In-Depth Interview with Randy Edsall (By Eric Prisbell)

[Flosman]

Yeah, it's crazy considering those guys don't have to do any of that stuff anywhere else.

And the decision is never education/football or wearing your hat. It's education/football with no hat and an intense disciplinarian at Maryland or education/football anywhere else with a coach who will treat you like an adult and not a convict.

It is very common for football teams to have a standard workout outfit. I did not see good football this year but I do not have a problem with the rules Edsel has implemented at all.

[OregonBird]

My friend's little brother played football at Texas during the Vince Young era. I'll ask him what rules Mack Brown had.

BTW, I'm looking at the Summer Weightlifting program book right now. The 6 or 7 pics show the players all wearing the same gear. Burnt orange shorts, grey shirt.

[JohnD]

I thought this was a good step in the right direction. This was the kind of thing Edsall should have done far earlier in the season. Sounds like he and the school realize what the perception of him and the team is and want to change it. I'm still not convinced he's the right guy and is good for the team. But every day from September 23rd up to this week my attitude shifted away from supporting him. I've now moved a little closer to his camp. He still has a long, long way to go though.

As someone else mentioned, his season-long demand to be the one face and voice of the program, and then taking every opportunity to deflect any blame, was off-putting.

[The Rick]

Plenty of blame is to go around, IMO. While Edsall's strategy might be dated, these kids have every opportunity to embrace the change and make the most out of this season which reaked of potential. Instead, they completely resist change and throw away a chance at making a run at the ACC. Regardless of what you perceive to be ideal, as a college FB player, you have to adapt and be committed to making the most out of the situation. After all, most of these kids are getting a free education at a good school. Do your part.

[Tony-OH]

Tough for me to answer the first question. I came from a middle class background. Like I said though, I'll bet these kids would be better at checking their ego at the door if MD was a Top 10 team and they thought Edsall and his staff would help them get to the NFL. I guarantee you Nick Saban has rules, maybe not as detailed as some of Edsall's, and he will get in a players face and yell at them nose to nose. You don't hear a lot of complaining out of that program. Kids put their ego aside.

As for your second point, I'm sure some of these kids went to private school and had to wear school uniforms and couldn't wear hats. I don't see the big deal in it. As you saw in my post, I played baseball in a program that if you didn't show enough stirup or if you're cleats weren't polished, you didn't get on the bus to go to the game.

Which is why we all had armor-all in our bags so we'd have shiny cleats without having to really polish our shoes. Of course that defeated the whole point of why Coach Lentz wanted them polished, but it goes to show you that while we followed those rules, we also were always trying to take shortcuts.

Kids look for different things in a college program and different kids need different types of structure. I'm sure most would prefer the laid back Friedgen way of doing things, but some NEED an Edsall-type of regiment. I don't necessarily agree with some of his rules, and I openly despise the no names on the back of the jerseys as a fan, but the key thing is he will recruit players who will know what they are getting into and want to be part of his type of program. That will help greatly in my opinion.

I'm disappointed in how Maryland played last year and I'm discounting the many concerns that have been brought up, but I won't make a final decision on Edsall until after year four because by then, his recruits should make up the bulk of his program.

[Brendan25]

I'm with Danielos on this topic. I liked the interview. I'm glad that Edsall opened up and explained himself in a very in depth interview. I don't like many of his answers. I love that he wants the best for his players, and I genuinely believe him when he says that. I don't like the way that he goes about it however. Not every player is going to be a top notch kid. Not every player is going to win an interview. Not every player is going to be clean shaven and well spoken. I like that he wants to make it a "team", I think he is doing it the wrong way. Don't want them to wear headphones in the gym? Fine, lets workout as a team. Wearing the same exact stuff though? I think Edsall needs to recognize that you need 50 tremendous individuals to make a team. You can't turn 18-22 year old kids into robots that all dress, talk, eat, and sleep the same. Let them wear what they want in the gym. Advise the kids not to wear earrings, but if they don't listen then let it be. Football coaches want to win football games, but they also want to turn their kids into men that can succeed in life. Guide them in how to turn into men, but don't turn it into Maryland Adult Bootcamp. I am a 21 year old who has a full time job and, in my opinion, was raised fairly well with good morals. I would not want to play for Edsall. And I supported this hire when it happened so it's not because I have never supported him.

[Tony-OH]

I'm with Danielos on this topic. I liked the interview. I'm glad that Edsall opened up and explained himself in a very in depth interview. I don't like many of his answers. I love that he wants the best for his players, and I genuinely believe him when he says that. I don't like the way that he goes about it however. Not every player is going to be a top notch kid. Not every player is going to win an interview. Not every player is going to be clean shaven and well spoken. I like that he wants to make it a "team", I think he is doing it the wrong way. Don't want them to wear headphones in the gym? Fine, lets workout as a team. Wearing the same exact stuff though? I think Edsall needs to recognize that you need 50 tremendous individuals to make a team. You can't turn 18-22 year old kids into robots that all dress, talk, eat, and sleep the same. Let them wear what they want in the gym. Advise the kids not to wear earrings, but if they don't listen then let it be. Football coaches want to win football games, but they also want to turn their kids into men that can succeed in life. Guide them in how to turn into men, but don't turn it into Maryland Adult Bootcamp. I am a 21 year old who has a full time job and, in my opinion, was raised fairly well with good morals. I would not want to play for Edsall. And I supported this hire when it happened so it's not because I have never supported him.

That's all well and good, but that doesn't mean there are other players won't play for Edsall. 1000s of young men and woman go to the military academies every year and I'll bet a vast majority of them would have had opportunities at less strict situations. Some people want or need to be in a structured environment. Just because some don't doesn't mean others won't.

[OregonBird]

Well, we now know what Edsall's policies are and so do the recruits. The recruits will know what they are signing on for and hopefully the Terps can be successful.

As for me, I wouldn't have wanted to play for Edsall either, not b/c of his policies but because I would have wanted to get away from home to someplace warm where the women were smokin' hot. That's just me though.

From my HS days my baseball coach always said "it's our way or the highway. When you go to college, it's their way or the highway." I learned how to adapt very early in life.

[glenn__davis]

I think this has been a really good discussion, with good points made on both sides.

Let's hope that this time next year we are talking about MD's upcoming bowl opponent, though.

[glenn__davis]

The players, the parents and the alumni were all happy when Fridge was here, it's easy to speculate it was his fault, he's not here anymore, but I don't think that was it at all honestly.

I think that's painting with a pretty large brush. I personally know one of Friedgen's more high-profile players, and he was not a fan of the Fridge. But to be fair, he was not recruited by him. And obviously, just because one guy didn't like him, doesn't mean that that is representative of all of the players.

The fans, while not calling for Friedgen's head, obviously weren't too enthused about the direction of the program, as attendance and interest had receded about back to the point where it was when he took over.

And clearly, there were some issues with academics. The NCAA does not go around taking practice hours away lightly.

[Brendan25]

That's all well and good, but that doesn't mean there are other players won't play for Edsall. 1000s of young men and woman go to the military academies every year and I'll bet a vast majority of them would have had opportunities at less strict situations. Some people want or need to be in a structured environment. Just because some don't doesn't mean others won't.

I completely agree.

[Miller192]

I really don't care about all of this discipline stuff. If Edsall feels that part of his responsibility is to play a large part in growing these kids, then good for him. It appears to me that getting these guys prepared after college is just as important as winning games to him.

That's admirable, but no one is evaluating that record when it comes to Edsall. He'll need to win. There's a lot more riding on the success of the football team than just the football team.

If he thinks this style is going attract great players, we'll certainly find out. Right now, it's going the other way.

I would be more concerned with Danny O'Brien turning into Danny Tanner myself, but it appears that he's addressed that with a new offensive coordinator. One that can recruit as well. He'll need that when he's yanking off ball caps and earrings.

He'll get his 4 years. If it doesn't work, Randy and Kevin can hold hands together walking out the front door.

[Birds of B'more]

I really don't care about all of this discipline stuff. If Edsall feels that part of his responsibility is to play a large part in growing these kids, then good for him. It appears to me that getting these guys prepared after college is just as important as winning games to him.

That's admirable, but no one is evaluating that record when it comes to Edsall. He'll need to win. There's a lot more riding on the success of the football team than just the football team.

If he thinks this style is going attract great players, we'll certainly find out. Right now, it's going the other way.

I would be more concerned with Danny O'Brien turning into Danny Tanner myself, but it appears that he's addressed that with a new offensive coordinator. One that can recruit as well. He'll need that when he's yanking off ball caps and earrings.

He'll get his 4 years. If it doesn't work, Randy and Kevin can hold hands together walking out the front door.

Based on the interview, I think the players are the only ones that are forced to use the front door. The ex-head coach and ex-AD are more than welcome to slip out the side door past the dumpsters when the time comes.

[CT203]

Sounds like a lot of PR spin to me. Most of these reports we heard contradict a lot of this, and reading between the lines, you can see where those stories could easily be true based on what he was saying trying to denounce them.

That's great that he cares so much, blah blah blah, but all I heard here was more it's the players fault, it's the parents fault, it's not my fault, I'm innocent. Rubs me the wrong way.

No spin whatsoever. Said when he was hired he would weed out the bad apples. He wants student athletes who will respect the university and not disgrace the program.

Was the same exact way at uconn with turning his players into men

[JohnD]

The academic situation wouldn't have fallen into the state it is if Debbie Yow hadn't slashed so much of the support staff in recent years.