Strictly Business! Really?

Edsell accepts Maryland Job

Coach Randy Edsall just bounced on the UConn Huskies football team, literally. He accepted the Maryland job not 24 hours after getting blown out by Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl, 48-20. I don't have a problem with him taking the job because he's got to do what's best for he and his family. I've got a problem with his exit. If he took the job on Sunday and they played on Saturday night. That means that he sat down and worked this deal out prior to the Fiesta Bowl.

Problem? Not yet. It wouldn't have been appropriate to tell the team before the game or even after the game for that matter. You can't tell kids that you're leaving after they've just been embarrassed on national television. However, he could've called a team meeting when they got back to Storrs on Sunday morning but that didn't happen. This guy didn't say a word Saturday night after the game nor did he take the charter flight back with the team on Sunday.

When the team landed in Connecticut the players started getting text messages from family and friends. Are you kidding me? I realize that when great opportunities come your way you just can't pass them up. I'm still trying to figure out how Maryland is a better job than UConn? Maybe they threw a boat load of cash his way. But to leave like that was ridiculous. Those players have at least earned a team meeting.

 Edsell spent 12 years at Connecticut guiding the Huskies out of Division I-AA (now FCS) and into the Big East, where he won a pair of conference titles and earned postseason appearances in each of the past four years.

He literally put the program on the map and for that the university will forever be indebted to him. After 12 years he couldn't have taken the flight back with his team. He couldn't tell Maryland to wait until Wednesday so that he could tie up loose ends... like talk to his team. C'mon Man! He pulled a Bobby Patrino with that move. It's disappointing because as a team they've overcome so much in the past year with the tragic death of Jasper "Jazz" Howard. The outstanding corner back that was murdered at a campus party last season.

Edsell called Jazz's mother before the game to tell her to make sure that she watched. They had something special planned. Right before kick off WR Kashif Moore changed out of his #82 and  into Howard's # 6 jersey. I thought that was a great tribute and I give coach Edsell big props for that.

However, after the game he takes off without even telling his kids. With all that they've been through as a team it just seems like he would've handled the situation better. I realize that it's never personal, it's just business but I thought they were closer than that. What's your opinion?

Jay Graves

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.