Business Decision? Randy Edsall Hiring Will Not Bring Buzz To Maryland Football

After a disastrous relationship fell apart out west, Mike Leach was looking for a rebound girlfriend. But it looks like he just got kicked to the curb again.

The Washington Post, ESPN, and others are reporting that Maryland is set to announce Monday that Connecticut head coach Randy Edsall will be the Terps’ next football coach.

Though Edsall has always been considered a candidate (at least nominally), this hire comes as a surprise. More than a surprise, even. It’s like one of those 12-6 curve balls that freeze batters in the dirt.  Just to complete the analogy: time will tell if this pitch finds the strike zone.

As you know, this job seemed to belong to Leach before the New Year’s weekend, when a meeting between the two sides reportedly “went well” last Thursday.  But the news today is that unnamed university officials got a last-minute case of the “cold feet,” and opted for a more ”conservative, safe, non-confrontational hire,” according to a source quoted in the Post.

So let me get this straight.  Athletic Director Kevin Anderson, firing Ralph Friedgen was “a strategic business decision.”  Not enough backsides in the seats and all that.  Program not generating enough of the old “water-cooler buzz,” as we say in marketing class. OK.  So the university moves to rectify this lack of buzz with what is admittedly a “conservative, safe” hire?  Huh? They’re replacing vanilla with beige.

The 11th-hour nature of this makes it seem fairly certain that Anderson’s superiors are pulling the strings on this one.  Maryland Chancellor William “Brit” Kirwan has been a rumored Leach opponent for weeks now.  But that still doesn’t explain the suddenness of these cold feet.  I feel like Maryland president Wallace Loh—not exactly a passionate sports fan, from what I can gather—was willing to back up Anderson’s decision, until he found out about what Leach has actually done.  It’s almost too easy to imagine the conversation.

Loh:  I don’t know, Brit … he seemed nice, and I have faith that the Kevins are–
Kirwan:  (garbled whisper on other end of phone)
Loh:  He locked WHO in a WHAT?
Kirwan:  (garbled whisper on other end of phone)
Loh:   He’s suing WHO??

From what I can gather on Twitter, Maryland fans are pretty upset.  They were ready for Leach’s high-flyin’, gun-slingin’ Air Raid offense. They had visions of burning goal posts dancing in their heads.  Leach gives good quote. He graduates his players.  He’s a smart, funny, quirky, engaging guy.  And his teams score 90 points a game.  Mike Leach is buzz walking around with a pulse.

Edsall, most decidedly, is not.  Under his run-oriented offense, UConn finished 96th nationally this year in total offense.  That’s 11 spots below Maryland.  Edsall is known more for his defense.  This season, Connecticut finished 48th nationally in total defense.  That’s three spots below Maryland.

So at first glance, I understand that it may be hard to see the upside here, or to see why people shouldn’t be annoyed with Maryland for overthinking—or just plain choking.  But … but I can’t think of anything to write after the “but.”

To be fair, Edsall really was the model of stability during Connecticut.  He capably led the Huskies into Division 1-A in 1998, and has been in Storrs ever since. He’s compiled a 74-70 record there and has been to five bowl games.  To go from a newly minted D-1A school to a BCS bowl game in 12 seasons is impressive.  Period.  Plus, the guy’s a Tom Coughlin protege.  The Football Giants may not be so sexy, but they get things done.  I’d say the same about Edsall.

And if that’s not enough, just look at that photo.  Blue-eyed … square-jawed … slightly boyish smile. It’s a face that says, “Put your child under my tutelage … and while you’re at it, write me a check!”

Bottom line:  I think Edsall will be a decent coach for Maryland.  Part of Edsall’s public relations challenge moving forward centers on the fact that he, through no fault of his own, will always be compared to college football’s version of the Dos Equis guy. But that’s not the entirety of his challenge.
For you see,  a decent, conservative hire does not an upgrade constitute.  If Friedgen was sacrificed on the altar of "buzz," then this hiring may prove to be a misstep.  In the meantime, though, Edsall may not have done much to earn a parade down Route 1, but he doesn't deserve scorn, either.  I think it’s justified to show confusion or even irritation at Friedgen’s firing and the rather uninspiring hiring drama that followed.  But Edsall has no control over these contextual issues–and certainly shouldn’t be blamed for them.

(For this and plenty more commentary on all things Terps, visit over at Shell Games, or follow us on Twitter @Terpsblog.)