UConn, we can cut straight to the chase on this issue. Randy Edsall is NOT the one. You can argue the fact that he had to navigate this season with recruits and players that didn’t quite fit with what he wants to do and the way he wants to operate both in his offense and defense but regardless, would a full class or even three really have made that much of a difference? Looking back at Randy’s track record throughout his coaching career doesn’t paint Mr. Edsall in the most favorable light.
Don’t be fooled by past “success”
Randy faithful will point to his first tenure with UConn as a prime example of why he needs a few years to put this together. When you look at it though, is that really what you want your University to define as success? Edsall’s best season came in 2007 just to jog your memory, UConn won a grand total of nine games. They lost 4 times en-route to a CO-Big East Championship. Edsall was busy enjoying his most fruitful part of his coaching career as a head coach with UConn garnering National hype after beating a then ranked #11 University of South Florida vaulting UConn from unranked, to 16th in the top 25. Where they were able to stay #16 for a whopping 2 whole weeks before being dropped to #25 following an embarrassing loss to unranked Cincinnati by the score of 27-3. UConn was able to win its following game before losing its final two games of the season and subsequently being dropped outside the top 25 once again. The last of the losses being the Meineke Car Care Bowl which saw UConn fall by the score of 24-10 to Wake Forest. UConn is and was a power to be reckoned with on the hardwood but on the turf? More regularly than not they’ve been a pushover.
Randy did us a favor once
He left for Maryland. Bringing his “talents” down to the Maryland fan base where they were able to see how truly out of his league he really was. Randy was employed for four full seasons before being let go in the midst of season number five. At which point UConn thought it would be a good idea to re-up in his stale ideas and outdated schemes. Given enough time to bring in the type of players that randy thought would make his schemes work best he was able to parlay that into a total of two winning seasons both times never winning more than 7 games and losing both times his team was eligible for a bowl berth.
Don’t fall into the mediocrity trap
Unfortunately the decision makers at UConn have fallen so far into this trap. With the rehire of Randy they forewent the opportunity to bring in an innovative hire with fresh ideas instead opting for consistency. Consistent garbage honestly. This is Connecticut, where is the pride in our image? Without a pro team here for the citizens to root for it becomes paramount for UConn to nail its head coaching hires as a better product on the field translates to more revenue for the school. Which in turn makes the university much more appealing to prospective recruits. This is where UConn falls FLAT on its face by endorsing randy and his win less record in bowl games since 2009, his ineptitude at translating the ideas in his head to wins on the field and the below .500 career mark that follows him around. This last season the worst defense to ever be put on the field just makes it apparent it’s time for randy to move on from UConn, it’s time to re-evaluate the overall approach and goals for this football program because by trotting these teams out year after year we lose credibility with any potential recruits. Realistically who wants to sign up to come to lose for four years with a coach that the masses don’t believe in?
