Edsall Has Big Job Ahead Rebuilding UConn Program (Altavilla)

[BlueMAB]

But he wasn't fired, he left. He was always looking for the next job, and when he got it he flopped, so what exactly is the argument about. We were lucky to have him and he was lucky to be here. His act wasn't going to play at other places and I think he would probably admit that.

That anyone who supports the coach feels he should be immune for criticism.

There's a difference between disagreeing with the critics, and thinking criticism shouldn't be allowed.

The people who argued for years that if we replaced him, we were more likely to get better than worse because he was under-performing have been shown just how difficult it is to win in CFB, and at UConn. 6 years later, they've learned nothing, and are back to arguing that just because someone disagrees with some of the criticism, they think the coach should immune from all criticism.

Edsall had blind spots. Too controlling (he's alluded to learning that lesson). Could rarely, land/keep/develop a QB that would start at most other programs in the same conference. Too quick to blame execution, rather than take accountability for the overall results. Struggled to get upsets/beat top 25 teams.

That said, he's the best coach we've ever had. Hopefully he's not the best coach we'll ever have. Welcoming back the winningest coach in the program's history is not a proclamation that we hope to never be able to better than 9-4.

He may succeed, he may not, but we couldn't afford risky and unproven at this point. For every Fleck who builds a 10+ win team in less than 4 years (of which very few actually exist) there are a dozen or more who are fired within 4 years.

 

[SubbaBub]

But he wasn't fired, he left. He was always looking for the next job, and when he got it he flopped, so what exactly is the argument about. We were lucky to have him and he was lucky to be here. His act wasn't going to play at other places and I think he would probably admit that.

The biggest knock on his past tenure, other than recruiting and developing a QB. Presumably we can take him at his word that his name won't be floated for every open job east of the Mississippi. That solves issue 1.

Hopefully he has a plan to address issue 2.

 

[businesslawyer]

That anyone who supports the coach feels he should be immune for criticism.

There's a difference between disagreeing with the critics, and thinking criticism shouldn't be allowed.

The people who argued for years that if we replaced him, we were more likely to get better than worse because he was under-performing have been shown just how difficult it is to win in CFB, and at UConn. 6 years later, they've learned nothing, and are back to arguing that just because someone disagrees with some of the criticism, they think the coach should immune from all criticism.

Edsall had blind spots. Too controlling (he's alluded to learning that lesson). Could rarely, land/keep/develop a QB that would start at most other programs in the same conference. Too quick to blame execution, rather than take accountability for the overall results. Struggled to get upsets/beat top 25 teams.

That said, he's the best coach we've ever had. Hopefully he's not the best coach we'll ever have. Welcoming back the winningest coach in the program's history is not a proclamation that we hope to never be able to better than 9-4.

He may succeed, he may not, but we couldn't afford risky and unproven at this point. For every Fleck who builds a 10+ win team in less than 4 years (of which very few actually exist) there are a dozen or more who are fired within 4 years.

Exactly this. The apologistas were never saying every play call or personnel decision was right. What a silly standard that would be for anyone in any profession. They were saying that it shouldn't have taken a rocket scientist to determine that, overall, his first tenure here was a real success given what he inherited and what he turned it into. It's the anti-apologistas who couldn't understand that running the ball three straight times from your own goal line in '2008 in Piscataway and having it not work was not cause for determining that Edsall's tenure wasn't very successful.

 

[noeynox]

I think Endres, and Nebrich had the most potential but none panned out. Had Edsall/Moorhead stayed, I think Nebrich could have been our best QB since Dan O by far. Had Endres not smoked away his opportunity, ditto for him.

That's pretty sad though for as long as he was here. Some of the kids he brought in Mike Box, Casey Turner, transfered down a level and didn't exactly light the world on fire. Box looked so tentative when he got in. The kid who probably could have done something but couldn't learn the playbook was Cundiff.

 

[kris1]

Last night, Penn States QB could hit the long ball almost at will.....

Funny how a kid that every other FBS who recruited him had pegged as a WR or LB led his team to the Rose Bowl....as a QB

 

[RSTuthill]

So, from 50,000 feet I will make this observation. Back in the "oughts" I used to travel to Clemson quite a bit for technical meetings, stayed in their beautiful meeting center hotel, would have played golf on their beautiful course if golf was my game, just really enjoyed the small town atmosphere and the technical meetings we had there. When you drive into Clemson on a road that could pass for state route 195 into Storrs, you started seeing painted giant tiger paw prints painted in the road. The whole area was just 100% committed to their FB team.

Yet, they weren't any better than UConn at the time. Clemson and UConn had a couple common opponents and I realized the Huskies had done better than Clemson had against them. Go figure.

So that is all I want HCRE to do and I will be satisfied. Get UConn back to where Clemson is again. Shouldn't be too difficult, should it?

 

[Huskygamble19]

Is it too early to ask Richard Levy to be OL coach?

 

[BlueMAB]

That's pretty sad though for as long as he was here. Some of the kids he brought in Mike Box, Casey Turner, transfered down a level and didn't exactly light the world on fire. Box looked so tentative when he got in. The kid who probably could have done something but couldn't learn the playbook was Cundiff.

I'm not going to even try to defend his record with QBs not named Dan Orlovsky. It's the one thing that kept us from transforming from good to great. Hopefully he finds a QB coach and OC who can help make up for his weaknesses there.

 

[Pudge]

I think ... it is just hard to (a priori) pick a solid talent at QB.

Last night, you are referencing, Max Browne was supposed to be the all-everything and he flopped early this year allowing Darnold the spot.

We saw good QBs in Tracy replaced by Orlovsky, with a little K Henry (and would have thought we could equal that level at some point) followed by Bonislawski, Hernandez then Lorenzen - none of them were truly stellar QB talent. Lorenzen, though, had a little extra: Leadership. That guy could move the chains. Frazier points out the amazing in that his throwing motion was awful but he still was a 4 star rated guy. Box Cundiff Endres.

Then ... you leave ... and I watch the walk-on McEntee get the position.

Nebrich McCummings Whitmer Cochran Boyle Davis Shirreffs Anderson

I can't say any of these guys blossomed from coaching. It is the sorry nature of this Program. Never had anyone come near Orlovsky. Shirreffs, we were saying, had a chance to be near #2 on the list when we discussed in August. I think he got hurt far worse than we know.

This will be our key going into the new era.

 

[sportsart]

I think if Randy opens up the offense and we get a read/spread type offense, we might attract a QB who has some talent. While it certainly wasn't the main reason, having a run first and second offense, tends to keep away the QB's that like to throw and or run.

Here's hoping.

 

[ktuck911]

One thing Diaco left Edsall with is a BIG team. Don't think Edsall run teams didn't have this much size

 

[RSTuthill]

Don't think Edsall run teams didn't have this much size

Or this much slowness and lack of agility. The trend these days, even in the pros, is lighter, quicker, and more agile.

 

[BlueDogs]

Edsall Has Big Job Ahead Rebuilding UConn Program

Went back and read the article again and it dawned me just how broken college football is with this Power 5 nonsense. If there is one thing America loves its underdogs. Stacking the deck and have a perennial Power SEC team v. First Tier ACC or Big10 team national championship might be great for the conspiring conferences but not for the game of football. They will kill the goose that lays the golden eggs. Watch viewership and attendance continue to decline.

 

[gars44]

I think it's fair to say he was a incredible judge of potential other than he was a great recruiter.

Yeah. To be a great recruiter, you have to have a couple of things RE never had: (1) a destination to recruit to (we don't) or (2) an administration that will look the other way (we don't). Some have both. Hello FSU. Before, RE at least had a BCS conference to sell. What's he got now? I'm concerned. I know his heart's in it. He better bring in a real spit fire of an offensive coordinator. Young guns. And the admin better give him a lot of leeway on the academic side. A lot. There's a lot of kids of good character that don't have the academic background. Not their fault.

 

[31GuardTrap]

Yeah. To be a great recruiter, you have to have a couple of things RE never had: (1) a destination to recruit to (we don't) or (2) an administration that will look the other way (we don't). Some have both. Hello FSU. Before, RE at least had a BCS conference to sell. What's he got now? I'm concerned. I know his heart's in it. He better bring in a real spit fire of an offensive coordinator. Young guns. And the admin better give him a lot of leeway on the academic side. A lot. There's a lot of kids of good character that don't have the academic background. Not their fault.

A history of putting players into the NFL over the past 14 plus years. 2 Conference Championships and a BCS Bowl. Folks, there are many....many coaches out there that would kill to have this resume. And he did this without 1 single 4 star or 5 star recruit. Imagine if he actual gets a few here that perform at that "ranked" level along with his developed guys. At some point...it will finally happen.

 

[BlueMAB]

A history of putting players into the NFL over the past 14 plus years. 2 Conference Championships and a BCS Bowl. Folks, there are many....many coaches out there that would kill to have this resume. And he did this without 1 single 4 star or 5 star recruit. Imagine if he actual gets a few here that perform at that "ranked" level along with his developed guys. At some point...it will finally happen.

Technically he did land at least a couple 4 star recruits. Dwayne Difton, and the Linebacker (from NC?) whose name escapes me. Frazer was a 4 (or 5) star QB that transferred in.

But ironically, the few 4 stars he landed never panned out.

 

[31GuardTrap]

Technically he did land at least a couple 4 star recruits. Dwayne Difton, and the Linebacker (from NC?) whose name escapes me. Frazer was a 4 (or 5) star QB that transferred in.

But ironically, the few 4 stars he landed never panned out.

I'm sure you get my point.

 

[BlueMAB]

Yes, I did, and I agree.

 

[CL82]

Nonsense. People absolutely implied that Edsall laid a good foundation, and if we replaced him, we were likely to get over the hump. Nobody who wanted him gone would ever admit the possibility of what replacing him meant, and here we are, with a shell of a once proud program.

One poster has even bragged he was ahead of the curve saying that firing Edsall for 8-5 would have been entirely justified even with the benefit of hindsight. Mind-numbingly bizarre.

The apologista label is already being thrown at people who defend the hire, but can you quote anyone who has argued that Edsall should be immune from criticism? I'd love to see that post. Even posters who weren't happy with the hire, but had the nerve to defend his decision to finish his season with the Lions while taking over our program (not something I think he should do) were called apologists as if the mere defense of one decision is a clear statement that no criticism can be made.

I thought Randy had taken us as far as he could and we needed a change to get to the next level. With right hire, that probably would have prophetic. Unfortunately, we did not have the right hire... twice.

Welcome home Randy.

 

[BlueMAB]

I thought Randy had taken us as far as he could and we needed a change to get to the next level. With right hire, that probably would have prophetic. Unfortunately, we did not have the right hire... twice.

Welcome home Randy.

Sure, anything is possible. But he wasn't ever going to be fired for winning at the clip he was (no matter how much his most vocal detractors try to discredit it). I never thought firing him was worth the risk. There was a better chance we struck out than there was we hit a home-run. He owns his entire coaching record, but considering the starting point for UConn football, and where he brought it, if you fire him for that you better hire the next Saban, Meyer, or Harbaugh. Instead we got Grumpy Old Men, followed by Cadillac Man.

Edsall was never a home run, but he was a solid double. Maybe he can get us back there, and this time we can set a succession plan to keep the momentum.

 

[31GuardTrap]

Sure, anything is possible. But he wasn't ever going to be fired for winning at the clip he was (no matter how much his most vocal detractors try to discredit it). I never thought firing him was worth the risk. There was a better chance we struck out than there was we hit a home-run. He owns his entire coaching record, but considering the starting point for UConn football, and where he brought it, if you fire him for that you better hire the next Saban, Meyer, or Harbaugh. Instead we got Grumpy Old Men, followed by Cadillac Man.

Edsall was never a home run, but he was a solid double. Maybe he can get us back there, and this time we can set a succession plan to keep the momentum.

I think that will definitely be a part of this next phase. I don't see AD Dave short changing himself.

 

[noeynox]

I think that will definitely be a part of this next phase. I don't see AD Dave short changing himself.

I think @WingU-Conn is right. Randy could have been here forever at the rate he was going on. He went to Maryland and had them poised for a similar run, but at most places that doesn't keep you employed forever, but here absolutely. He found out the hard way how 7-5, is looked at most places, and you're totally adversarial with the media.