Randy Edsall on the Big East...

[huskymedic]

That may be the case with a private university where things are often done in secret. There are all sorts of regulations governing UConn as a state university. There is a chance too something is unraveling.

... or not.

 

[Chia Pet]

Well there it is. There is no plan for football. I think we all new that, but seeing it in print brings the message home. Oh well time to go plant a rumor with Tuxedo Yoda that we are going to the Big 12.

There’s a plan and Randy is fully aware of it.

Schultz was the only german who knew everything but said nothing. He never got sent to the Russian front and would never be tried as a war criminal. He masterfully walked that tightrope.

Randy just wants the press off his back so he can do his job.

 

[Pudge]

Well there it is. There is no plan for football. I think we all new that, but seeing it in print brings the message home. Oh well time to go plant a rumor with Tuxedo Yoda that we are going to the Big 12.

You don't really believe this.

We have YAHOOS here who have a Plan for our Football future. Trust me … there's a Mueller report sized document on their desks - it is a higher ed institution. It is a tough tough spot; but … I am feeling more sanguine about it. I don't join others in … RIP.

 

[whaler11]

That may be the case with a private university where things are often done in secret. There are all sorts of regulations governing UConn as a state university. There is a chance too something is unraveling.

lol nailed it champ

 

[Pudge]

If you think this is a neutral statement, and aren’t able to pick up on the fact that he is clearly pissed, I don’t know what to say.

Here’s a translation:

1. I was not involved in this decision.
2. The decision-makers are doing what they *think* is best for the school.
3. FB is an afterthought here; there is not yet a plan for what to do with football.
4. This is not a positive development from my perspective (see references to “distraction”; a move to the Big10, for example, would not be characterized as a potential “distraction”).
5. Don’t blame me if this all goes sideways.

Then.

Herbst & Benedict have consulted Edsall for years on this. He isn't a decision maker. Never was on this broad point. But … he has a far better AD relationship and control than he did in 1.0. He has to be integral to the solution; if you see any waiver, let us know. He needs to lead.

 

[whaler11]

You keep hoping

oddest troll we have. almost certainly a bc guy

 

[CL82]

Associated Press: UConn Football Coach Unsure of Future After Move From AAC.

Hmm, doesn’t strike me as a very “neutral” statement. This is the entirely foreseeable result of Randy’s statement.

Again we are so small time in our approach. A couple of tweaks to Randy's statement and reads like this.

"I have been getting a lot questions about the university's move to the Big East and what mean to UConn football. Given where we are in that process, there's a limitation to what I can say. First let me say that the university's commitment to playing and completing at the highest level is unwavering. Yesterday we just released a video of the tremendous new locker room facilities that we built for our football team. I believe it it is among the best in the nation. That is a statement of what football means to this university, its fans and its donors. My job is continue to make sure that our student athletes have every tool to compete at the highest level. If you look at training facilites, the new locker room, the Burton and Shenkman buildings and Rentschler Field, I think we've done that and more. As we head into the season, our job is compete on the field and we've been working hard to make sure we do just that. I am excited about what we will do on the field this year and in the years to come. Regarding how we are going to schedule and our affiliation, I'm going to suggest that everyone have faith in the university, our athletic director and the board of trustees, just as I do. All I can say at this time is they are hard at work and I hope to be able to give you a little more detail in the weeks to come. Until that time I won't talk about that process but I am happy to talk about the team and season."

 

[VAHuskyFan]

Again we are so small time in our approach. A couple of tweaks to Randy's statement and reads like this.

"I have been getting a lot questions about the university's move to the Big East and what mean to UConn football. Given where we are in that process, there's a limitation to what I can say. First let me say that the university's commitment to playing and completing at the highest level is unwavering. Yesterday we just released a video of the tremendous new locker room facilities that we built for our football team. I believe it it is among the best in the nation. That is a statement of what football means to this university, its fans and its donors. My job is continue to make sure that our student athletes have every tool to compete at the highest level. If you look at training facilites, the new locker room, the Burton and Shenkman buildings and Rentschler Field, I think we've done that and more. As we head into the season, our job is compete on the field and we've been working hard to make sure we do just that. I am excited about what we will do on the field this year and in the years to come. Regarding how we are going to schedule and our affiliation, I'm going to suggest that everyone have faith in the university, our athletic director and the board of trustees, just as I do. All I can say at this time is they are hard at work and I hope to be able to give you a little more detail in the weeks to come. Until that time I won't talk about that process but I am happy to talk about the team and season."

100% on-the-nose perfect. That is exactly what Randy’s statement would look like if we were running a professional operation.

 

[Purple Stein]

If you think this is a neutral statement, and aren’t able to pick up on the fact that he is clearly pissed, I don’t know what to say.

Here’s a translation:

1. I was not involved in this decision.
2. The decision-makers are doing what they *think* is best for the school.
3. FB is an afterthought here; there is not yet a plan for what to do with football.
4. This is not a positive development from my perspective (see references to “distraction”; a move to the Big10, for example, would not be characterized as a potential “distraction”).
5. Don’t blame me if this all goes sideways when we lose to Wagner.

FTFY.

 

[businesslawyer]

Well that is pretty much the opposite of an endorsement of the decision.

This statement is frankly a bit amateurish and disappointing. He could have toed the party line with much more outward-facing optimism, while still making it clear he wasn’t a decision-maker on this.

The ironic part is the statement is very much about making sure everyone knows what Randy Edsall thinks about this, while at the same time being couched in cringe-worthy “TEAM” terminology. Putting the team ahead of yourself never seems to apply to Randy himself.

This isn’t about the merits of the decision. What’s done is done. It’s about framing how people are going to look at UConn football going forward. This borderline petulant display of tweeting and issuing non-supportive statements is certainly not helpful to the program.

Please. If he spoke about how great this was for football without a friggin plan for moving forward, he'd be lying through his teeth and everyone would know it. So his choices were telling obvious lies or making lukewarm statements that he understood the decision. If he picked the former, he'd be criticized for that.

 

[businesslawyer]

Associated Press: UConn Football Coach Unsure of Future After Move From AAC.

Hmm, doesn’t strike me as a very “neutral” headline. This is the entirely foreseeable result of Randy’s statement.

You know why? Because it's the inarguable truth.

 

[BugsyCT]

Save us, Randy.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Very bland comments from a usually over the top and charismatic guy.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[noeynox]

ON TO CINCINNATI

Stole my thunder by about 2hours

 

[freescooter]

Thank you for being the only reasonable person in this entire thread. Yes Edsall cant talk because the negotiations are obviously on going. This is as neutral a statement as Edsall could have made. Trust the process and let the leaders lead.

It was very much an Edsall like statement. He isn’t happy but he isn’t quitting and doesn’t want his team to quit either. And he is practicing what he would preach. If everyone does his or her job things will be ok.

 

[businesslawyer]

It was very much an Edsall like statement. He isn’t happy but he isn’t quitting and doesn’t want his team to quit either. And he is practicing what he would preach. If everyone does his or her job things will be ok.

Just to be clear no, things won't be o.k. He and his team have to do what they can do, but rest assured -- it will not be enough to keep us in FBS long term. At some point recruits will not come to play in front of 4000 people against Lehigh in a 40,000 seat stadium.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Just to be clear no, things won't be o.k. He and his team have to do what they can do, but rest assured -- it will not be enough to keep us in FBS long term. At some point recruits will not come to play in front of 4000 people against Lehigh in a 40,000 seat stadium.

If UConn is consistently winning again, 7/8 wins, I think you'll see 20k in the stands and maybe get into the 30ks if a former rival comes to the Rent.

The alternative was 4,000 people against Tulane, with a 2/3 win team.

 

[UConnNick]

Hopefully that last sentence doesn't mean he thinks we've become Wagner College in football.

 

[Husky25]

Anyone else read, "So I'm leaving the..." and their heart skip a beat?

 

[Husky25]

(1) He's saying it ain't his problem. And (2) it's on the administration to figure it out and (3) he seems confident they will.

I get (1) and (2). (3)? Not so much.

 

[JMick]

Just to be clear no, things won't be o.k. He and his team have to do what they can do, but rest assured -- it will not be enough to keep us in FBS long term. At some point recruits will not come to play in front of 4000 people against Lehigh in a 40,000 seat stadium.

Yeah cuz thats not already happening. L-o-l

 

[UConnNick]

2020 is obviously "up in the air" as UConn has 4 games scheduled and limited options. Even if Edsall knew something he could not publicize anything at this juncture. We all hope there is a plan. The pressure is on the AD and not Edsall. Creating a 2020 schedule with no assistance from either Fox or cooperation from the AAC is a huge lift.

I can see it coming. At the end of the 2019 season, Benedict will say, "We tried our hardest, but could not find eight schools willing to play us in 2020. Therefore, effective immediately, we are discontinuing the football program."

He will blame it on scheduling in a disingenuous attempt to take the blame off of Suzy and him for killing close to 120 years of Husky football.

 

[UConnNick]

I disagree with that -- I think it's more about driving home the point that they won't let this distract the team and the focus is on the season ahead, not the season after that.

That's because there may be no season after 2019. One financial problem is involved if 2019 is the last season. We'd have to pay the buyout clause on all the games already on the schedules for 2020 and beyond. That will probably amount to millions of dollars.

 

[UConnNick]

I can't imagine us going to FCS with our facilities. Otherwise, we have the best ever for that level. We would need to move back to campus though with our crowd being 1990's levels with Skip.

They won't build a new on campus football stadium, even if it's bleachers on both sides of the playing field. The soccer stadium will be dual purpose...M/W soccer and FCS football. They better install field turf in the unlikely event that ever happens.

 

[Madmannsucks]

I really didn't not get the same DOOM message from the Edsall statement as others here. All he is saying is that he's either not privy or not willing to talk about the next move. What else can he say?

He said what he could. No I don't think the program is over...at least not yet.

 

[huskysupporter]

If UConn is consistently winning again, 7/8 wins, I think you'll see 20k in the stands and maybe get into the 30ks if a former rival comes to the Rent.

The alternative was 4,000 people against Tulane, with a 2/3 win team.

Not a shot. I’m sorry.

 

[Pudge]

Stop with the Doom & Gloom

It’s not RIP UConn Football. It’s just not. Stop with the death of all Football. Please. They’ll adjust.

We have GREAT facilities for our peer competition. (Except Clemson). I don’t think we will care if we miss UCF or SMU. Somehow we will figure it out.

We gave up the dream of P5. In fact, it’s clear that the tide is going elsewhere

 

[UConnNick]

I really didn't not get the same DOOM message from the Edsall statement as others here. All he is saying is that he's either not privy or not willing to talk about the next move. What else can he say?

True enough, but if he knows what the plan is he could simply say it will be announced sometime in the future. That leads me to believe there is no plan, or if there is, he hasn't been told what it is. The way this athletic dept. is run, that wouldn't surprise me.

It sucks that Edsall had to find out about this from some obscure sports website that seems like Wayne and Garth reporting from their basement. It's the AD's fault that this news leaked out early. Edsall deserves to be royally pissed. If the program is headed toward extinction, I wouln't blame him if he quits, and I'm no big fan of his. If I were him, I wouldn't want to stick around and watch these AD bozos kill what's left of it. Good luck hiring a new coach if Edsall leaves.

With the exception of Edsall, Auriemma, Hurley, Stevens, the other successful coaches, and all of their assistants and staff, the whole rest of the AD should be gutted. Accomplished, commited and experienced folks from FBS level schools should be hired as replacements.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Not a shot. I’m sorry.

If a 3-0 UConn team is taking on a 3-0, 2-1 Syracuse, Pitt, BC, Rutgers team, you don't think 25k/30k is a reasonable guess?