Randy Edsall is now the head football coach for the University of Maryland, and he announced on Monday that he’s planning to bring some of his UConn staff members with him.
Edsall, a native of Glen Rock, Pennsylvania, said words on Monday that no UConn fans wanted to hear -- coaching the University of Maryland is the job he long dreamed of.
“I look pretty good in red, don’t I?” Edsall said as he put on a Terps hat. “This is the dream job.”
Kevin Anderson, University of Maryland’s athletic director, introduced Edsall on Monday. The national search for a coach was launched on Dec. 20, Anderson said, the day after the school reportedly asked coach Ralph Friedgen to accept a buyout of his contract.
When Edsall learned that the job would be open, he was interested.
“Anytime you have a dream job and it’s available, it excites you,” he said.
Edsall started the news conference talking about Maryland, but the focus did turn to UConn at times.
“People thought I was crazy for going there first of all,” Edsall said of coming to UConn. “We won two championships while we were there.”
On statement Edsall made is getting a bit of reaction.
"Take the microphone away from him. No one from Hartford gets to ask a question today," Edsall said to a Hartford Courant reporter who made the trip for the news conference .
What might have been meant to be funny is getting some negative attention online in a community that was shocked by the departure.
Right before the announcement, he got on a conference call with his UConn players and told them that he was leaving.
UConn is dealing with the departure with grace and issued a statement on Monday.
"The University of Connecticut is proud of the success we have enjoyed in our football program, both academically and athletically, during Randy Edsall's tenure,” Athletics Director Jeffrey Hathaway said. “Under his leadership, UConn made the quickest transition of any school which left the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision and then played in a Bowl Championship Series game. I extend my thanks as well as the appreciation of the institution to Randy and his family for their contributions to our football program and the entire university community.”
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Randy said he will route for UConn, except for 2012 and 2013, when University of Maryland will play UConn.
There is a lot of speculation over who will replace Edsall and UConn has named Hank Hughes who has been a member of the University of Connecticut football staff for the past ten seasons, has been named the interim head coach of Husky football team. The 2010 season was Hughes’ six as the assistant head coach for defense after spending the previous three as the defensive coordinator. He joined the UConn staff in 2001 as the defensive line coach.
"We will hire the coach who can best lead and continue to enhance this football program into the future. That individual will be dedicated to excellence in the classroom, on the football field, and in the community --- and also dedicated to the many constituents who support our University and its athletics program. We are committed to continuing the winning tradition which defines UConn Athletics and will move as expeditiously as possible to identify the individual who reflects the ideals of our institution," Hathaway said.
