Daily Campus Column: Rhett Lashlee should be UConn football head coach sooner rather than later

[FDNY99]

So far we know the guy knows offense
Does he have, at this early age, all the tools needed to be a HC?
UConn made that mistake with Bobby RedPants -
Let's not rush into anything - if UConn has to, this offseason, give him some more cash and discuss the possible HC timetable down the road
The D has to get better - my God it can't be worse
Thanks Bobby- I hope Ohio State torches you for 80 pts and 1000 yds total offense

That is VERY possible

 

[freescooter]

You know what? Until we actually win games Lashlee isn’t going anywhere. And that could well take at least 2 more years. And while offensive coordinators aren’t exactly s dime a dozen it also isn’t rocket science. There are and will be many good ones out there. Finally that he is more relatable because he is 34, please. Get over yourselves, kiddies. There is something to be said for experience

 

[sportsart]

You know what? Until we actually win games Lashlee isn’t going anywhere. And that could well take at least 2 more years. And while offensive coordinators aren’t exactly s dime a dozen it also isn’t rocket science. There are and will be many good ones out there. Finally that he is more relatable because he is 34, please. Get over yourselves, kiddies. There is something to be said for experience

For a coach to what, double the points scored per game by a team with minimal talent? Anything is possible. But I think no matter what Lashlee is here for 2 years.

 

[gars44]

Thanks Bobby- I hope Ohio State torches you for 80 pts and 1000 yds total offense[/QUOTE]
They will.

 

[gars44]

Exactly. We're not keeping Lashlee or any other young coach here for long if they have success. They'd always bail for more prestigious gigs with P5 schools. At least Edsall is more likely to stick around because of the history he has here.

true, unfortunately. It's like saying our prom date didn't get his first, second or third picks. So he's going with me. Ok.

 

[jostar1]

Like I said already, if Benedict bolts for Auburn, and Susan has some guts, she immediately hires Lashlee with a nice contract, and she names Randy AD. It'll be Paul Chryst and Barry Alvarez all over again. Nothings really going to change except Lashlee's salary and the titles on some office doors.

I don't get this. RE has not been on an AD track, has never indicated he wants to be AD, and I question if he has the skill set.

I think it is more likely that Beth Goetz gets promoted to AD:

Goetz came to UConn after a three-year tenure at Minnesota, which saw her serve as the school's Interim Director of Athletics this past academic year. Prior to that, she served Minnesota as the Deputy Athletics Director and SWA.

At Minnesota, Goetz oversaw student-athlete development, athletic medicine and strength and conditioning and was the department liaison to academic services and compliance. She was also the sport administrator for women's basketball, baseball, rowing and volleyball. Goetz also served on the Big Ten's Administrators Council and was a member of the conference's Sports Management Committee.

Goetz was an Associate Athletic Director and the Senior Woman Administrator at Butler from 2008-13. She was responsible for all aspects of compliance and eligibility at Butler and worked closely with the Butler men's and women's basketball program.

As an administrator, Goetz assisted with all aspects of compliance at UMSL, oversaw the student service department and served as the sport administrator for baseball, softball and men's and women's golf. Goetz was an active participant on several conference and national committees and chaired the NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Committee.

During her time at Butler, she worked with current Boston Celtics coach Brad Stevens, who was the Bulldog head coach and led the team to NCAA championship game appearances in 2010 and '11.

While at Butler, Goetz served as the sport administrator for a number of teams, including softball, volleyball, men's and women's soccer and track and field.

Goetz spent 12 years at Missouri-St. Louis prior to her time at Butler. She was an assistant athletic director and senior woman administrator for her final eight years and was the women's soccer head coach for 11 years.

 

[Woof 101]

Hate to pick on the kid but VERY IMMATURE & AMATEUR...........Yes for the attackers I realize he is a student and learning but he should also learn as a young journalist to cover all the basses.
At no point does he address the financial stress the school is under. Like UConn could buy out a guaranteed five year contract five games in? This after paying PP and yoga pants ?

The writer says he is a fan of Edsall and don't think he should be fired, then goes on to discuss his fever for the replacement. Stuff you cant make up ....

Amazing how people writing on the situation for the last several years (have no clue) omit the fact recruiting has been beating out the likes of Akron, Buffalo, Rhode Island and New Hampshire.

 

[huskyrob1]

I don't get this. RE has not been on an AD track, has never indicated he wants to be AD, and I question if he has the skill set.

People who like to pretend to be intelligent use the term "skill set" a lot. Actually I think RE does have the skill set. It's a cordless 24 volt ten piece set and includes the 8in skill saw. Ok dingleberry. Honestly if you think RE doesn't have the skills to be UCONN AD and couldn't do what Barry Alvarez did at Wisconsin, then call up Jeff Hathaway and ask him if he wants his old job back.

 

[Stainmaster]

People who like to pretend to be intelligent use the term "skill set" a lot. Actually I think RE does have the skill set. It's a cordless 24 volt ten piece set and includes the 8in skill saw. Ok dingleberry. Honestly if you think RE doesn't have the skills to be UCONN AD and couldn't do what Barry Alvarez did at Wisconsin, then call up Jeff Hathaway and ask him if he wants his old job back.

Wow, where to start. Leading with a baseless and nonsensical ad hominem insult, then some crazed rambling, then throwing Barry Alvarez's name out there as if to suggest "Randy's a football coach, he'll be as successful as this other guy who was once a football coach." All while providing no affirmative reasons why Randy would make a good AD.

This is a terrible argument, and you should feel bad about making it.

 

[LoyalFanCT]

Beth Goetz would be a fine AD. But much of her past history has been in promoting compliance and cleaning up after scandals.

"Goetz, 41, kept a low public profile in her nine months as Minnesota's interim AD but received praise for stabilizing the department after Teague [former AD Norwood Teague] resigned amid allegations of sexual harassment."
LINK
Beth Goetz leaving Minnesota for job at University of Connecticut

If she did get the AD job, she needs to make winning records a top priority, too, not just compliance issues. It's great that women's basketball and field hockey are outstanding at UConn -- but we need to get men's football and basketball back to their glory days.

 

[Chief00]

At age 59 or whatever, one thing Randy still needs to learn, is how to cut your losses. I believe Crocker and his 3-3-5 scheme fit in that category.

 

[SubZero]

You know what? Until we actually win games Lashlee isn’t going anywhere. And that could well take at least 2 more years. And while offensive coordinators aren’t exactly s dime a dozen it also isn’t rocket science. There are and will be many good ones out there. Finally that he is more relatable because he is 34, please. Get over yourselves, kiddies. There is something to be said for experience

Lashlee would easily get a new job if he put his resume out there. It's not his fault the team is losing. His offense is doing great. The fault with the team lies with the head coach and defensive coordinator.

Lashlee took a pathetic offense and turned it into a 30+ points a game offense.

 

[Adios]

The Burtons (or others) can step up and make UConn football relevant again easily with Lashlee. It's coaches that make teams successful, not philosophies and strategies alone. Plus, we can hope Lashlee really likes it here.

 

[31GuardTrap]

Lashlee is NOT ready to be a HC. He has yet to call a complete game offensively and we are ready to promote him? He still has alot to learn with play calling and personnel juggling before entertaining a HC offer.
His next step is to be the OC at a top 15 school and it will be south somewhere. (although not top 15---Arkansas just may be the place he lands) You can lock that in.
What we need to hope for is that someone on the staff is taking notes and can improve upon this going forward when he leaves.

 

[BlueandOG]

The Burtons (or others) can step up and make UConn football relevant again easily with Lashlee. It's coaches that make teams successful, not philosophies and strategies alone. Plus, we can hope Lashlee really likes it here.

I often wonder about the financial resources of the UCONN alumni and fan base. What would it take to lure major financial contributions from fans like the Burtons?

 

[SubbaBub]

What would lashlee's next move be though if he leaves UConn? He won't get a head coaching job at Tenn, Nebraska, Florida, Oregon State or LSU. Would he get the HC job at UCF once Frost leaves for one of those gigs-maybe? Would Boston College hire him or FAU once Kiffin leaves? I don't know, there tons of really good head coaching candidates out there.

Dany White, the AD from UCF, is also going to get a big time AD job at an SEC school very soon

OC at Penn State if Morehead gets a head coaching job.

He is too young to take a low level HC gig and won't be offered a big time HC job.

I think he stays a few years unless a top OC job opens up. We will have to pay him real money though.

AD Dave's job is to hook him into the CT lifestyle to make him a viable replacement for RE when the time comes. He will have another stop before then though.

 

[SubZero]

Paying Lashlee what he deserves is not going to sit well with students and CT residents who see climbing tuition, funding battles, and potential tax increases.

 

[Papadukes]

Lashlee will end up at LSU. Not really I'm going there this week to see friends and family and we if we lost him I would rather it be a team I don't hate

 

[uconnphil2016]

There is merit to the argument about connecting with players. It's not only Randy's age, but his mentality. The whole Tom Coughlin coaching style is really for the most part a thing of the past, and I do hope it works for Randy, but we should be asking ourselves about whether or not that will be a hinderance to our recruiting. Ideally, players are fine with that, but you've also got coaches elsewhere who aren't going to be constantly on you and so discipline-oriented. I like Randy and I think this will work out, but that argument does have merit. Ideally, Randy runs the program for three years and then Rhett takes over, but I doubt Rhett will be here after three years.

 

[blue93]

There is merit to the argument about connecting with players. It's not only Randy's age, but his mentality. The whole Tom Coughlin coaching style is really for the most part a thing of the past, and I do hope it works for Randy, but we should be asking ourselves about whether or not that will be a hinderance to our recruiting. Ideally, players are fine with that, but you've also got coaches elsewhere who aren't going to be constantly on you and so discipline-oriented. I like Randy and I think this will work out, but that argument does have merit. Ideally, Randy runs the program for three years and then Rhett takes over, but I doubt Rhett will be here after three years.

I think the ability to connect with players is more important when it comes to assistant coaches. As a head coach, I think it's more important to prove that you can win games, put guys in the league, etc., then recruits/players will buy into what you're selling. Nobody goes to play for Saban because they want to be his buddy.

 

[ShakyTheMohel]

Paying Lashlee what he deserves is not going to sit well with students and CT residents who see climbing tuition, funding battles, and potential tax increases.

So what do you get out of this? You leave your troll droppings in threads and then hope you pissed someone off? Is that fulfilling for you?

Sad!

 

[HuskyHawk]

Okay then...

>>Plus, Lashlee is just 34 years old, an age significantly more relatable to collegiate football players than Edsall’s 59—not that 59 is over the hill by any means. Lashlee would also have connections to recruits in the SEC pipeline that could vastly improve the program over the next few years, something former head coach Bob Diaco dropped the ball on during his time at UConn.<<

I see that the standards of the Daily Campus remain as they were in my day. Not good. Uninformed speculation is their specialty.

 

[sportsart]

So what do you get out of this? You leave your troll droppings in threads and then hope you pissed someone off? Is that fulfilling for you?

Sad!

He's not smart enough to know that the majority of his salary does not come from the state of CT. He is sad for sure.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Lashlee is NOT ready to be a HC. He has yet to call a complete game offensively and we are ready to promote him? He still has alot to learn with play calling and personnel juggling before entertaining a HC offer.
His next step is to be the OC at a top 15 school and it will be south somewhere. (although not top 15---Arkansas just may be the place he lands) You can lock that in.
What we need to hope for is that someone on the staff is taking notes and can improve upon this going forward when he leaves.

No he is not ready. Does everyone forget where he came from? He was OC at Auburn already, and left there to come here. With a $250k pay cut! I know it boggles the mind, but he did. Why did he do it? He wants to be a HC, and needs to learn from some other experienced people aside from Malzahn. Whatever we may think of him, Edsall has quite a bit of respect in the profession. Lashlee is here to learn. He isn't leaving for any big OC job, he just left a big OC job. He needs about three years here and then he'll want a HC job, whether here or somewhere else.

 

[LoyalFanCT]

I see that the standards of the Daily Campus remain as they were in my day. Not good. Uninformed speculation is their specialty.

The Daily Campus needs to have the freedom to write as they see fit. No one on this board would want us to be censored. No one should limit the Daily Campus. The column was well written and cogent. Doesn't mean you have to agree with it.