in starting from scratch again, or if it would be too much of a rebuild at this point in his career. Nonetheless, it’s probably worth Hobbs’ time to pick up the phone and see if there’s any interest.

Fleck certainly wouldn’t hesitate on making that call.