University of South Dakota head coach Travis Johansen has emerged as a strong candidate to become Rutgers’ new defensive coordinator sources tell FootballScoop. Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano would like to have his new coordinator in place no later than Monday sources add. 

Johansen, long known as one of the bright minds on the defensive side of the ball, was promoted to head coach following the 2024 season. In his first season as head coach, Johansen guided his Yotes to a 10-5 mark in the MVFC with a 6-2 league record. 

Johansen previously served as defensive coordinator at USD since the 2019 season. 

From his bio with South Dakota: 

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. 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. In the 2024 NFL Draft, defensive back Myles Harden was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the seventh round.

Johansen comes to Vermillion from after six seasons at Grand View University (Iowa) at the NAIA level where the Vikings compiled a 61-11 record with five Heart of America Athletic Conference championships, six NAIA playoff appearances, and the 2013 NAIA national title following a 14-0 campaign. Grand View finished inside the top-15 of the NAIA national rankings in all six seasons, including four top-10 rankings.

The defense has taken a giant leap forward in the FCS under the leadership of Johansen, highlighted by the program’s best NCAA Division I FCS season in 2023. The season saw the Coyotes finish ranked No. 4 in the FCS rankings (STATS Perform and AFCA), pick up the first-ever 10-win season in the DI FCS era and first since 1986 as a program, the most MVFC wins in a season, and the first-ever trip to the FCS Playoffs quarterfinal round. The Yote defense was instrumental in the team’s success, being ranked in the top-25 in the FCS in three defensive categories including: No. 8 in scoring defense (17.7 opponent ppg), No. 18 in passing defense (180.8 passing ypg), and No. 25 in total defense (323.3 ypg).

The 2021 season proved to be a breakout season for the Coyote defense under Johansen, in just his second full season (non-COVID year). That season saw USD make the program’s first-ever MVFC Championship game appearance, as well as hosting their first-ever home FCS Playoff game (vs. Southern Illinois). The Yotes finished 7-5 on the year with the defense ranking inside the top-25 in three categories, including: No. 21 in sacks per game (2.75), No. 23 in scoring defense (20.7 opponent ppg), and No. 24 in rushing defense (120.9 rushing ypg).

Johansen’s first season at USD in 2019 featured several highlights. During a three-game win streak in the first half of the season, the Coyotes held their three foes to a combined 745 yards and 16 points. It marked the first time since 2008 that USD held three consecutive foes to 16 points or fewer. USD went on to knock off fifth-ranked South Dakota State on Senior Day inside the DakotaDome when Johansen’s unit stopped three fourth-quarter drives to preserve a 24-21 victory.

During his stop in Des Moines (Grand View), Johansen was a Heart of America Assistant Coach of the Year finalist in each of his last two seasons and was a national coordinator of the year finalist in 2015. He was even featured in a Sports Illustrated article, The Search to Save NFL Defenses, in November of 2018.Â