"Eric LeGrand's voice was strong and true. "I will walk again – no doubt,'' he said. Just out of physical therapy, he was enthused about setting a personal record. For three minutes, 27 seconds, he sat upright after being lifted into position. "This,'' he said, "is a great day.''

Truthfully, every day is a great day for Eric LeGrand, the relentlessly optimistic Rutgers University football player who was paralyzed from the neck down after making a special-teams tackle against Army on Oct. 16, 2010. His determined attempt at recovery has amazed doctors. He has inspired his university and fans worldwide.

And he's probably the biggest reason why Greg Schiano found it difficult to leave Rutgers for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

"These are more than just players,'' Schiano said. "These are like my sons.''

Last week, the deal was almost done. For Schiano, everything felt right. He was on the verge of becoming the ninth head coach in Bucs' history. But such a momentous decision called for a family meeting. That's when his four children asked the most difficult question of all.

"What about Eric?''

In 11 seasons, Schiano's core values of trust, belief and accountability were infused into Rutgers' program. He transformed hopelessness into respectability. Over time, people learned about Schiano, the coach.

But in a matter of seconds on Oct. 16, 2010 – the lightning-quick sequence for a frighteningly tragic injury – people began to discover Schiano, the man.

"Before Eric's injury, I knew Coach Schiano, but not really,'' said LeGrand's mother, Karen. "I mean, I knew he was a good person. If he wasn't, I never would've let Eric play there."