Reintroduction Of Edsall Brings Healing And Hope (Jacobs)

[whaler11]

I really think Athletic Director Dave wanted to give Diaco another shot and Diaco just spit in his face. I'm sure the AD as a whole monitors us occasionally but I don't think they'd make a firing or hiring decision based on it.

I stand by my 'reporting'. Benedict put a plan in front of his superiors to make the move earlier. He just didn't get permission until Diaco balked on Kill.

When Diaco lost us across the board the AD took notice - there is no doubt about that.

Hell you know Benedict was in Diaco's head when Williams started against Temple. Diaco went all in it blew up in his face and he thought the buy out gave him leverage.

 

[WestCoastHusky]

I stand by my 'reporting'. Benedict put a plan in front of his superiors to make the move earlier. He just didn't get permission until Diaco balked on Kill.

When Diaco lost us across the board the AD took notice - there is no doubt about that.

Hell you know Benedict was in Diaco's head when Williams started against Temple. Diaco went all in it blew up in his face and he thought the buy out gave him leverage.

Pretty sure that's exactly what happened. He had to get a coach willing to take an incentive laden contract, which Edsall did. I doubt he could have got one of those hot upcomers like Moorehead to do the same. UConn admin cared about the bottom line after the huge Diaco buyout, and DB delivered.

 

[uconnphil2016]

I stand by my 'reporting'. Benedict put a plan in front of his superiors to make the move earlier. He just didn't get permission until Diaco balked on Kill.

When Diaco lost us across the board the AD took notice - there is no doubt about that.

Hell you know Benedict was in Diaco's head when Williams started against Temple. Diaco went all in it blew up in his face and he thought the buy out gave him leverage.

I believe all of this, but am just thoroughly interested in when, exactly, Benedict first implied to RE that he may be interested in him as a HC candidate. I wouldn't be surprised if talks didn't go on during the season. They already admitted that Benedict had forged a relationship with Edsall and called him for advice regarding the program. Imagine BD walking into DB's office to chat and he has to put Randy on hold to answer the door for Disco Bob

 

[whaler11]

I believe all of this, but am just thoroughly interested in when, exactly, Benedict first implied to RE that he may be interested in him as a HC candidate. I wouldn't be surprised if talks didn't go on during the season. They already admitted that Benedict had forged a relationship with Edsall and called him for advice regarding the program. Imagine BD walking into DB's office to chat and he has to put Randy on hold to answer the door for Disco Bob

Seems likely it was a while ago.

 

[jostar1]

I believe all of this, but am just thoroughly interested in when, exactly, Benedict first implied to RE that he may be interested in him as a HC candidate. I wouldn't be surprised if talks didn't go on during the season. They already admitted that Benedict had forged a relationship with Edsall and called him for advice regarding the program. Imagine BD walking into DB's office to chat and he has to put Randy on hold to answer the door for Disco Bob

As far as when Benedict first implied to RE that he may be interested in him as Head Coach, I think it was only recently. In reply to Joe D's question at the press conference of what was Edsall's initial reaction to Benedict's call, Edsall said he was surprised and indicated that to his wife, and then he said that things developed rapidly. He signed the contract on December 28, which was the day that Diaco's firing was announced.

 

[whaler11]

As far as when Benedict first implied to RE that he may be interested in him as Head Coach, I think it was only recently. In reply to Joe D's question at the press conference of what was Edsall's initial reaction to Benedict's call, Edsall said he was surprised and indicated that to his wife, and then he said that things developed rapidly. He signed the contract on December 28, which was the day that Diaco's firing was announced.

Ignore the retweet?

The 'firing' was announced on the 26th.

They said they would have someone in place in 48 hours.

Benedict had his plan in October. He needed the Kill debacle to get sign off.

 

[jostar1]

Ignore the retweet?

The 'firing' was announced on the 26th.

They said they would have someone in place in 48 hours.

Benedict had his plan in October. He needed the Kill debacle to get sign off.

The question was not when Benedict had his plan; it was when Benedict talked to RE about the head coaching job. Edsall said he was surprised and it moved quickly. He signed the contract on December 28. So count back from December 28 with what constitutes "quickly".

 

[whaler11]

The question was not when Benedict had his plan; it was when Benedict talked to RE about the head coaching job. Edsall said he was surprised and it moved quickly. He signed the contract on December 28. So count back from December 28 with what constitutes "quickly".

Edsall may be fibbing?

 

[jostar1]

Edsall may be fibbing?

Who knows. No one wants to discuss the timeline. I was surprised to read that Benedict called RE after he got here to ask for his input. That was a canny move on his part. I would like to know the whole story.

 

[noeynox]

Ignore the retweet?

The 'firing' was announced on the 26th.

They said they would have someone in place in 48 hours.

Benedict had his plan in October. He needed the Kill debacle to get sign off.

You think it went back that far? That he actually spoke to Edsall that long ago?

That would be some Machiavellian shet, right there. I actually believed Benedict when he said he was ready to give Diaco another year. I'm glad he didn't. It was clear as anything that Diaco was never going to get it here and was starting to sell that this was a losing program and that he had them arrive early with the bowl bid year 2.

Best of luck to Bob. He will land on his feet, and will probably get a second shot at HC somewhere, but we absolutely needed to move away from him.

 

[jostar1]

You think it went back that far? That he actually spoke to Edsall that long ago?

Benedict called Edsall shortly after he became AD to get his input on the football program. I called it a canny move; you called it Machiavellian. Good ole Athletic Director Dave.

 

[whaler11]

You think it went back that far? That he actually spoke to Edsall that long ago?

That would be some Machiavellian shet, right there. I actually believed Benedict when he said he was ready to give Diaco another year. I'm glad he didn't. It was clear as anything that Diaco was never going to get it here and was starting to sell that this was a losing program and that he had them arrive early with the bowl bid year 2.

Best of luck to Bob. He will land on his feet, and will probably get a second shot at HC somewhere, but we absolutely needed to move away from him.

Unless George Karl writes another book we can't prove it - but I'd wager big money Benedict was already talking to Edsall about the job when BD cracked and started Williams.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

No one wants to discuss the timeline because it obviously extends well before 12/26. DB was not given the authority to buyout Diaco without having a replacement in his back pocket. I'm sure he reached out to Moorhead and/or Orlando to get some feelers and when both rejected, Edsall was his choice and that's the plan he went forward with before apparently putting together this whole Kill thing. @whaler11 do you have a link to your original post where you reported what you'd heard?

 

[UConnNick]

I really think Athletic Director Dave wanted to give Diaco another shot and Diaco just spit in his face. I'm sure the AD as a whole monitors us occasionally but I don't think they'd make a firing or hiring decision based on it.

I think he thought he was "spetacularly insulated" from getting fired because there were 3.4 million reasons why the university couldn't afford to do it. It gave him a sense of entitlement, which explains the arrogance of his end of season postgame remarks about having a contract until 2021. He underestimated the power of having donors with the resources to make almost anything happen, including showing him the entrance ramp to the Merritt Parkway southbound.

 

[JMick]

I think he thought he was "spetacularly insulated" from getting fired because there were 3.4 million reasons why the university couldn't afford to do it. It gave him a sense of entitlement, which explains the arrogance of his end of season postgame remarks about having a contract until 2021. He underestimated the power of having donors with the resources to make almost anything happen, including showing him the entrance ramp to the Merritt Parkway southbound.

oh definitely. Diaco's arrogance is what did him in and it's the same reason he was "shocked" that he was fired.

 

[warbler1055]

I think he thought he was "spetacularly insulated" from getting fired because there were 3.4 million reasons why the university couldn't afford to do it. It gave him a sense of entitlement, which explains the arrogance of his end of season postgame remarks about having a contract until 2021. He underestimated the power of having donors with the resources to make almost anything happen, including showing him the entrance ramp to the Merritt Parkway southbound.

UConn is saying that UConn is paying the $3.4 million buy out according to the Courant. Not out of taxpayers' money but out of some special funds. Did Athletic Director Dave secured the money from donors for the buy out before he got permission to can BD?

 

[Chin Diesel]

UConn FBS coaches:

1. Randy Edsall
2. PP
3. FHCBD
4. Randy Edsall

So, are we in Episode IV: A New Hope?

 

[sdhusky]

So, are we in Episode IV: A New Hope?

Episode VI Return of the Inside Handoff

 

[CL82]

When does Jacobs admit he bases at least 57% of his material on Boneyard content? I read this exact line at 11:15 this morning.

To his credit, he's acknowledged that he reads the BY. Personally everyone who reports on the Huskies should. I suspect most do.

 

[UConnDan97]

No one wants to discuss the timeline.

Exactly.

Nobody wants to discuss the time line. That's because the time line would show that this had been in the works for weeks now. There is the twitter "evidence". There is the fact that the contract + incentives had already been spelled out and agreed upon. But finally, there was about a month or so where Athletic Director Dave went dark. Silent. Not a peep. To the point where most on the Boneyard took it as the last positive sign of hope.

There's no doubt in my mind that this has been going on for weeks, and I'm absolutely glad it did. The thought of another year of Diaco would have sucked out the last drops of hope I had for this football program...

 

[FrostyNuggets]

During presser, RE said that he has been in touch with commitments. Did he step in it there...timeline wise?

 

[gars44]

"I haven't had a chance to study the roster, but there seems to be a lot of tight ends. "

LOL...We've been saying this for 3 years. WTF was bob doing ??

I (and many, many others on here) always thought that Bryant could have run a very "workmanlike" offense if he was given a one read quick slant play to the tight end 3 to 6 yards across the middle to a tight end. One read, quick slant, that's it. It's open or it's not. Just get the defense thinking about that play a lot. Some of them are going to work based on size of the tight end alone. Then you can do other things off that play. Bryant could maybe do his scramble thing. But BS did not have the patience - or maybe it was just the blocking?, I'm not sure - to sit in pocket and wait for routes to open. But we had tight ends, and BS had a certain talent, and we should have adapted the offense to the talent we had.

 

[SubbaBub]

There have been enough statements from various principals to piece it together.

AD Dave called Randy when he took the job and maybe before to get his take on the program. Would there be anyone else?

Clearly, they hit it off well enough to keep in communication over the last year or so.

As Diaco's program fell apart (I think it fell apart more than simply failed like PP), AD Dave clearly was looking around. If we had a problem with Diaco's approach and explanations surely a guy with his experience would also see it.

I doubt that RE was at the top of the list in October (Pre Big 12 decision), but once the financial and PR realities of being stuck in the AAC set in, his options were limited. No hot coordinator, no coach with P5 aspirations, no money to overpay to get one, and no cache to offer an up and comer. With the prospects of another risky/bad hire, BD was set for another year.

Then the last 4 games happened, the fan revolt happened, there was a meeting where Dave was told that if you can pay for it, make a move that isn't going to cost more than we can afford.

Dave searched for the money, along the way he probably found some RE supporters. It didn't sound so crazy, if the numbers worked. A few more calls, more money in support. Maybe a background check. Other feelers to other candidates didn't show interest, we're too expensive, or too risky. I believe Dave put a premium on an experienced guy. How many guys with that resume would come at a low price?

BD was brought it to talk about changes, maybe Kill, maybe other changes to staff and/or approach. Clearly it was not satisfactory to Dave. The fan revolt was real and going to get worse, especially when an earlier loss/WTF moment was a near certainty.

Dave thinks. Why not? He won here, he has support. Could he truly be accepted back? Could we afford him? More calls are made. The respect for the man in the biz is real, the former players love him, he has skills that are coveted. Why not explore it.

On RE's end, he spent 12 years here, built it, owned it. Of course, he cares about the program. That story about seeing his former players every Sunday swells his heart. DanO chattering in his ear every week about what has become of it. What a shame.

The call is made. Really? Can we do that? Does he want to do that? Dave puts his cards on the table. Randy does also. The issues are addressed one by one, none seem so big compared to the potential payoff. A deal is made. Bob is shown the door.

 

[gars44]

Exactly.

Nobody wants to discuss the time line. That's because the time line would show that this had been in the works for weeks now. There is the twitter "evidence". There is the fact that the contract + incentives had already been spelled out and agreed upon. But finally, there was about a month or so where Athletic Director Dave went dark. Silent. Not a peep. To the point where most on the Boneyard took it as the last positive sign of hope.

There's no doubt in my mind that this has been going on for weeks, and I'm absolutely glad it did. The thought of another year of Diaco would have sucked out the last drops of hope I had for this football program...

Yep. I was not going to re-up for next year with Bob Diaco back. At least I think not, who knows? I have had season tix since the Rent opened.

 

[warbler1055]

SubbaBub, I think before AD Dave called RE he called on various UConn boosters and donors. Several or one of them with big money suggested that he called RE. After AD Dave got to know and liked RE, he then asked for the buyout money and the donor whose name is on the building ponied up!!! That's my story and I read it all in the newspaper!!!!