McMurphy - Edsall "very strong candidate" to return

[Chin Diesel]

Here are Edsall's issues:

The schedule he beat here was not good. Yes, we beat some good teams but you could name them on one hand. (No, ND was not a good team that year)

He never showed that he could recruit and develop the QB position. (Dan O doesn't count, unless you have another situation where a local NFL prospect wants to be part of a new era of UConn FB)

He was always looking for another job

He had issues with admissions (admissions are tougher now)

He was in a P6 league then, though one could argue that the AAC is like the old BE in terms of big bowl access. But, you'd have to concede that the lower tier bowl tie ins suck.

He is not new. This would be a bit roll of the dice that winning would solve, but anyone think the new coach is winning out of the gate? RE would get no honeymoon.

Where is energy level at? Is he willing to put in that amount of work, again?

Can he still recruit NJ/PA against expanded ACC/B1G competition?

On the plus side:

He likely does care deeply about the program. Probably can't find another coach who can say that. Even the old assistants would be looking to move on as soon as possible.

He did field a competitive team, schedule aside.

We know what we would be getting, and he is probably a better coach today.

Now that Blauds is tweeting it's a done deal my hope is two areas.

First, he doesn't have one foot out the door anymore. Most of us felt he made some decisions based on how they would look to his next employer. Not an issue any more.

Second, this is his coaching Capstone. Success here takes some of the blemish off of his Maryland stint. Finish strong and put full effort in to resurrecting UConn.

He has learned from his mistakes and plans on bringing in an OC who can put points on the board. I don't care if it's points in the air or on the ground. Points.

A crazy person would suggest he and Dan O have been colluding during meetings in Detroit. The Prodigal son returns with Edsall.

 

[ktuck911]

Edsall only coached vs Michigan at UConn once and they got trounced in the Big House.

You could easily argue that if he were still here when we played them under Coach P we'd have returned the favor...

 

[pepband99]

A crazy person would suggest he and Dan O have been colluding during meetings in Detroit. The Prodigal son returns with Edsall.

Hahahahaha - that would be awesome, if not totally unlikely.

 

[sdhusky]

YMy law firm hasn't done what it's done in 35 years of growth by sitting here wishing we could be Wachtell Lipton. We have accomplished what we have not by saying "this is our cieling and we can never go higher," but by saying "we want to reach up and get to this point in five years." But "that point" needs to be set realistically.

I thought it was from posting on the boneyard.

 

[jpm25]

If he has the right players we definitely could be going places, also remember that when he coached UConn, week after week our apponents were Miami, West Virginia, FSU, Pitt, Syracuse, BC, Rutgers, Virginia Tech, and one or two more I'm forgetting. To go 74-70 against competition like that for a school that just upgraded football is quite an accomplishment. He is definitely, for several reasons, one guy who could turn the program around quickly, given the present competition. However, how far and how long that turn around could go is the big question. All that being said if he does get the job he needs to come out and explain why he left the way he did.

this is just simply not correct. When was UConn playing, and beating, Miami, Virginia Tech, BC, FSU? When? I remember there was a game a piece against Miami and VT before they bolted in 2003. Go back and look at the W-L record - when RE was below .500, wins came against the likes of Murray State, FAU, Kent State, and they weren't blowouts. He beat teams that he absolutely should have beaten, and fortunately for his .500 reputation there was more than 50% of those on the schedule in a watered down Big East

 

[jpm25]

It means to get paid by Maryland he couldn't be in a coaching position.

yes, because that's what sought-after coaches do. Stay on the sidelines to collect a buyout. Yes.

 

[History Geek]

Now that Blauds is tweeting it's a done deal my hope is two areas.

First, he doesn't have one foot out the door anymore. Most of us felt he made some decisions based on how they would look to his next employer. Not an issue any more.

Second, this is his coaching Capstone. Success here takes some of the blemish off of his Maryland stint. Finish strong and put full effort in to resurrecting UConn.

He has learned from his mistakes and plans on bringing in an OC who can put points on the board. I don't care if it's points in the air or on the ground. Points.

A crazy person would suggest he and Dan O have been colluding during meetings in Detroit. The Prodigal son returns with Edsall.

I'll buy this. Then again, I'm such a half-full kind of guy I make Confident Carl look like a curmudgeon.

 

[31GuardTrap]

DEAR GOD.

Now ESPN is running the .."Randy Edsall is a strong candidate to return to UConn b-s on the bottom of their screen.

 

[Husky25]

No. It means that it's hard to blame a coach when the other team puts in a QB who could do things that literally no one had ever seen a QB do before.

Okay...yeah...

Still not seeing how that means UConn didn't get trounced. I know I was pretty high up, but I had a pretty good view of the scoreboard.

 

[businesslawyer]

Okay...yeah...

still not seeing how that means UConn didn't get trounced.

I'm agreeing with you. I was there. We got trounced. We had a chance to make a game of it halfway through the 3rd Q, but when Shumate fumbled the ball after converting the 4th and short inside the 5, we were done.

 

[SubbaBub]

I'd be inclined to give Dan O a shot at passing coordinator/co-OC type job.

It would certainly help RE reintroduce himself. DanO has had a Jason Garrett like clipboard holding career. I'm sure they were keeling him around for his abilities on the field TBH.

I'd also take a Lansanah or Fincher type as LB coach.

 

[#1 PA Husky Fan]

I'd be inclined to give Dan O a shot at passing coordinator/co-OC type job.

It would certainly help RE reintroduce himself. DanO has had a Jason Garrett like clipboard holding career. I'm sure they were keeling him around for his abilities on the field TBH.

I'd also take a Lansanah or Fincher type as LB coach.

Love the Lansanah/Fincher LB coach idea. Lansanah is from PA. Could help recruiting there.

 

[Colt house75]

A marginal upgrade? Are you insane?
Diaco was one of the worst FBS head coaches and Edsall won a BCS league twice in his tenure here.
Invigorate a fanbase? In Edsall's last season did we not have back to back weeks with night games against Pitt and West Virginia with a sold out stadium and stormed the field against against West Virginia?
I need to say it again, he wouldn't necessarily be my top choice but some of you just want something shiny and unknown for the sake of it. Minimizing Edsall's accomplishmenta here is just ignorant.

Exactly this. He's not on my short list for two reasons: first, because he's too controversial for this fanbase; and second, because I'm not sure whether he is the guy to recreate the success he had here.
But the inability of some to recognize that HE WAS MORE THAN A LITTLE SUCCESSFUL HERE is utterly incomprehensible to me. Always was and always will be. Although I think it mostly has to do wtih people expecting it's as easy as finding the next Calhoun or Geno to coach football.

Both of you nailed it, Thank you. Not on my short list either. However, don't shortchange RE accomplishments while here. He put UCONN football on the map from 1-AA to the Fiesta Bowl. We were competitive to say the least

Finding the right person for this job is not an easy task. DB is gaining my respect for the way he is moving through, with no elaborated hoopla , and seemingly, moving behind the scenes to get funding in place to make this happen and then moving quietly to secure the best possible person, again a much more difficult task than meets the eye. It may take a little while longer but hoping there is some indication by Tuesday of next week.

 

[Nostical]

It's not just DanO. Donald Brown is available.... as is Scott Lutrus, Albert Fincher, etal. Not saying they would want to (or even have the goods) but if any of our former guys want to become coaches, or want to contribute in any way, especially demonstrating to our current team what the legacy of UConn football was-- can--and will become again---they now have an avenue with a trusted mentor.

 

[Husky25]

I'm agreeing with you. I was there. We got trounced. We had a chance to make a game of it halfway through the 3rd Q, but when Shumate fumbled the ball after converting the 4th and short inside the 5, we were done.

My point was simple. I responded to a post stating UConn beat ND and WVU, and played Michigan close. With a caveat or two, the first two were true. However, the Edsall coached UConn team did not play Michigan close in the slightest. Even if Shoemate scored, that would have only brought them to within 7. You could argue that UConn would not have completely deflated, but Michigan went on to chew up 13 more minutes on their last two drives after burning up over eight minutes to open the 2nd half (Looking back over the play-by-play, I can't believe UM only had 3 drives in the 2nd half).

Finally, contrary to the notion of being blindsided by Robinson, it was not the first time that had happened at the hands of a Rich Rod team. Pat White (186 rush, 106 pass) lead the 2007 Mountaineers in running up over 500 yards rushing, 7 TDs, and 66 points.

 

[sdhusky]

It's not just DanO. Donald Brown is available.... as is Scott Lutrus, Albert Fincher, etal. Not saying they would want to (or even have the goods) but if any of our former guys want to become coaches, or want to contribute in any way, especially demonstrating to our current team what the legacy of UConn football was-- can--and will become again---they now have an avenue with a trusted mentor.

Show up on the sidelines...

 

[Nostical]

Show up on the sidelines...

Absolutely . There will be a lot more engagement by our former guys. And don't forget Ben Chapman is currently coaching LB's at Castleton in VT. There are a bunch of "our guys" who will want to be a part of our resurgence!

 

[huskyrob1]

this is just simply not correct. When was UConn playing, and beating, Miami, Virginia Tech, BC, FSU? When? I remember there was a game a piece against Miami and VT before they bolted in 2003. Go back and look at the W-L record - when RE was below .500, wins came against the likes of Murray State, FAU, Kent State, and they weren't blowouts. He beat teams that he absolutely should have beaten, and fortunately for his .500 reputation there was more than 50% of those on the schedule in a watered down Big East

You totally misunderstood or assumed wrongly where I was going with this. His record at UCONN was 74-70 or close to that IIRC.

 

[Waquoit]

Absolutely . There will be a lot more engagement by our former guys. And don't forget Ben Chapman is currently coaching LB's at Castleton in VT. There are a bunch of "our guys" who will want to be a part of our resurgence!

That's all well and good. But in FB, you need good coaches. If some of "our guys" can coach, bring them on. Otherwise, pass. The BB coaches are all "our guys".

 

[huskyrob1]

Exactly this. He's not on my short list for two reasons: first, because he's too controversial for this fanbase; and second, because I'm not sure whether he is the guy to recreate the success he had here.

But the inability of some to recognize that HE WAS MORE THAN A LITTLE SUCCESSFUL HERE is utterly incomprehensible to me. Always was and always will be. Although I think it mostly has to do wtih people expecting it's as easy as finding the next Calhoun or Geno to coach football.

Not sure if people remember this but Toner hired Geno in a Dunkin Donuts over coffee, with no head coaching experience whatsoever, and before Geno the top women HS players in the country all went to Stanford, Tennessee, North Carolina or Duke. No top girls BB player in her right mind would have considered Uconn. Note to DB AND SH. Lol. I guess if DB or SH are seen hanging out at local DD's around Storrs, I guess we can cross FHCRE off the list.

 

[ShakyTheMohel]

That's all well and good. But in FB, you need good coaches. If some of "our guys" can coach, bring them on. Otherwise, pass. The BB coaches are all "our guys".

Exactly. You need a good mix of experience and UConn roots. I don't think hiring a bunch of "our guys" has been good for KO.

 

[huskyrob1]

Wow that was fast. Thanks Mr Burton.

 

[Caronimo]

You say that now. Then the next coach loses his first game and then things turn. I honestly don't know if this board will ever be happy / content with current coach.

Nope... I am happy Edsall is the coach and I'm still pretty mad at him. But I know he will be better than Bobby Boy. that guy