Jay Butler is in his sixth season back and 17th overall with Rutgers football in 2025 as the director of sports performance. Holding over 25 years of experience, the Hillsborough, New Jersey, native previously served on head coach Greg Schiano’s staff at Rutgers from 2001-11. Butler oversees the Scarlet Knights’ strength and conditioning program.
“Jay’s influence extends far beyond the weight room or practice field,” Schiano said. “Jay is passionate about mentoring young men and is someone I have great trust in.”
• Helping the team to a second consecutive winning season and bowl berth, Rutgers won a program-best four Big Ten games in 2024.
• RB Kyle Monangai, who developed into the second-leading rusher in school history, and OL Hollin Pierce earned All-America honors from
Phil Steele, with Monangai becoming the first Scarlet Knight to claim First Team All-Big Ten on offense in both the coaches and media votes. The duo was part of 12 overall recognized in the All-Big Ten voting and five from the program invited to the NFL Scouting Combine, the second-most in RU history.
• The Scarlet Knights continue to develop players for the NFL, with DB Max Melton selected in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft by the Cardinals at No. 43 overall, the highest pick from RU since 2010. That followed DB Christian Braswell’s selection by the Jaguars in 2023. In addition, 13 others have signed contracts as free agents over the past two seasons.
• The Scarlet Knights showed continued progress in 2023 with seven wins for the program’s first winning season since 2014. The campaign was capped by a 31-24 win over Miami in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl. In addition, Rutgers saw 13 different players recognized in the All-Big Ten voting, the second-highest total for the program in a season.
• In 2021, RU won two road games, a come-from-behind victory at Illinois that saw a late fourth-down stop and a five-touchdown triumph over Indiana, the program’s largest margin of victory in a Big Ten game. With just nine days’ notice, Rutgers played in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl on New Year’s Eve, battling top-20 Wake Forest. Five Scarlet Knights were signed by NFL teams following the season, with WR Bo Melton (Seahawks) and RB Isiah Pacheco (Chiefs) both drafted.
• The 2020 season presented unforeseen challenges dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. The Scarlet Knights made vast improvements in the weight room in all areas despite the obstacles faced.
• Rutgers was just one of two teams in the Big Ten to play all scheduled games. With a commitment to player and culture development, the Scarlet Knights had 14 players recognized in the All-Big Ten voting, the most for the program since joining the conference.
• Butler served as the Scarlet Knights’ head football strength and conditioning coach throughout the first 11 years under Schiano’s direction, while also adding the duties of assistant athletic director for strength and conditioning over the last seven years.
• Over 100 Scarlet Knights have gone on to sign NFL contracts after developing through Butler’s system. Many return in the offseason to work out with Butler at Rutgers.
• During his tenure at Rutgers, Butler designed the school's state-of-the-art, 15,500-square-foot strength and conditioning facility, where he incorporated the latest technologies, including digital video analysis, a 60-yard FieldTurf track and other amenities. In March of 2007, Butler was recognized as Samson's Division I-A Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year by the
American Football Monthly.
• Butler followed Schiano to the NFL and spent two seasons (2012-13) as the head strength and conditioning coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
• Prior to joining the Scarlet Knights, Butler served as the director of speed, strength and conditioning at Dartmouth for five years (1996-2000).
• Before his stint at Dartmouth, Butler began his coaching career at East Carolina University where he worked in the strength and conditioning department as a graduate assistant for three years while earning his master’s degree (1992-1994). He was promoted to assistant director of strength and conditioning (1995).
• Butler worked three years (2017-19) on the staff at IMG Academy, including coaching All-Pro LT Jordan Mailata of the Philadelphia Eagles.
• Butler earned a degree in mechanical engineering from Bucknell in 1991, where he was a three-year starter and two-time All-American tackle before playing two seasons on the professional level (New York Giants and Montreal Machine).
• A 1987 graduate of Hillsborough High School, Butler excelled in football and baseball, and was inducted into the school’s hall of fame in 2013.
Hometown: Hillsborough, N.J.
Alma Mater: Bucknell, 1991 (mechanical engineering)
Wife: Jo Ann
Children: Daughters, Kylie, Casey, Sydney and Katherine
2020-present: Rutgers (director of sports performance)
2017-19: IMG Academy (assistant head of physical conditioning)
2012-13: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (head strength and conditioning)
2004-11: Rutgers (assistant athletic director for strength and conditioning/head football strength and conditioning)
2001-04: Rutgers (strength and conditioning coordinator)
1996-00: Dartmouth (director of speed, strength and conditioning)
1993-95: East Carolina (assistant director of strength and conditioning)
1992: East Carolina (graduate assistant strength and conditioning)
