TROY - If anyone knows about playing a tough schedule it's newly hired Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute football coach Tim Landis.

Last season, while at San Jose State, Landis coached at Alabama (Capital One Bowl winners), at Wisconsin (Rose Bowl participants) and against Boise State (MAACO Bowl winners).

Alfred, Union and Hobart don't seem as tough, in comparison.

“When the whistle blows, it’s really about football,” he said in some of his first official statements as RPI's new head coach.

Landis brings a lot of experience as he's been a head coach at Bucknell, Saint Mary's (CA) and Davidson.

“We expect Tim to take us to a championship and to build on what Coach (Joe) King has done all these years,” said Institute president, Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson.

Landis is a Division III football junkie.

On Saturday's, he prefers to look at the scores in the ODAC (where he played at Randolph-Macon), the Empire 8, the Liberty League and the Centennial Conference.

"This is where my calling is," he said of the Division III game.

The blend of RPI's commitment to academics and athletics was a perfect one for Landis.

“I’ve been at quality academic institutions,” he said. “When I saw the combination of the academics and the success level and then I saw the facilities, I thought this was almost too good to be true, in terms of small college football.”

Landis' hiring ends a two-month period since King stepped down in January.

“It’s definitely a weight lifted off everyone’s shoulder,” said sophomore quarterback Mike Hermann.