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The Edsall Factor


Todd-O

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I did not attend the U of M. But I did grow up in this area - and because of that I've been a life long fan of the teams at MD. We've had family season tickets since 1984. I've attended about 75% of the home games during that period. I've always found a way to put a positive spin on the games and cheered the team on --- even in the darkest of days when Black Thunder was a preferred offensive option!

Last year, I was interested to see what Edsall would bring to the table. I didn't like how the Fridge was swept away, but was hopeful that Edsall would improve upon what Ralph had built. The Miami game was a ray of hope. So exciting. Byrd was juiced. The offense was firing on all cylinders and the out-sized defense looked decent. We all know what happened after that.

Aside from the losing... which I can take... Randy Edsall has been a huge - HUGE - MASSIVE - turn off to me. He's shot the previous coach in the back on more than one occasion... and it doesn't appear that his treatment of the players has gone over well. He has blamed just about everyone but himself. Meanwhile, he has only ever beaten a top 25 team ONCE in his career and never has beaten a team that finished in the AP Top 25.

I read this weekend that TWENTY FIVE players have transferred since he arrive. 25! This past week we lost DOB (and, while I admit his performance last year and the reasons for it are debatable, losing a player with his shown potential is not a good sign) and Max Garcia.

Edsall essentially has thrown both kids under the bus on their way out the door. In my opinion, his parting statements essential said that DOB was a quitter who couldn't hack it and that Max Garcia was a wimp that couldn't hack being away from home.

Worse yet, are the terms of DOB's release which exclude him from going to Vandy. I ask you: Why in the heck does it matter to Edsall if DOB transfers to Vandy???? They will never play each other in the regular season. IMO, it's absolutely pitiful that they are telling this kid where he can't go.

Both of these kids came the MD and gave a lot. DOB was the face of the team - on their promotional literature - and created a lot of buzz. And this is the send off Randy Edsall gives them??? A few backhanded remarks and restrictions on where one kid can continue to play ball.

Is this Russia, Danny? This isn't Russia...

Maryland should be completely embarrassed.

I can't believe I'm saying this - because I've never said anything like this before - but my interest in wanting to support MD Football at this juncture is in jeopardy. Edsall and his mouth are a such a turn off. I haven't completely given up support because I believe everyone deserves a chance --- but, man, this guy is pushing me to the limits of my fandom.

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This is a great commentary I found on SI about Edsall, the administration at Maryland, and how they're handling Danny O'Brien. Article.

The whole situation is ridiculous, from the top down. I'm at my limit with Edsall.

My media colleagues seem to be split in their opinions of Maryland football coach Randy Edsall. One camp thinks Edsall is a self-serving, hypocritical turd. The other camp thinks he is a shameless, ruthless disgrace to his profession.

Gold. :laughlol:

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Franklin recruited a lot of the kids currently at MD. A lot of them like him. There is a feeling that he had been talking to DOB well before DOB decided to transfer.

Thus, the block to Vanderbilt.

The more the national media piles on with these ridiculous articles, the more I root for Edsall and want him to succeed.

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There is a "feeling?"

They'd better have more than that to block this young man from going where he chooses. Franklin has publicly stated that no tampering took place - and I certainly never read anything during his tenure at MD that would indicate that he's a cheater. If anything, Edsall (on the one hand) wishes DOB well while on the others hand he's punishing the kid for his decision by telling him where he can't go!!

I'll say it again... Completely lame on Maryland's part to throw this kid that kind of a curve ball. Now it appears that DOB will appeal to the NCAA on these blocked schools. If Edsall had any public relation smarts, he'd come out and put an end to this before the NCAA sinks its teeth into it. Nip it in the bud - say you have a change of heart and wish the kid well where ever he chooses to pursue a graduate degree.

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Franklin recruited a lot of the kids currently at MD. A lot of them like him. There is a feeling that he had been talking to DOB well before DOB decided to transfer.

Thus, the block to Vanderbilt.

The more the national media piles on with these ridiculous articles, the more I root for Edsall and want him to succeed.

I completely agree. I don't really have a problem with Edsall blocking O'Brien going to Vanderbilt. Does anyone really think Franklin hasn't had some kind of contact with O'Brien whether directly or in a roundabout way? On top of that there are rumors that Franklin was talking trash about Maryland to potential recruits....I'll assume this was probably Wes Brown since Vandy was in his final 3 before he picked the Terps. Don't get me wrong, I like O'Brien and he seems like a good kid but I'm not shedding any tears for him. He will graduate with a free degree from Maryland and now gets the opportunity to get a masters degree and pick from several other schools in the country (Wisconsin and Stanford have been mentioned) again for free.

As for Edsall, the trashing of the guy is getting old. The season ended three months ago and still all these articles are coming out ripping him. Where is the article talking about their strong finish in recruiting? They just landed arguably the biggest recruit in Maryland football history and word is Diggs mother loves Edsall and what he's trying to do. Most will say Diggs commited bc of Locksley which could be true, but no one knows that for sure. They also landed Wes Brown and Abner Logan, both 4 star prospects, after a 2-10 season! Diggs and Brown are both from Good Counsel (as well as Madaras who is a 4* OT) which is the best program in Maryland and guess what....they have a top 10 overall CB and top 50 overall LB coming out next year. They also landed Albert Reid, a high 3 star RB from Friendship Collegiate Academy in DC after their 2-10 season. FCA is now getting all kinds of kids of players transferring in to include Derwin Grey who is a top 100 overall OT that is strongly considering the Terps. Seems like a nice pipeline they could be starting there....and they landed a kid from Gilman for the first time in forever so it at least seems Edsall has his recruiting priorities straight.

You could argue that Edsall is a jerk forever and you could be right....but the same could be said for Nick Saban, Les Miles, Urban Meyer, Lane Kiffin, etc...but no one cares if you're winning. I've never met Randy Edsall and I'm betting most people that rip him haven't met him either....but the longer this goes on the more I'm pulling for him.

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Franklin has publicly stated that no tampering took place

Well if he said that, it must be true, right? I mean, what do you expect him to say?

For the record, I think they should let DOB go to Vandy if he so chooses. But I don't think it's that big a deal either way. DOB will be fine.

The Edsall bashing starting after 3 games. By about game 5, it was over the top, and has been ever since. In many cases, it's a mob mentality at this point. It's become cool in the national media to bash Randy Edsall. Just makes me root for him all the harder.

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Maybe Edsall is a genius. And, he's being a jerk to get all of the player from a putrid team to leave so he can replace them? And maybe he's really a super-nice guy. This team was so putrid last year that I wouldn't have cared if 75% of them quit in mid-season to play field hockey...and I'm certainly not outraged that their leaving now. They quit on the team during the season, and now they're just making it official by transferring to become someone else's problem. Good riddance.

Personally, I don't blame him for keeping DOB from going to Vandy. Why make it easier for guys to quit on him and go to their former coach?

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Maybe Edsall is a genius. And, he's being a jerk to get all of the player from a putrid team to leave so he can replace them? And maybe he's really a super-nice guy. This team was so putrid last year that I wouldn't have cared if 75% of them quit in mid-season to play field hockey...and I'm certainly not outraged that their leaving now. They quit on the team during the season, and now they're just making it official by transferring to become someone else's problem. Good riddance.

Personally, I don't blame him for keeping DOB from going to Vandy. Why make it easier for guys to quit on him and go to their former coach?

Players from New Mexico are transferring to MD...more could be on the way. Like the article in that other thread said, why is it OK for other teams players to transfer to MD to play for their old coach but it's not OK for MD players to transfer to Vanderbilt to play for their old coach?

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Players from New Mexico are transferring to MD...more could be on the way. Like the article in that other thread said, why is it OK for other teams players to transfer to MD to play for their old coach but it's not OK for MD players to transfer to Vanderbilt to play for their old coach?

The difference is the kids at New Mexico haven't played for Bob Davie yet where as O'Brien played a year for the new coach and now decides he wants to be elsewhere.

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Players from New Mexico are transferring to MD...more could be on the way. Like the article in that other thread said, why is it OK for other teams players to transfer to MD to play for their old coach but it's not OK for MD players to transfer to Vanderbilt to play for their old coach?

I didn't say it wasn't OK. I just said I'm not outraged that DOB was blocked from going to Vandy. I'm just tired of the unilateral outrage generated by players leaving a program that they helped sink to seek greener pastures. To me, is just seems lazy and disingenuous to blame it all on the new coach coming in. They (the players) came here hoping MD would be good and seeking fancy UA gear. Now that they have been here and ALL underperformed, they are looking for an easy way out...and this is it. Maybe if they spent more time trying to be legit student-athletes and less time searching for a better spot to play, the team wouldn't be this terrible. But hey, I'm sure the new program will be excited to get some mediocre talent that contributed to a 2-win season in a weak conference.

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Saban, Miles, and Meyer?

Please detail what Edsall has done to be mentioned with those names.

Again, MD needs more proof than the hairs on the back of their neck or caterpillars crawling in circles on tree trunks to block DOB from Vandy. You then go through the NCAA and have them remedy the issue.

Tracy Hamilton's stat in this weeks post was the most tell tale. The number of Penn State players that have transferred in the last year: 0

The number of MD players... 25.

You guys act as if the press is out to crucify this guy. They aren't putting the words in his mouth.

Like I said, I've been a fan through the thick and thin.... But this Edsall guy is about as painful as they come.

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I didn't say it wasn't OK. I just said I'm not outraged that DOB was blocked from going to Vandy. I'm just tired of the unilateral outrage generated by players leaving a program that they helped sink to seek greener pastures. To me, is just seems lazy and disingenuous to blame it all on the new coach coming in. They (the players) came here hoping MD would be good and seeking fancy UA gear. Now that they have been here and ALL underperformed, they are looking for an easy way out...and this is it. Maybe if they spent more time trying to be legit student-athletes and less time searching for a better spot to play, the team wouldn't be this terrible. But hey, I'm sure the new program will be excited to get some mediocre talent that contributed to a 2-win season in a weak conference.

How did DOB help sink the program? Do you think he did it intentionally? If so, what does he stand to gain by doing it?

DOB struggled for many reasons this year, losing Franklin and Torrey Smith chief among them.

At any rate, players transfer all the time when a coach or a coordinator leaves for another school. It happens all the time, even in the pros. So why is it a big deal all the sudden? Even if there are some reasons why they don't want DOB to play for Franklin at Vandy, it only makes them look childish. DOB is a kid. Let him go play with his old coach and reap the benefits of the New Mexico kids you have wanting to come here.

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Saban, Miles, and Meyer?

Please detail what Edsall has done to be mentioned with those names.

Again, MD needs more proof than the hairs on the back of their neck or caterpillars crawling in circles on tree trunks to block DOB from Vandy. You then go through the NCAA and have them remedy the issue.

Tracy Hamilton's stat in this weeks post was the most tell tale. The number of Penn State players that have transferred in the last year: 0

The number of MD players... 25.

You guys act as if the press is out to crucify this guy. They aren't putting the words in his mouth.

Like I said, I've been a fan through the thick and thin.... But this Edsall guy is about as painful as they come.

First of all, who said he was Urban Meyer?

Second of all, I don't think many act like the press is out to crucify the guy. But, the press is out to make the players look like some victim here. They accepted scholarship money here. They underperformed. And now, they are seeking greener pastures. Maybe they hate Edsall because he's a jerk. Or, maybe they hate him because they aren't any good and he holds them accountable.

Thirdly, you know what else the Penn St players didn't do last year? Lose 10 games. Players that play for teams that stink transfer when they get a chance.

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How did DOB help sink the program? Do you think he did it intentionally? If so, what does he stand to gain by doing it?

DOB struggled for many reasons this year, losing Franklin and Torrey Smith chief among them.

At any rate, players transfer all the time when a coach or a coordinator leaves for another school. It happens all the time, even in the pros. So why is it a big deal all the sudden? Even if there are some reasons why they don't want DOB to play for Franklin at Vandy, it only makes them look childish. DOB is a kid. Let him go play with his old coach and reap the benefits of the New Mexico kids you have wanting to come here.

No, I don't think he did it intentionally. Yes, I think he was horrid last season. Obviously, he wasn't the only guilty party - which is why I didn't say he was. Again, I never said it was a big deal. I just said I don't really care that Edsall did it. I don't see it as a big deal either way, and I can see why Edsall made the decision he made.

And, I'd say the biggest reason for DOB struggling last season was that he couldn't hit the broadside of a barn. Unless Edsall's new scheme involved wildly inaccurate passing, I don't see him being the biggest reason DOB struggled. I can see scheme playing a role in poor decision making, if DOB isn't accustomed to the style of play. But I don't see it impacting the ability to throw a football accurately. That being said, I think he can improve and I wish he wasn't transferring. But, I don't see it as the end of the world. We won 2 games with him, we can win 2 without him.

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