How can anyone defend Edsall?

[noeynox]

You guys are like the Chef's Kiss Meme of terrible UConn arguments.

Yes, lets use Buffalo as a comparison. They play a MUCH easier schedule than we will, and they have had one 10-4 year in a terrible conference with a SOS much worse than ours. I'll submit their last dozen or so years for the record since you brought it up:

View attachment 48511


Alot more 2-10s and 3-9s and 5-7s and 6-6 years than 10-4 years folks. But sure, lets use them as an example of the success you expect, perfect.

I'm not trying to be acrimonious. All I'm trying to do is set an example for realistic expectations we as fans and supporters of the program can have and you guys just can't compute. If we want to build a long-term strategy to have a D1 football program, we need to get to stability and positive fan experience first.

If we follow all of your stellar advice and just keep burning through coaches because they aren't brilliant, we will keep being terrible, no one will ever want to come coach for us( and surely not for millions below market rate, we will never build any sort of culture for our players to develop in, and recruits will surely know that there is zero chance the coach that recruits them will be here when they graduate.

Try to be realistic about what Edsall years are, and calibrate your expectations so that you can enjoy the experience. The Edsall 2.0 years are about rebuilding a program from ash, amidst challenging times, and setting the foundation to be good, potentially, during the 2020s. Whether our record is 2-10 or 3-9 this year literally doesn't matter, at all. They are both "bad".

But the core players he is bringing in will be able to stabilize us at 6-6 by their senior year, and bridge our transition to Indenpendent status, and one day could be the Dan Orlovsky or Ryan Klugs or Alfred FIncher of this program.

Everyone remembers the 9-3 Danny Orlovsky team? Well, before we get there, we will have the 2000 and 2001 teams that were 2-10 and 3-9 first. We were in a MUCH more troubling situation in 2016 when Edsall took over than in 2000 when he took over. If you don't agree with that not sure what to even talk to you about. So have patience.

Our #1 risk right now is that, during this incredibly vulnerable moment for the very survival of our program, that we introduce further uncertainty and instability to this process. Edsall will never win a national title, but given 3-4 recruiting classes will have us as respectable, have us see some players drafted and succeed in the NFL, and that would be a job well done.

Clearly you have no idea how far we are from 5-7, amd 6-6, with Edsall. One FBS win in 2 years. Against UMass who just eclipsed our record of futility on defense. A loss to UMass as well in that time. One FBS win. We are like 1-25, in our last 26 against FBS opponents.

Yes Buffalo is lights out ahead of us at the moment.

 

[noeynox]

Randy's rebuilding stinks for anyone with expectations of UConn being a competitive team by now. He's lost to horrific ECU teams the last three years. ECU has won four conference games in the same time span; three of those wins were against Randy. Yeah, let's keep riding this.

Yet another sobering stat that speaks to "The REbuild". #REstored.

 

[noeynox]

If Edsall gets canned, what happens to Block C? That's his baby. Hopefully we keep it.

Good point.

 

[huskysupporter]

Well, I think the question has been answered by some of the mind boggling lists here. There are in fact people who still defend Edsall.

This thread was interesting.

 

[huskysupporter]

If the decision has been made to finally end the second Edsall era, I just hope DB does it right after Temple game. Need to get a staff assembled and try to piece together a recruiting class.

I feel, however that our worst nightmare is coming true, and he is staying. Why? The fact that he got 3 new commits this morning makes me feel like the kids got some assurance he will be back.

Ugh.

 

[bmayuc]

If the decision has been made to finally end the second Edsall era, I just hope DB does it right after Temple game. Need to get a staff assembled and try to piece together a recruiting class.

I feel, however that our worst nightmare is coming true, and he is staying. Why? The fact that he got 3 new commits this morning makes me feel like the kids got some assurance he will be back.

Ugh.

UConn Football, a short play

Scene - David Benedict, Athletic Director for the UConn huskies, has just fired Randy Edsall. It is January 1st, and Benedict is sitting in a regal leather chair in a luxury smoking jacket. He dials the phone number of a well-regarded D1 Football coaching prospect to talk about his newly open Head Coaching position.


David Benedict -

"Hello potential Good D-1 coach - My name is David Benedict. I am the man who just decided that UConn will invest in UConn basketball at the expense of the future of our football program. I would like to interview you about our Head Football Coaching Position. We have not had a winning season in 10 years. We are moving haphazardly into an uncertain future as a D1 Independent. We just fired the architect of the only moderate record of success we have had in our entire D1 history. We have a very uncertain political situation around the support for our football program, which has historically been massively supported by unpopular student fees and is widely seen as an anchor around the neck of our other, successful sports programs. Our stadium is 30 minutes from campus, and our average attendance for the past 10 years is about 40% stadium capacity. Sorry, just to be clear that is our "Announced" attendance. Our actual butts in the seats fans is closer to 20% capacity. Sorry, that's at the start of the game. By the end, its usually friends and family only. A recent tradition we've implemented to save our fanbase the shame of watching the last 10 minutes or so of a 35 point blowouts. We can offer you approximate salary and coaching pool of a MAC school. We have fired each of our past 3 coaches before their initial contract is up or before each has had a full 4 recruiting classes to prove their worth as recruiters or developers of talent. Our fanbase, what is left of it after 10 years of embarrassing losses, coaching turnover, and mass exodus of political support, have very high expectations for our program and expects a quick turnaround to winning football despite a decade of evidence pointing to this being a massive rebuilding effort. Would you be interested in a quick call to discuss?"

Potential D1 Coach -

"... click."

David Benedict -

"Hello? Sir, are you still there?"

End of Scene.

 

[ZooCougar]

You guys are like the Chef's Kiss Meme of terrible UConn arguments.

Yes, lets use Buffalo as a comparison. They play a MUCH easier schedule than we will, and they have had one 10-4 year in a terrible conference with a SOS much worse than ours. I'll submit their last dozen or so years for the record since you brought it up:

View attachment 48511


Alot more 2-10s and 3-9s and 5-7s and 6-6 years than 10-4 years folks. But sure, lets use them as an example of the success you expect, perfect.

I'm not trying to be acrimonious. All I'm trying to do is set an example for realistic expectations we as fans and supporters of the program can have and you guys just can't compute. If we want to build a long-term strategy to have a D1 football program, we need to get to stability and positive fan experience first.

If we follow all of your stellar advice and just keep burning through coaches because they aren't brilliant, we will keep being terrible, no one will ever want to come coach for us( and surely not for millions below market rate, we will never build any sort of culture for our players to develop in, and recruits will surely know that there is zero chance the coach that recruits them will be here when they graduate.

Try to be realistic about what Edsall years are, and calibrate your expectations so that you can enjoy the experience. The Edsall 2.0 years are about rebuilding a program from ash, amidst challenging times, and setting the foundation to be good, potentially, during the 2020s. Whether our record is 2-10 or 3-9 this year literally doesn't matter, at all. They are both "bad".

But the core players he is bringing in will be able to stabilize us at 6-6 by their senior year, and bridge our transition to Indenpendent status, and one day could be the Dan Orlovsky or Ryan Klugs or Alfred FIncher of this program.

Everyone remembers the 9-3 Danny Orlovsky team? Well, before we get there, we will have the 2000 and 2001 teams that were 2-10 and 3-9 first. We were in a MUCH more troubling situation in 2016 when Edsall took over than in 2000 when he took over. If you don't agree with that not sure what to even talk to you about. So have patience.

Our #1 risk right now is that, during this incredibly vulnerable moment for the very survival of our program, that we introduce further uncertainty and instability to this process. Edsall will never win a national title, but given 3-4 recruiting classes will have us as respectable, have us see some players drafted and succeed in the NFL, and that would be a job well done.

moot point. They may have an easier schedule but we can’t beat the teams Buffalo beats either.

We have an FCS team with terrible coaches. We are at times able to be defeated by FCS teams with basically the equivalent of 35 scholarships.

He is not a good recruiter. He doesn’t have the BCS to sell.

I really don’t see the bar being raised in the classes he has put together.

 

[huskysupporter]

UConn Football, a short play

Scene - David Benedict, Athletic Director for the UConn huskies, has just fired Randy Edsall. It is January 1st, and Benedict is sitting in a regal leather chair in a luxury smoking jacket. He dials the phone number of a well-regarded D1 Football coaching prospect to talk about his newly open Head Coaching position.


David Benedict -

"Hello potential Good D-1 coach - My name is David Benedict. I am the man who just decided that UConn will invest in UConn basketball at the expense of the future of our football program. I would like to interview you about our Head Football Coaching Position. We have not had a winning season in 10 years. We are moving haphazardly into an uncertain future as a D1 Independent. We just fired the architect of the only moderate record of success we have had in our entire D1 history. We have a very uncertain political situation around the support for our football program, which has historically been massively supported by unpopular student fees and is widely seen as an anchor around the neck of our other, successful sports programs. Our stadium is 30 minutes from campus, and our average attendance for the past 10 years is about 40% stadium capacity. Sorry, just to be clear that is our "Announced" attendance. Our actual butts in the seats fans is closer to 20% capacity. Sorry, that's at the start of the game. By the end, its usually friends and family only. A recent tradition we've implemented to save our fanbase the shame of watching the last 10 minutes or so of a 35 point blowouts. We can offer you approximate salary and coaching pool of a MAC school. We have fired each of our past 3 coaches before their initial contract is up or before each has had a full 4 recruiting classes to prove their worth as recruiters or developers of talent. Our fanbase, what is left of it after 10 years of embarrassing losses, coaching turnover, and mass exodus of political support, expects a quick turnaround to winning football despite a decade of evidence pointing to this being a massive rebuilding effort. Would you be interested in a quick call to discuss?"

Potential D1 Coach -

"... click."

David Benedict -

"Hello? Sir, are you still there?"

End of Scene.

I appreciate the write up but you couldn’t be more wrong. For those who are pleading for former d 1 head coaches and throwing 5 million at them it’s not going to happen right now. The people thinking this is possible are as delusional as those defending Edsall right now.

There are ambitious head coaches that would jump at the opportunity to run a program even one with as many warts as UCONN. UCONN can offer a lower level coach significantly more than they make and give them an opportunity to show their stuff at a bigger stage. I have no illusions that the UCONN football job is a destination position. The Athletic Department and Administration made sure of that by casting football aside by joining big east, not payingg assistants, and having ridiculous admission standards. But this is a position where someone can make their name turning the team into a 7-8 win squad and then leave for greener pastures either in a G5 or P5 conference.

We can do no worse than Edsall. I can assure you. And those who will cite Crazy Bob Diaco I hear you, but ask your self, has Randy Edsall part 2 been any better than Diaco? Don’t mean to depress anyone.

Clean house - hire dynamic offensive minded head coach from FCS or D2. Hire hungry staff that appeal to the athletes we are recruiting. Engaging, enthusiastic - with a vision to communicate to current and potential players. Focus recruiting to specific areas and recruit those areas like crazy. Reduce admissions standards for 35 % of roster. Hit JUCO and grad transfer route hard for two years. Lead UCONN to a turnaround and get some buzz. Then leave for greener pastures. UCONN will be in a great position going forward.

After witnessing the last several years of this Administration and Athletic Department I am confident that NONE of this will happen. And the slow descent to no more football will continue.

 

[Pudge]

I mean this in the most polite way possible...

It sure as hell didn’t take Temple that long? Remember when they were booted from the Big East? The were awful. Most college linebackers were faster than their DBs. They were beyond horrendous.

to top it off they barely even had a place to play.

In comes Al Golden and after a recruiting class or two they just about beat UConn if not for a sketchy call in the end zone. And trust me UConn still had a bigger and faster team.

The difference was coaching. Edsall is the guy who loses to directional Michigan and then somehow gets to a good bowl game.

he’s the guy who sent more kids to the NFL than most other schools but still loses 4-5 games.

He’s not that good.
He’s not good.

You guys have been conditioned to accept less than adequate which is what we have.

If Temple can attract an Al Golden with no conference and no stadium then UConn can and should do better.

sorry, but you and this whole board needs to wake up and pull yoyr

Temple had a 17 year period whereby they were the WORST College Program on the Planet. I think they got kids that Bucks County HS's wouldn't take. Wallace was like 17-140 in his tenure.

Know your history if you are going to jump in.

 

[noeynox]

Temple had a 17 year period whereby they were the WORST College Program on the Planet. I think they got kids that Bucks County HS's wouldn't take. Wallace was like 17-140 in his tenure.

Know your history if you are going to jump in.

17-140, is the trajectory we seem to be on. They are going to have to figure out how to pay a coaching staff. I want Edsall to succeed, but there is no there, there in terms of progress. 1-25, the last 26 games against FBS, soon to be 1-26, with the only win coming against this year's worst of all time UMass squad.

 

[BlueDogs]

You should probably be committed to an institution with padded walls if those are your expectations or goals for this program.

Another problem is that you are both are weirdly conflating what I believe FAN EXPECTATIONS should be and the goals of the people running the program should be.

My entire point here is that we do not have the resources, institutional support, recruiting capability, conference affiliation, tradition, etc etc ad infinitum to have those types of FAN EXPECTATIONS. It will depress any chance of actually achieving any sort of program growth because... And I hate to be the one telling you that Santa isn't real... That ain't ever going to happen.

This is kinda marketing 101 guys. Underpromise, overdeliver etc.

But whatever I'm not going to continue arguing with fools.

I’m at a loss for words. Simply stunning.

 

[Northbound]

So I'm a consultant. First question I ask starting a new project is : define success.

For me, a successful program is .500 most years, an occasional 8 win year, a bowl every couple years. I think that is reasonable. I think Edsall is on Pace to get us there in 4-5 years and I've seen progress toward that goal. So I'm happy and don't get bent out of shape by the week to week madness.

I wonder, @Zissou how you define success for UConn football?

If the fanbase defines success as 500 that is beyond sad. Who the hell aspires to be mediocre - m.

You guys are like the Chef's Kiss Meme of terrible UConn arguments.

Yes, lets use Buffalo as a comparison. They play a MUCH easier schedule than we will, and they have had one 10-4 year in a terrible conference with a SOS much worse than ours. I'll submit their last dozen or so years for the record since you brought it up:

View attachment 48511


Alot more 2-10s and 3-9s and 5-7s and 6-6 years than 10-4 years folks. But sure, lets use them as an example of the success you expect, perfect.

I'm not trying to be acrimonious. All I'm trying to do is set an example for realistic expectations we as fans and supporters of the program can have and you guys just can't compute. If we want to build a long-term strategy to have a D1 football program, we need to get to stability and positive fan experience first.

If we follow all of your stellar advice and just keep burning through coaches because they aren't brilliant, we will keep being terrible, no one will ever want to come coach for us( and surely not for millions below market rate, we will never build any sort of culture for our players to develop in, and recruits will surely know that there is zero chance the coach that recruits them will be here when they graduate.

Try to be realistic about what Edsall years are, and calibrate your expectations so that you can enjoy the experience. The Edsall 2.0 years are about rebuilding a program from ash, amidst challenging times, and setting the foundation to be good, potentially, during the 2020s. Whether our record is 2-10 or 3-9 this year literally doesn't matter, at all. They are both "bad".

But the core players he is bringing in will be able to stabilize us at 6-6 by their senior year, and bridge our transition to Indenpendent status, and one day could be the Dan Orlovsky or Ryan Klugs or Alfred FIncher of this program.

Everyone remembers the 9-3 Danny Orlovsky team? Well, before we get there, we will have the 2000 and 2001 teams that were 2-10 and 3-9 first. We were in a MUCH more troubling situation in 2016 when Edsall took over than in 2000 when he took over. If you don't agree with that not sure what to even talk to you about. So have patience.

Our #1 risk right now is that, during this incredibly vulnerable moment for the very survival of our program, that we introduce further uncertainty and instability to this process. Edsall will never win a national title, but given 3-4 recruiting classes will have us as respectable, have us see some players drafted and succeed in the NFL, and that would be a job well done.

RE has a career losing record and you want to defend the guy like he's a football savant.

He's had 6 winning seasons in 20 years - SIX!!!!

You can't make up this level of lunacy.

 

[ZooCougar]

Temple had a 17 year period whereby they were the WORST College Program on the Planet. I think they got kids that Bucks County HS's wouldn't take. Wallace was like 17-140 in his tenure.

Know your history if you are going to jump in.

I am going to post some key words in all caps to make this easy for you to understand.

WRONG, you are so dense because you missed the point and coincidentally your argument only strengthens my point. They are far better than us NOW and started in a FAR WORSE position.

Our dumb state U has done far less with more.

Pudge, the school should either invest correctly in a legitimate coaching staff or shutter the program. It’s a total joke at this point.

 

[ZooCougar]

17-140, is the trajectory we seem to be on. They are going to have to figure out how to pay a coaching staff. I want Edsall to succeed, but there is no there, there in terms of progress. 1-25, the last 26 games against FBS, soon to be 1-26, with the only win coming against this year's worst of all time UMass squad.

literally the dumbest fans in college football reside here.

 

[ZooCougar]

All this thread is missing now is : “we came from trailers.”

 

[gioff2323]

Not sure this qualifies as a defense, but as was posted earlier, this threads timing is way off.
We went into a game against a team that was on a roll. The standard line a few days ago was we would not cover spread. We took that same team to the last play. We overcame horrific officiating (one has to wonder about that) including a play reviewed to see if there qb crossed LoS on throw only to see LT 7 yards ahead of him and a clear PI in end zone that would’ve given us 1st down. We saw turnovers, long plays, etc. The kids clearly continue to make boneheaded plays (Travis wait for the snap-the ball is literally 2 ft from your nose). But as was the case with Illinois and Houston we have a team that should win, but is now mentally unsure if they can.

honestly I think making a change now is the last thing this team needs. I see better players, none of whom other than Peart was recruited by prior regime. I see progress. I see hope.

I am not banging the table in defense of staff, I just think some are disingenuous for expecting us to lose and then screaming when we lose on last play. I can’t wait to read board next week.

 

[uconnbill]

That said, the refs screwed UConn multiple times today including a non called pass interference in the end zone during the final drive. There were a couple of flags thrown against ECU that were picked up. Even the ECU fans I was with thought the refs were biased today.
[/QUOTE]
That upset me more than anything. Just a terrible non call and what UConn has gotten this year from AAC officials.

 

[noeynox]

Not sure this qualifies as a defense, but as was posted earlier, this threads timing is way off.
We went into a game against a team that was on a roll. The standard line a few days ago was we would not cover spread. We took that same team to the last play. We overcame horrific officiating (one has to wonder about that) including a play reviewed to see if there qb crossed LoS on throw only to see LT 7 yards ahead of him and a clear PI in end zone that would’ve given us 1st down. We saw turnovers, long plays, etc. The kids clearly continue to make boneheaded plays (Travis wait for the snap-the ball is literally 2 ft from your nose). But as was the case with Illinois and Houston we have a team that should win, but is now mentally unsure if they can.

honestly I think making a change now is the last thing this team needs. I see better players, none of whom other than Peart was recruited by prior regime. I see progress. I see hope.

I am not banging the table in defense of staff, I just think some are disingenuous for expecting us to lose and then screaming when we lose on last play. I can’t wait to read board next week.

I'm not calling for a new head coach, but just as the kids make boneheaded plays, you have a guy who has been a HC for 20 years making boneheaded calls. His in game coaching is playing a huge role in the losses. Pretend otherwise if you like.

 

[huskysupporter]

Just for the record:

UCONN has not won a conference game in two years.
UCONN barely beat the worst team in FBS
UCONN barely beat a 1-11 FCS team

and there are people defending the head coach. Say there has been progress it’s just a slow pace.

 

[jdb50]

The FG try was classic Edsall as well as his explanation. I am hoping the draw play was the OC. We have more talent than when Edsall took over. The big issue is who is going to be OC next year and are we hiring an O-line coach? We have had too many no gains on 3rd and 4th and short so running seems to be off the table. Our late in the half, late in the game and red zone offense has been very shaky all year. The run game needs a big improvement as well short time decision making. A QB who could run some may help with this type of offense. Our passing game has been better with quite a few missed chances by the QB. I think this next season is the make or break year for Edsall 2.0.

 

[uconnbill]

Buffalo won 10 games last year.

If any other coached delivered back to back years where the only FBS win was over UMass you'd all want him fired. He also lost to UMass during that time. Because it's Edsall everyone makes excuses. I don't know if it is sad or funny. But "culture" is better.

Competition isn't close and you know it. The AAC and MAC are worlds apart talent wise.
The players left after Diaco for the most part were terrible and we all know it.

I am not a fan of Edsall's conservatism on offense either and wish he would turn it over to the offensive coordinator and stay as the defense type coach

 

[huskysupporter]

Competition isn't close and you know it. The AAC and MAC are worlds apart talent wise.
The players left after Diaco for the most part were terrible and we all know it.

I am not a fan of Edsall's conservatism on offense either and wish he would turn it over to the offensive coordinator and stay as the defense type coach

what do you think UCONNs record would be in the MAC the last two years. Close to Buffalo’s success?

 

[gioff2323]

I'm not calling for a new head coach, but just as the kids make boneheaded plays, you have a guy who has been a HC for 20 years making boneheaded calls. His in game coaching is playing a huge role in the losses. Pretend otherwise if you like.

I get it. We’re all beyond frustrated after a decade of futility. You can personalize it; I frankly don’t care. I think the better path is to stay the course. The hoard say says make a change. No specific plan,just make a change. The last time we heard that, we replaced P with fish cakes. Everyone said it couldn’t be worse ....

 

[noeynox]

Competition isn't close and you know it. The AAC and MAC are worlds apart talent wise.
The players left after Diaco for the most part were terrible and we all know it.

I am not a fan of Edsall's conservatism on offense either and wish he would turn it over to the offensive coordinator and stay as the defense type coach

When you're beating a terrible FCS Wagner by 3 points, the competition argument holds no weight and you know it.

 

[Life Is Good]

Can't throw a TD pass when you run draws on 3rd and 9. We threw a 94 yd TD catch and run and another long TD pass. Gotta take chances to make plays like that.

Not to mention how many times does he punt on 4th and short when we are over the 50 yard line