WATCH LIVE: Edsall Moves Over to Univ. of Maryland

UConn players, coaches and staff all arrived at Bradley Airport around 4 p.m. on Sunday without head coach Randy Edsall, who is leaving UConn to run the University of Maryland team.

As the Huskies returned from their first ever BCS bowl appearance, some onboard the plane were surprised by the news that their coach was heading to Maryland.

"People were hearing things on the flight," team manager John Sazo said. "Yeah, to me it is (surprising), I hope it's not true."

But a couple of hours later, the University of Maryland confirmed what had been reported all day: Edsall is out at UConn.

Board of Trustees Chair Larry McHugh, who was on the team plane on Sunday, had hoped the rumors weren't true.

"All of the decisions that these coaches make are business decisions, so he's done a fantastic job, he's well-liked and everything," McHugh said.

Parents who were waiting for the second plane to arrive home from the Fiesta Bowl were just as stunned.

"I'm kind of upset about Edsall, but you know, he's improving himself and it's a step up," UConn parent Mark Sonstrom said.

The second chartered plane was carrying members of the band and the cheerleading team. Students said as soon as they landed, they flipped on their cell phones and were altered to the news about Edsall.

"We heard about the coach as soon as we landed," UConn freshman Matthew Kearney said. "Everybody's smart phones went on and. ... I don't know what to say. (I'm) kind of disappointed."

"It's gonna be tough especially since he's said recently that he was planning on sticking around for a while," UConn senior, Meghan Rickard, said.

The players, staff and students said the Fiesta Bowl is something they won’t soon forget, but the way Coach Edsall left town rubbed many the wrong way.

"Yeah, definitely," UConn freshman Jean-Luc Plante said. "That was, I don't even know. Honestly, I don't even know what was going through his mind when he made all these decisions."

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