Randy Edsall: “If you have to convince kids to be here, it ain’t going to work” | Page 2 | The Boneyard

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

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1. Some are acting like Randy Edsall has not been the coach from 1998-2010. He has a history. With time ... he became comfortable with his Camp & HS development to try a bunch of kids from CT public high school. I don’t think he was there when he first arrived. He will try to work with the CT & NE football coaching community. It’s a process. Frankly.


2. At one moment early in 2019 ... we had 7 Connecticut kids on defense on the field (Harris, KJones, TJones, Herring-Wilson, Fortt, Kyle Williams, Coyle). That’s probably not gonna happen again. Nor does it happen at many flagship State U in FBS. I love that CT earned their way. But that’s the deal ... you’ve got to earn it. Beginning with both HS & year round preparations.
 
Da_Aisijimo_Gou said:
@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.
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simply your comment that “some Connecticut town‘s peer pressure to not consider UConn“. And your more recent comment that some Ct. residents do not believe that UConn is good enough. I had never considered the fact that there was a feeling amongst the population in Connecticut that UConn was not an acceptable place to further your education.
 
Irishfan said:
simply your comment that “some Connecticut town‘s peer pressure to not consider UConn“. And your more recent comment that some Ct. residents do not believe that UConn is good enough. I had never considered the fact that there was a feeling amongst the population in Connecticut that UConn was not an acceptable place to further your education.
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Reasonable or otherwise, not everyone in CT’s 169 cities/towns considers UConn good enough. The same applies in the Bay State regarding UMess. In some ‘burbs with typically stronger school systems, public and parochial football programs, etc., the % is higher than in most locations. Takes all kinds to make up a state!
 
When I attend parties in Rye NY or nearby (and I assumed this is true in peer cities Greenwich, Darien, New Canaan or Stamford ... or even Glastonbury or Southington or West Hartford), there’s a definite pyramid of superiority. The Elon or Richmond or Villanova gets high cred ... versus a UConn or Buffalo or Albany. The hot schools change; the concept doesn’t. The other thing ... more kids are going to Alabama or Clemson or Minnesota these days. And that wasn’t the case 10-15 years ago.
 
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Fairfield County is tough because that New England snobbery is on full display. These parents work in NYC and are wealthy, and like to say their kid goes to elite private schools. It remains status-obsessed.

When we lose a high school player -- not a prep -- from Hartford, CT or Eastern CT (like AJ Dillon) that hurts more IMO.

Seems Syracuse has slipped a lot in the pecking order here. As far as Rutgers, the kid they got was a Ball State flip. That just seems weird, but good for that player. Rutgers is an excellent academic school in the Big 10, close to home, and he will learn the meaning of perseverance playing for that football program.

How many non-P5 FBS guys ended up elsewhere? Seems there were a handful of high-level players and then people upset that he didn't reach for FCS talent.
 
Da_Aisijimo_Gou said:
Reasonable or otherwise, not everyone in CT’s 169 cities/towns considers UConn good enough. The same applies in the Bay State regarding UMess. In some ‘burbs with typically stronger school systems, public and parochial football programs, etc., the % is higher than in most locations. Takes all kinds to make up a state!
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That‘s interesting. I honestly thought UConn had a good reputation. But if the people of the state of Connecticut don’t see it as a great school, why would some kid from Florida or Georgia aspire to go there. Evidently not for the quality of the football, or the quality of the education.
 
Is it easier for Randy to recruit local or out of state players? CT players see the first hand local coverage of UConn losing almost every game during their high school years and probably attended games in a stadium that is 2/3rds empty. If you're a legit CT prospect with options, what can Randy sell you on other than playing time and playing close to home? Other P5 teams can probably offer more and better on everything else. That's a tough hill to climb for Edsall.
 
The places like Greenwich and Fairfield as well as the shoreline have connections and contacts that lead them to push kids, even kids with athletic ability to compete at a higher level, toward places like the Ivies, or other name institutions or even D3. My neighbor who coaches in the NESCAC says most of them get at least 1-2 kids with the ability to play at the D1 level kids a year from wealthier communities in CT or northern NJ or outside Boston. I’m sure it’s the same for similar schools in PA or upstate NY. The kids want to play football but plan to go to work in finance or med school or law school or academia, not the NFL. And they aren’t at all interested in making football a full time job in college. And they are not encouraged to seek athletic careers. But I think the attitude is that it’s better to go to the Ivy League or “Little Ivy”. That is very different that the attitude in the Midwest or south where public universities are held in higher regard in part because they were the only options for many
 
Exit 4 said:
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).
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That's certainly a part of it, although UConn's rep is much better now among CT high school kids and parents than it was back when he was here before.

There is a massive trend in New England area kids going to southern and midwestern public schools. I know kids near me in the Boston suburbs who had only ACC and SEC schools on their list. It's a general trend, aside from athletes.

That said: As someone who went to Kansas for law school and saw Nebraska and Oklahoma games, if I was a football player, I wouldn't go to UConn over almost any P5 school. Those places just appreciate college football to a much greater extent.
 
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Irishfan said:
That‘s interesting. I honestly thought UConn had a good reputation.
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To further clarify, MOST CT residents and other relatively informed individuals know UConn is a good to great and well respected university. A smaller % of CT and other US residents allow societal pressures to incorrectly skew their perspectives.

Alternatively, some reasonable people may simply be ill-informed regarding UConn. Finally, other individuals may opt not to access readily-available factual information and/or enjoy rather ineffective trolling.
 
Irishfan said:
simply your comment that “some Connecticut town‘s peer pressure to not consider UConn“. And your more recent comment that some Ct. residents do not believe that UConn is good enough. I had never considered the fact that there was a feeling amongst the population in Connecticut that UConn was not an acceptable place to further your education.
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I taught in CT public schools for over 30 years in an affluent Fairfield County town. 14 years on the high school level. I can say for a fact that the guidance counselors and parents looked at UConn as a safe school. Not high on the priority list.

Many families had mid-western backgrounds and Big 10 schools were the priority. As was the Iveys and Notre Dame.
 
Da_Aisijimo_Gou said:
To further clarify, <u>MOST CT residents and other relatively informed individuals</u> know UConn is a good to great and well respected university. A smaller % of CT and other US residents allow societal pressures to incorrectly skew their perspectives.

Alternatively, some reasonable people may simply be ill-informed regarding UConn. Finally, other individuals may opt not to access readily-available factual information and/or enjoy rather ineffective trolling.
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in any event, it is interesting to hear that UConn has a questionable reputation with respect to its academic standing. Should make for some interesting conversation during the holidays with the UConn alumni I spend time with.
 
Irishfan said:
in any event, it is interesting to hear that UConn has a questionable reputation with respect to its academic standing. Should make for some interesting conversation during the holidays with the UConn alumni I spend time with.
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It's not a questionable reputation. As they said, it's the snobbery of the affluent near NY and along the shoreline that need a "prestigious" school for their demon seed to attend. UConn is an excellent school, but it doesn't carry the tradition of excellence that these folk desire.
 
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Don't care if kids come from Connecticut or Kazakhstan, so long as they can play. It's not like CT is producing so many kids that not getting any is statistically significant.

The bigger danger has been getting too many kids from CT which means on average they aren't that good. I trust Randy to find any local kids that will fit the program, which is what you are all whining about anyway. Maybe their weren't any this year or the 1 or 2 that might fit the profile chose to go somewhere else.
 
UConnRock said:
Context
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I haven't seen the presser on this. Can anyone provide more context to Randy saying he is really excited about the newcomers' personality? I mean personality doesn't win football games so I'm wondering if there is anything beyond that...
 
Fairfield_1st said:
It's not a questionable reputation. As they said, it's the snobbery of the affluent near NY and along the shoreline that need a "prestigious" school for their demon seed to attend. UConn is an excellent school, but it doesn't carry the tradition of excellence that these folk desire.
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I actually used to think that UConn was prestigious. Now I know better. I will quote you on this, regarding UConn’s lack of a tradition of excellence. This could be fun.
 
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Drew said:


This is also known as the definition of recruiting
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I have tried not to troll you guys: when I saw that quote - I thought that it was a joke. That is literally his job. Seriou, is he that ...?

I don’t miss living in CT this time of year, but I do miss many people who live there. I hope UConn fans finally get a decent coach. Merry Christmas to everyone in thev060xx’s.
 
What former player would be considered the face of UConn Football? Asking for a friend...
 
kris1 said:
More then we’ve had under Dream Job
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Sadly not. UConn hasn't been over .500 at the end of the year since the Fiesta Bowl season. (6-7 after the teams one bowl appearance, being the best)
 
ScottVib said:
Sadly not. UConn hasn't been over .500 at the end of the year since the Fiesta Bowl season. (6-7 after the teams one bowl appearance, being the best)
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You’re right. I read the OP wrong. I thought it said “wins”. Didn’t realize it said “winning seasons” until I read it again.
 
He can recruit whoever he wants. It's not going to fix the two problems of we need an OC that can actually game plan and we need to pay the assistants enough so they stay longer than a year or two. Until both those happen, UCONN will be relegated to 6 wins most years and outside looking in with no bowl affiliation
 
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