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Randy Edsall Steps Down as Head UConn Football Coach Effective Immediately

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University of Connecticut head football coach Randy Edsall stepped down effective immediately Monday after coming to a "mutual decision" with the director of athletics.

UConn Athletics officials said David Benedict, the director of athletics, and Edsall came to the decision because "it is in the best interest of the UConn football program."

On Sunday, Edsall announced he was retiring at the end of this season.

Edsall served as head football coach at UConn for a total of 17 years. His teams have won just six games since he returned to the Huskies for a second stint as coach in 2017.

Edsall, 63, went 74-70 at Connecticut during his first go-around from 1999 through the 2010 season, leading UConn into the bowl subdivision and winning Big East titles in 2007 and 2010.

He was rehired by UConn in 2017, despite going 22-34 at Maryland, where he was fired six games into his fifth season. His rehiring puzzled many UConn faithful, who were still upset that he had left the Huskies after a Fiesta Bowl loss to Oklahoma without notifying his players or flying home with the team.

Head University of Connecticut football coach Randy Edsall will step down effective immediately after coming to a "mutual decision" with the director of athletics.

UConn went 3-9 during Edsall's first season back, then went 1-11 and 2-10 before sitting out last season amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Huskies, in their first season as an independent after leaving the American Athletic Conference, are 0-2 this season, losing their opener 45-0 at Fresno State before falling Saturday at home, 38-28, to Holy Cross from the FCS.

A search for Edsall's replacement is beginning immediately, according to UConn officials.

Defensive coordinator Lou Spanos will serve as interim head coach for the remainder of the 2021 season.

Spanos will be speaking to the media during the regularly scheduled availability at 11 a.m. today.

Spanos has served as UConn’s defensive coordinator since the 2019 season. UConn said he is a 26-year coaching veteran with previous experience in the NFL and college.

NBC Connecticut & The Associated Press
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