Jeff Jacobs: He Needs To Say 'I Am Sorry' So We Can All Move On

[sdhusky]

Why do you care if some people are pissed off about the way Edsall left? They're entitled to their feelings.

Have you watched the team the last 6 years?

If being angry about that means more than winning again, pick a new team.

 

[noeynox]

Have you watched the team the last 6 years?

If being angry about that means more than winning again, pick a new team.

I almost said the apology should come from Diaco, for the absolute misery he put us through this year.

 

[UConn990411]

Apology, stop. The guy took another job. Granted he didn't exit gracefully but Christ he didn't put the school on probation and doesn't have 6 bodies buried at the rent.

Saying "hey hindsight is 20/20 and I shouldn't have left because we were building something here and sometimes you get caught up in it s bit, but I'm happy to be back and look forward to getting to work and getting us back where we belong" make sense but apology, come on.

I don't care about an apology, but I think people are mad about the way he left, no? Not the fact that he left to take another job.

 

[#1 PA Husky Fan]

I was out in Phoenix when the news broke, the day after the game. I was devastated. Not mad about him leaving, because he had a better opportunity for himself and his family. Most would have made that same decision. However, the way that he handled it, whether of his or Maryland's doing, was insulting. I reveled in every game that he lost and was at Maryland when we beat him in his new gig.

After 6 years of watching the program that RE built become the embarrassment of college football, I have forgiven and am excited that he is back. Some have said that we were on a trajectory to become Kansas. I think that we are already there. I would bet that he is motivated to prove that he is better than his results at Maryland and determined to bring UConn football back to where he left it. He will put a product on the field that we can be proud of again, not ashamed.

Many talk about his ceiling. I'll take 8 or 9 wins any day. For those that feel UConn "small timed" this hire, wait and see. I have forgiven and can't wait to see the work begin. Go Huskies!!!

 

[BugsyCT]

Look at it this way. If people are still peeved about his departure, here's his chance to make amends, and that means getting the program off life support and back to reasonably competitive football.

 

[RichCTBB]

HCRE doesn't need to apologize. Jeff Jacobs needs to apologize for always being the contrarian willing to paint UConn athletics in a negative light. He reminds me of the kind of person that never forgets the negatives and brings them up years later to fuel his side of an argument.....he reminds me of.....a woman....In other words, get over it and yourself Jeff Jacobs.

 

[J187Money]

The over the top part was what he made Todman do.

Fair - but unless Todman holds it against him I'm not going to.

 

[Chin Diesel]

He made an apology in the press release yesterday.

Here's the way it rolls.

Music starts with "O Fortuna" while video board shows UConn success under Edsall- ND win, Birmingham Bowl, Taggart FG against USF, etc

1. "I'm back to finish what I started".
2. "I left here a few years ago chasing a 'Dream job' and I got caught up in the moment"
3. "For those players and fans who invested so much to get to Glendale, I could have left better".
(Having one or two of the players from that team nearby with some eye contact, a head nod or dare I say a
hug, nicely closes those wounds)
4. "Moving forward we are going to build a program that can get back to New Year's bowls".
5. "It starts now."
6. "The college football landscape has changed dramatically since that time."
7. "UConn plays for championships and will play exciting football."
8. "I am assembling a staff with proven experience excelling on offense, defense and special teams in today's
college football environment".
9. "The goal for next year is for us to be meeting together on this date in a hotel lobby preparing for a bowl
game instead of here at the Rent."
10. "The staffs first two goals are to finish the recruiting season strong and thoroughly review game film of all
returning players."
(Pause with a mischievous grin on a boss inside joke)
11. "We will continue the strong UConn tradition of developing teenagers in to young men with a strong
emphasis on classroom performance and becoming outstanding citizens in the UConn community."
12. "I have thrown out all my block 'C' sweaters and have four pairs of red skinny jeans on order."


Questions?

Departs to Van Halen's "Finish What You Started"

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Jacobs is reading too much Palatine.

 

[Bonamassa]

This is a very nice hire. Many coaches leave for "greener pastures." Yes it was a bit of a punch in the gut but other than that what's not to like? Edsall and the direction of the program was still pointing up when he left. Look at the last number of years that he was here and what he created.

1. Big East Championships
2. Solid records
3. Tostitos Bowl appearance
4. Many NFL players produced from players with little high school fanfare coming to Connecticut
5. Visits to the school by Bill Belechick because he thought highly of how well coached UConn players were
6. Big time offensive/defensive lines was a constant
7. Excellent running games.
8. Top of the line defensive backs
9. "and things" (just thought I'd throw that in there)

Edsall can basically pick up where he left off. All of the achievements earned by UConn Football belong to Edsall and his players. All of those achievements I'm sure are still displayed for recruits to see and for Edsall to point to.

Now compare all of that to what PP and BD gave us. They both got hit by a train.
I wouldn't doubt that there is some regret when Randy looks at what he built, how he left (including the reaction) and what has happened since. He doesn't need the money and wants to be here. He will be motivated. He knows what he's getting into. Even a "big name" coach might have been shocked how tough of a job it is to make UConn relevant.

 

[HuskyNan]

Have you watched the team the last 6 years?

If being angry about that means more than winning again, pick a new team.

You didn't answer my question - why do you care people are still angry?

Personally, I'm not angry with Edsall and never was. I was disgusted that the guy who got all this praise for holding his team accountable on and off the field snuck out of town without doing what he would have expected any one of his players to do - act like an adult and give the team the courtesy of a face to face explanation.

As far as football goes, Edsall will probably be fine but for me, I don't completely trust Edsall but am willing to take a wait and see attitude. I plan to be open minded but will probably end up being a hard sell. If you don't like my attitude, we'll, sorry you feel that way.

 

[sdhusky]

As far as football goes, Edsall will probably be fine but for me, I don't completely trust Edsall but am willing to take a wait and see attitude. I plan to be open minded but will probably end up being a hard sell. If you don't like my attitude, we'll, sorry you feel that way.

Thats wonderful. But if we win 8 or 9 games, I'll be OK even knowing that you aren't happy.

You and Jacobs can stay upset while the old player and new players love 'em.

 

[TRest]

You didn't answer my question - why do you care people are still angry?

Personally, I'm not angry with Edsall and never was. I was disgusted that the guy who got all this praise for holding his team accountable on and off the field snuck out of town without doing what he would have expected any one of his players to do - act like an adult and give the team the courtesy of a face to face explanation.

As far as football goes, Edsall will probably be fine but for me, I don't completely trust Edsall but am willing to take a wait and see attitude. I plan to be open minded but will probably end up being a hard sell. If you don't like my attitude, we'll, sorry you feel that way.

I'm not upset about the way that he left, I'm upset he's coming back. 6 years of ineptitude from our subsequent coaches have clouded people's memories of what a sanctimonious he often was. Having said that, he's an upgrade to solid competence. Yay.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

If I'm being honest, I was pretty livid when I found out the news in some random Scotsdale, Arizona sports the day after the Fiesta Bowl.

Angry that he left seemingly overnight and angry that he left when to me, we were just about to make big time noise every season. Also a couple seasons later I was pretty pissed because I felt his departure and subsequent dive cost us an ACC bid over the Louisville.

This all being said, I'm now a bit older and hopefully more mature than I was in my 20s and while it still stings to think what if, I don't hold a grudge against the guy and I'm actually really excited to have him back.

I think he should apologize to appease the masses, but to me, it's unnecessary.

Just turn this ship around.

 

[UConnDan97]

In a way, I think that the low contract value and low buyout terms are in part his way of saying "sorry". There is no doubt that we would have been willing to pay a new coach much more than that (at least 50% more). A "mea culpa" discount, perhaps...

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

What he really needs to apologize for is us being in the G5. If he were coaching PPs first two teams they would have been 8-9 win teams and Louisville would be another Memphis

 

[dwalks93]

You didn't answer my question - why do you care people are still angry?

I care that people are angry because it makes fixing UConn football even more difficult than the complete re-build it currently is....UConn football has enough problems and baggage without a perceived grudge against the new/old coach.

Bottom line is the success of UConn football is directly tied to the future success of all UConn athletics. Even if posters are not football fans they need to understand if Edsall can't fix out football then we are forever doomed to the G5 which will eventually crush all our athletic programs.

It had to be a huge swallowing of pride for UConn to re-hire Edsall. But the AD understood this hire was bigger than personal animus or pride. UConn football needs support, it needs people to attend games, it needs to not be the laughing stock of college football and expending energy attacking the coach does not help. If you are a UConn fan (whether that be women's basketball, men's basketball, hockey, soccer, etc..) then our future success is tied to fixing football. Fans do not have to like it but that doesn't change the path to success for UConn's athletic future. I do not love Randy Edsall but I do love UConn so I'll be in stands cheering for him.

Hopefully Edsall makes a heartfelt apology on Friday and we can move on. Holding a grudge won't benefit UConn athletics. My guess is AD Benedict and Coach Edsall understand some amends need to be made and we will hear a different Randy Edsall on Friday. If that is the case then we all need to move on....

 

[TRest]

In a way, I think that the low contract value and low buyout terms are in part his way of saying "sorry". There is no doubt that we would have been willing to pay a new coach much more than that (at least 50% more). A "mea culpa" discount, perhaps...

Kind of an acknowledgement of how much he damaged his own market value.

 

[UConnDan97]

Kind of an acknowledgement of how much he damaged his own market value.

Oh, no doubt that if he tried to get a lot more than that, he would not have the job. That's the UCONN part of this that says, "you probably should be a little sorry"...

 

[ZooCougar]

"I'm sorry I left, but if you had to work for Jeff Hathaway you would have done the same thing."

There.

 

[gtcam]

I don't know if he will apology nor do I think he should
I do agree with Chiefoo that what he did to Todman was a bit over the top and probably an attempt to take the edge off of his planned exit
I neither agree or disagree on how he left - I was not in his shoes and I am quite sure that he probably had a bit too much of that all-time jerk Jeff Hathaway
I think he paid for any transgressions by his Maryland situation
I think HCRE is a great fit for UConn at this time and will be a great choice to rebuild the program for the next step. He is familiar with the school. facilities and that will help him hit the ground running much faster than a newcomer.
Maybe he has been humbled a bit but hoping not too much - it appears that some of these players may need a good kick in the butt to clear the Diaco syndrome they may have in them

 

[amory]

He doesn't need to say he's sorry, what is this kindergarten? He did what he had to do at the time.

Help us win some football games. That's apology enough.

 

[BlueMAB]

Why do you care if some people are pissed off about the way Edsall left? They're entitled to their feelings.

They are entitled to their feelings, of course. But if they allow that anger to keep them from buying tickets and going to games, then they are being petty and are making it even harder to rebuild the program.

 

[DCUconnfan]

He made an apology in the press release yesterday.

Here's the way it rolls.

Music starts with "O Fortuna" while video board shows UConn success under Edsall- ND win, Birmingham Bowl, Taggart FG against USF, etc

1. "I'm back to finish what I started".
2. "I left here a few years ago chasing a 'Dream job' and I got caught up in the moment"
3. "For those players and fans who invested so much to get to Glendale, I could have left better".
(Having one or two of the players from that team nearby with some eye contact, a head nod or dare I say a
hug, nicely closes those wounds)
4. "Moving forward we are going to build a program that can get back to New Year's bowls".
5. "It starts now."
6. "The college football landscape has changed dramatically since that time."
7. "UConn plays for championships and will play exciting football."
8. "I am assembling a staff with proven experience excelling on offense, defense and special teams in today's
college football environment".
9. "The goal for next year is for us to be meeting together on this date in a hotel lobby preparing for a bowl
game instead of here at the Rent."
10. "The staffs first two goals are to finish the recruiting season strong and thoroughly review game film of all
returning players."
(Pause with a mischievous grin on a boss inside joke)
11. "We will continue the strong UConn tradition of developing teenagers in to young men with a strong
emphasis on classroom performance and becoming outstanding citizens in the UConn community."
12. "I have thrown out all my block 'C' sweaters and have four pairs of red skinny jeans on order."


Questions?

Departs to Van Halen's "Finish What You Started"

Immediately remove #12, then promptly race over to the Rent and slide your speech on top of his papers at the podium, because this is perfect.

 

[DCUconnfan]

Jacobs is reading too much Palatine.

You just insulted both at the same time, bravo