The Edsall Factor

[NewMarketSean]

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.

So why should a program try to keep players here who underperformed either intentionally or unintentionally? IMO, they should be giving these guys their blessings to play anywhere else.

[Dr. FLK]

So why should a program try to keep players here who underperformed either intentionally or unintentionally? IMO, they should be giving these guys their blessings to play anywhere else.

Sure, I agree with you really. But, clearly there is something with Vandy that is irking Edsall. They are letting these guys leave. They let DOB leave. He just doesn't want DOB going to Vandy which makes me think that there is more here than we know.

[Todd-O]

Did players underperform or did the coach not come up with a game plan to suit their talents?

I'm not saying these guys were awesome athletes.... But I'd be willing to bet some serious cash that: (1) Ralph would have been at least .500 and (2) players wouldn't be jumping ship like the plague existed in the locker room.

I, personally, hope DOB does go somewhere like Stanford and blows it up. I also hope that Edsall isn't as big of an idiot as he appears to be and that there is a method to his madness... That he has success.

[o's fan 14]

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.

All those guys I mentioned can be classified as jerks....add Bobby Petrino and John Harbaugh to that list if you want but no one cares or talks about it because they win. If Edsall went 10-2 this year and acted the same way no one would be talking about him being a jerk instead they would be praising him for an outstanding coaching job....and I bet they wouldn't have 25 transfers either....winning masks a lot of problems, losing amplifies them.

You mentioned Edsall called DOB a quitter and Garcia a wimp....I didn't see that but if he did that's a shame. What I heard is the he said DOB told him he was not all in. I get the feeling you're putting words in Edsalls mouth.

Another thing that rubs me the wrong way about the DOB situation is why is he waiting after the spring semester to transfer? Why wouldn't he have transfered after the fall that way he could get in spring practices with is new school? I would think he would have known after the season that he didn't want to play for Edsall any longer. Maybe he really was undecided, who knows. From my understanding O'Brien will finish the year academically at Maryland which will allow him to obtain his bachelor's degree....this will also allow him to transfer to another school without having to sit out a year under the same rule Russell Wilson used to transfer to Wisconsin. To that extent, I feel DOB used Maryland.

One other note about the Franklin thing. He's going to keep trying to pry away players from the DMV region. What better recruiting tool then to have a current player, former Terp on your roster to talk to kids from the DMV region about how much he hated playing for Edsall....just something to consider.

[Todd-O]

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.

You seem to forget how the fridge was treated and how his exit - not to mention the coach in waiting - was handled. Those kids commited to play for those guys, not necessarily the school. So, enter Kevin Anderson. He changed the dynamic all on his own. Enter Randy Edsall - a heavy handed, gun slinging guy.

You look at the situation as though these kids get a free ride, committed to the school, and should just play. The reality is, a lot of those kids are there to play and broaden their talents... They chose the fridge and Franklin to help them with that. I don't blame any of them from wanting to get out of dodge.

[Birds of B'more]

You could argue that Edsall is a jerk forever and you could be right....but the same could be said for Nick Saban' date=' Les Miles, Urban Meyer, Lane Kiffin, etc...but no one cares if you're winning.[/quote']

Plenty of truth right there. I don't like Edsall any more than a lot of other people, but there's no denying that if he was a jerk who went 10-2 few people would be bothered, including me. However, the fact is that he's a jerk who went 2-10. And alienating the fans aside, the collateral damage of being a jerk who doesn't win is that he ran off a number of players who could have helped him turn things around more quickly. Maybe some of these kids that just came in will become stars one day. The likelihood that it will happen as soon as this season is slim. And if he continues to lose, and continues to be a jerk while doing so, he may not last long enough to see these new recruits turn around UM's fortunes....no matter how many years or dollars are left on his contract. So while coaches like Les Miles, Urban Meyer and Nick Saban may have earned the right to be jerks, Randy Edsall clearly has not, so the criticism he's receiving is well deserved.

[NewMarketSean]

Sure, I agree with you really. But, clearly there is something with Vandy that is irking Edsall. They are letting these guys leave. They let DOB leave. He just doesn't want DOB going to Vandy which makes me think that there is more here than we know.

Maybe it's that he doesn't want DOB going to Vandy and lighting it up with Franklin and making himself look bad.

[Dr. FLK]

Maybe it's that he doesn't want DOB going to Vandy and lighting it up with Franklin and making himself look bad.

Oh, I'm sure that's part of it. I don't doubt that for a second. And, if my job were on the line, I might think a bit selfishly too.

[o's fan 14]

Plenty of truth right there. I don't like Edsall any more than a lot of other people' date=' but there's no denying that if he was a jerk who went 10-2 few people would be bothered, including me. However, the fact is that he's a jerk who went 2-10. And alienating the fans aside, the collateral damage of being a jerk who doesn't win is that he ran off a number of players who could have helped him turn things around more quickly. Maybe some of these kids that just came in will become stars one day. The likelihood that it will happen as soon as this season is slim. And if he continues to lose, and continues to be a jerk while doing so, he may not last long enough to see these new recruits turn around UM's fortunes....no matter how many years or dollars are left on his contract. So while coaches like Les Miles, Urban Meyer and Nick Saban may have earned the right to be jerks, Randy Edsall clearly has not, so the criticism he's receiving is well deserved.[/quote']

I absolutely agree with what you said. If he goes 2-10 again this year he has to be fired. I can't imagine they'll go 2-10 again though...but who knows. I am asking, because I don't know, but what other jerk things has Edsall done aside from going 2-10 and blocking DOB? They had a thread about this same topic on testudo times that was a pretty interesting read. One thing I did find interesting is that someone posted in there saying they worked in the recruiting office while Fridge was there and this year with Edsall and that Friedgen talked to the guy one time while Edsall talks to everyone. He also says that the players still at Maryland support Edsall and like what he's trying to do....albeit the few players remaining.

[Birds of B'more]

Sure, I agree with you really. But, clearly there is something with Vandy that is irking Edsall. They are letting these guys leave. They let DOB leave. He just doesn't want DOB going to Vandy which makes me think that there is more here than we know.

I'm not as upset about the Vandy thing as many. Although I think there is a gross double-standard going on, it's more an NCAA issue, and Edsall is just playing a game that so many other coaches have before and will continue to as long as the rules stay the same. That said, if Edsall really does think there has been illicit contact between Franklin and current UM players, then he should go to the NCAA with it. I'm sure it would be hard to prove unless he somehow had a wiretap on DOB's cell phone, but at least it would give a reasonable public explanation as to why he doesn't think DOB should be allowed to go to Vanderbilt, and maybe it would also get Franklin to back off from Edsall's team in the process. But as it stands now all this is doing is bringing embarrassment to UM.

[Birds of B'more]

I absolutely agree with what you said. If he goes 2-10 again this year he has to be fired. I can't imagine they'll go 2-10 again though...but who knows. I am asking' date=' because I don't know, but what other jerk things has Edsall done aside from going 2-10 and blocking DOB? They had a thread about this same topic on testudo times that was a pretty interesting read. One thing I did find interesting is that someone posted in there saying they worked in the recruiting office while Fridge was there and this year with Edsall and that Friedgen talked to the guy one time while Edsall talks to everyone. He also says that the players still at Maryland support Edsall and like what he's trying to do....albeit the few players remaining.[/quote']

Whether it's actually the case or not, Edsall made public comments after a couple games last season (specifically the Temple and BC games) that essentially shifted any responsibility for the quickly failing season away from himself and the coaches. The fact that he was the same guy who was preaching that players had to be held accountable, and implying that the previous head coach failed to do so, smacked of hypocrisy and self-righteousness. And calling out the fans because few came out to watch his team get shellacked at home, in a snowstorm, by a crappy BC team only made things worse. I don't think anyone will argue with his belief that 18-22 year-olds should be held accountable for their actions, but as the face and voice of the program, it has to start with himself.

[NewMarketSean]

I will also say that I am not a big MD football fan. Of course I want them to win, but I don't have an opinion on Edsall either way. I know that he's not too popular and has his critics.

[BaltimoreTerp]

Everything that Edsall has done since coming to Maryland shows that he is a hypocrite, doesn't hold himself accountable, and has no idea how to communicate with players (at least ones that aren't directly his), fans and media.

[Slappy]

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 know you like Edsall for some reason but even you have to admit there's a lot of speculation to reach this conclusion. And you'd also have to acknowledge the hypocrisy in poaching UNM players.

[glenn__davis]

I know you like Edsall for some reason but even you have to admit there's a lot of speculation to reach this conclusion. And you'd also have to acknowledge the hypocrisy in poaching UNM players.

Point 1, I disagree with. I don't think there needs to be much speculation at all. I'd be willing to bet nearly anything that Franklin was in contact with DOB and several other players.

Point 2, I agree with. But as I've said, I don't agree with the decision to block DOB to Vandy. It is not a move I would have made. But I don't think it is the travesty it is being made out to be.