Travis Johansen's contract details: Salary revealed for new Rutgers coach
The contract details for newly hired Rutgers Defensive Coordinator Travis Johansen has been been revealed following the Rutgers Board of Governors approving his contract on Thursday afternoon.
Johansen has signed a three year deal and will be making $1,300,000 in his first year of the deal. His base salary increases by $100,000 over the course of the next two seasons.
- 2026: $1.3 million
- 2027: $1.4 million
- 2028: $1.5 million
Johansen’s history
Johansen had a standout playing career at Division II Concordia-St. Paul in Minnesota, as a four-year starting linebacker. He helped win two NSIC championships and was a team captian.
He then got right into coaching with the Golden Bears, and was promoted to defensive coordinator in 2011. After two years in that role, he moved onto an NAIA defensive coordinator job, working at Grand View in Iowa. He served in that role for five years before heading to Division I with South Dakota.
Johansen quickly worked his way up the ladder with the Coyotes, working as both the defensive coordinator before adding the title of associate head coach in 2022.
Following the retirement of head coach Bob Nielson, Johansen was promoted to head coach in 2025, leading South Dakota to a 10-5 record and an appearance in the FCS quarterfinals, where the Coyotes lost to Montana.
What does this mean for Rutgers?
One year after a disastrous hire of Robb Smith and Zach Sparber as co-coordinators, Schiano landed on another young up-and-comer to run the defense, with the hope that he can run the show without the seventh-year head coach needing to intervene too much.
“What I have here in [offensive coordinator] [Kirk] Ciarrocca is exactly what I’d like to have on defense,” Schiano told reporters following the season. “I have a guy who leads the room, calls the plays, and really leads the players.”
Even though it took longer than any Power Four defensive coordinator search — for the second consecutive season — the Scarlet Knights have their leader on the defensive side.
Previous Experience…
- 2007-10: Concordia-St. Paul (MN) (DBs)
- 2011-12: Concordia-St. Paul (MN) (DC)
- 2013-18: Grand View (IA) (DC)
- 2019-21: South Dakota (DC)
- 2022-24: South Dakota (AHC/DC)
- 2025: South Dakota (HC)
- 2026-PRESENT: Rutgers (DC)
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