A couple of thoughts on this thread.
1)Listed heights, weights and 40 times are the most laughably bad "reported info" on recruiting sites. Every staff measures and tests these kids individually when they are on campus. Amazingly you find out that a lot of QB's aren't as tall as listed, DT/OL are not has heavy, and WR/RB are not as fast. Combines help clear these things up a bit, but I much prefer to view game film to get a true idea of a kids functional speed.
2)Edsall is not wrong regarding the team needing to get stronger and faster. I respect his frankness but as a coach you are walking a fine line between pointing out facts, and making sure you don't come off looking like you are simply making excuses. This team definitely needs to do both. It needs to work on building strength across all positions in the weight room (New S&C needed IMO) and recruiting speed. Your OL is weak at the point of attack. Your DL save Fatukasi and a few others is fairly easily handled, and your LB can't get off blocks, pressure the QB or cover in space.
3)Recruiting has to improve if Uconn hopes to ever compete for league titles. There is no way to sugar coat it. The AAC is a surprisingly competitive league, but there are no dominant programs. Teams at the bottom regularly rise up and others fall. Much of this is tied to coaching hires, and in this area Uconn has an advantage. The program has stability at the top in a coach that likely has no interest in moving on to the next best opportunity. It feels like 3/4th's of the league's coaches are coaching for their next job. Randy is home. That needs to be a major selling point. "I'm going to be here." Can UCF, Cincy, USF, Houston or whomever make the same pitch? Sure, but will kids buy it? Its all on Randy and the team to convince higher caliber athletes to come to Uconn. This is done by putting a higher caliber program on the field. You can not field a team of players whose best offers were Bryant or Georgia Southern and expect to win 7-9 games in a legit conference full of athletes. Good coaching can overcome lots of deficiencies. It can not overcome a major shortcoming in personnel on a week to week basis. Randy has got to start competing and securing a roster of players whose offers out of HS were primarily AAC, CUSA, & MAC with the occasional B1G or ACC sprinkled in as well. It will not be easy, but its what is needed if he doesn't want to watch UCF/USF play Mempis/Houston every season in the championship game.
4)Finally everyone's favorite discussion The Block C. JMO but I say they need to bring that thing back and they need to do it ASAP. It is a recognizable symbol that truly identifies Uconn. It is tied to your program's most successful era of football, and as a logo it is simple, clean and understated. It is blue collar, like the identity this program once held. If I was in charge of Uconn's Uniforms there would be 3 and only three.
Home- Blue top, white pants, and that awesome new white Block C Helmet.
Road- White top, blue pants, blue Block C Helmet
Alt- Grey top and pants with red accents, cool gray husky helmet. Make these like ND's Green Unis. Break them out for really big games, bowls, conference championships etc. Make wearing them seem like an honor for the players.
That's it you don't need anything else. Everything else should be burned along with The Conflict Trophy if it is ever located. The demons of the recent past need to exorcised in a literal way IMO. Erase that dreadful period from your history and build again from those ashes.