Randy Edsall: “If you have to convince kids to be here, it ain’t going to work”

[Drew]

This is also known as the definition of recruiting

 

[UConnRock]

Context

 

[UConnJim]

He is saying if a kid is not excited by the opportunity to play football at UConn, it’s probably not a good fit to try to convince him to come as playing a sport in college requires a high level of commitment. If a kid is excited about multiple opportunities at different schools, than you can recruit him and convince him UConn is the best fit.

 

[huskymedic]

Context

 

[Exit 4]

Oh well - maybe next year is the year.

There are plenty of interesting CT kids with high ceilings that aren’t FBS worthy just yet that might be after a PG year. There are just a few that are FBS worthy and those kids tend to be at programs with head coaches that aren’t fond of Randy or in towns that have cultures that value private colleges or bigger names over supporting the state flagship. Winning and stability will fix some of this. Maybe this year we haul in some local PWOs with real upside.... many of last year’s felt like roster fillers.

 

[noeynox]

I think the trick is convincing the talented in state kids that they can accomplish here what they could do somewhere else. NFL, All American, Bowl games, packed houses. For a short period in our history we could claim that. One atrocious decade later and it's a much harder sell. These kids today have no memories of watching UConn take down Baylor and RG3 in a raucous Rent.

 

[CTMike]

Like... not a single CT football player decided on playing at UConn?

Not sure how anyone can conclude anything other than 1) that’s not great, and 2) Randy comments make it sound like he doesn’t seem committed to changing that.

Again- I was full on apologista for RE v1. Happy when he came back. But this is yet another thing that’s not going well this time round that people are going to make excuses for and it’s baffling.

 

[Exit 4]

Like... not a single CT football player decided on playing at UConn?

Not sure how anyone can conclude anything other than 1) that’s not great, and 2) Randy comments make it sound like he doesn’t seem committed to changing that.

Again- I was full on apologista for RE v1. Happy when he came back. But this is yet another thing that’s not going well this time round that people are going to make excuses for and it’s baffling.

You are 100% correct..... here’s another excuse anyway; our long running New England elitist private school culture. In 247’s top 15 CT kids, just two were at public high schools. The private school culture in New England is that state schools are for the poors... unless that state school is a top 25 football power and/or has a campus with great landscaping in a warm climate.

Yes, Randy has done zilch to close the local disconnect. Absolutely nothing and he clearly has no plans to make an effort to narrow this divide. That said, for the time being he does seem to have a good report going with a few private school talents for the 2021 class. He might actually get one in 2021. Have to start winning though in 2020.

Edit update: of the top 18 kids kn the 247 CT ranking, only four attended public high schools and one of those four is Drew Payne at New Canaan who signed with Notre Dame; the others are Joyner (Minnesota), Rainey (Rutty) and a kid at New London; Owen George who is listed as unsigned (could be inaccurate).

 

[jayfromfla]

We had plenty of Conn players on the recruits from PP and Diaco. How many winning seasons did we have?

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

He is saying if a kid is not excited by the opportunity to play football at UConn, it’s probably not a good fit to try to convince him to come as playing a sport in college requires a high level of commitment

Yes, the message heading info was in specific response to a question about in-state players. Left unsaid was 1. the well-recognized desire of some students and athletes to simply get away from home; 2. some CT towns’ peer pressures to not consider UConn, i.e., not just Huskies’ football; 3. some CT kids, parents and coaches laser-focused solely on P5 schools, etc.

Sure, UConn should absolutely work to recruit in-State players, sell the program, etc. On the other hand, most reasonably informed and relatively rational CT natives, residents, and others with much knowledge of UConn recognize obstacles the prior paragraph highlights.

No, not a defense of anyone associated with UConn football nor a suggestion no effort should be expended to convince CT players to consider UConn. Just not head-in-the- sand ignorance of widely-known realities in CT.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Convincing kids to be here? Sounds like “recruiting”

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Who wouldn't jump at the chance to commit 5 years to this guy!

 

[gioff2323]

Are we really flailing on the ground b/c our class included no local kids? Do you get bonus points for locals? Who’d we miss out on?

who starts a rant the day we add 20 new shiny toys under the tree? Geezus some of u just look for a chance to whine. Is your life that empty?

 

[RSTuthill]

Tempted to jump in here on this topic but won't. Let us just say that most preps that I have been exposed to are more focused on the academic success of their students than on getting them recruited into bigtime athletics. There are exceptions, and those schools are well known.

 

[Irishfan]

Yes, the message heading info was in specific response to a question about in-state players. Left unsaid was 1. the well-recognized desire of some students and athletes to simply get away from home; 2. some CT towns’ peer pressures to not consider UConn, i.e., not just Huskies’ football; 3. some CT kids, parents and coaches laser-focused solely on P5 schools, etc.

Sure, UConn should absolutely work to recruit in-State players, sell the program, etc. On the other hand, most reasonably informed and relatively rational CT natives, residents, and others with much knowledge of UConn recognize obstacles the prior paragraph highlights.

No, not a defense of anyone associated with UConn football nor a suggestion no effort should be expended to convince CT players to consider UConn. Just not head-in-the- sand ignorance of widely-known realities in CT.

Are you saying that as a school, UConn does not have a good reputation in the state Of Connecticut.

 

[BlueDogs]

Get the best we can wherever we can. The rest is noise. Edsall is a disaster and there are innumerable reasons to jump on him. This isn’t one of them.

 

[freescooter]

There were about 6-7 Ct kids who signed yesterday. If they aren’t interested they aren’t interested. You can go to a game in Florida and watch twice that number play against as many on the other team. You can go to see the 1 CT prospect and he plays vs far inferior competition and likely is less well coached. Not an incredibly efficient use of resources. Lots of 1aa and d3 talent. Diaco would load up on those guys

 

[huskymedic]

Edit update: of the top 18 kids kn the 247 CT ranking, only four attended public high schools and one of those four is Drew Payne at New Canaan who signed with Notre Dame; the others are Joyner (Minnesota), Rainey (Rutty) and a kid at New London; Owen George who is listed as unsigned (could be inaccurate).

Here are the known UConn offers for pure in-state players:

Drew Pyne (QB) - New Canaan High School, New Canaan CT (Notre Dame Commit 4/16/18)

Tyler Van Dyke (QB) - Glastonbury, CT attending Suffield Academy (Univ. of Miami Commit 4/29/19)

Jah Joyner (DE/OLB) - Danbury High School, Danbury CT (BC Commit 6/9/19>Decommit>Minnesota Commit 12/18/19)

Justin Barron (Athlete) - Glastonbury, CT attending Suffield Academy (Syracuse Commit 6/16/19)

Cam Large (TE/DE) - Pomfret CT attending Nobles and Greenough School Dedham, MA (Wisconsin Commit 8/28/19)

Howard Powell (DL) - Brunswick School, Greenwich, CT (held UConn PWO offer > Sacred Heart Univ. Commit 12/17/19)

I didn’t include Trey Williams who is from CT and held a UConn offer but moved to Washington DC to finish high school (Clemson Commit).

 

[Palatine]

Randy needs to convince kids he is interested in wining. And that he can actually win.

 

[Exit 4]

How many times over the past 20 years have we landed a New England private school kid that had competing P5 offers? Very rare... we have landed some, they did it necessarily have P5 scholarship offers though.

You have to remember, private schools by design in the northeast pitch themselves as a vehicle to get out of the public education realm.

 

[huskymedic]

Here is the running list GameTime CT keeps:

2020 Connecticut’s High School Football College signing list

 

[Exit 4]

Here is the running list GameTime CT keeps:

2020 Connecticut’s High School Football College signing list

Not a lot of state schools on that list.

Bummer to see Jalen Gopie wont wind his way to Storrs some how.

Interesting that Bogan and Simpson are not locked up just yet. Same with Bici.

 

[buddy]

I absolutely agree with him. If anyone doesn't want to be a part a program, or a job, or a career for that matter, then don't go there. An organization can only succeed if people whom are part of such want to be there. Based on what I read above, it appears that since most CT football recruits are not coming to UConn, perhaps that UConn has left behind in CR is the main reason. Not the coach, not the facilities, but the opportunity to compete in a P5 Conference. It appears that the CT recruits all chose big time programs.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Are you saying that as a school, UConn does not have a good reputation in the state Of Connecticut.

@Irishfan From the stated words, what is your inference and which facts support your reasoning?

Regardless, some CT residents absolutely do not believe UConn is good enough for them or for their progeny.

 

[History Geek]

I absolutely agree with him. If anyone doesn't want to be a part a program, or a job, or a career for that matter, then don't go there. An organization can only succeed if people whom are part of such want to be there. Based on what I read above, it appears that since most CT football recruits are not coming to UConn, perhaps that UConn has left behind in CR is the main reason. Not the coach, not the facilities, but the opportunity to compete in a P5 Conference. It appears that the CT recruits all chose big time programs.

I also think that the prospect of having team success on the field, against an attractive schedule, will start changing this current trend. The ones that aren't trying to get out of CT, that is.