Gov. Lamont on Randy Edsall: ‘It’s probably time to leave’
Gov. Ned Lamont on Tuesday echoed the sentiment of the UConn athletic department, which on Monday reached an agreement toward Randy Edsall’s immediate departure as football coach.
“Look if you don’t want to coach for the rest of the season, it’s probably time to leave,” Lamont said at an event in Milford. “[Players] need somebody who believes in them and they believe in that coach, and they’re ready to fight their hearts out for the rest of the season.”
Edsall, 63, had announced Sunday afternoon that he would retire at the end of the 2021 season.
The university announced Monday that Edsall would instead depart the program immediately.
In an e-mail sent Monday at 6:09 p.m., obtained via a Freedom of Information request, Benedict wrote to Edsall, accepting his resignation.
Benedict added, “To provide for an orderly transition following your announcement of your retirement and to provide stability to the program, you are relieved of your football head coaching duties effective immediately; however, it is expected that you will serve as a consultant/advisor to me as needed to transition the program through your final employment date . ... We will honor all terms of your employment contract, including compensation and benefits, through the effective date of your resignation.”
Edsall’s last day will be Dec. 1. He will collect his full salary for the season — $1.256 million.
Benedict and Lou Spanos, named interim coach, addressed the team to inform players of Edsall’s immediate departure just before the email was sent.
The Huskies, who opted out of last season due to COVID-19 complications, started the season with consecutive embarrassing losses. Their first game in 21 months was a 45-0 loss Aug. 28 at Fresno State. On Saturday in the home open- er at Rentschler Field, the Huskies lost 38-28 to Holy Cross of the lower level Football Championship Subdivision.
Lamont was asked Tues- day whether UConn should
drop to a lower division. UConn has been struggling in the decade since appearing in the New Year’s Day Fiesta Bowl and attendance at Rentschler Field has been steadily declining.
“I sure hope not,” Lamont said. “I think having a great football team is a hallmark of a great state and a great state university.”
UConn has given no indication that dropping to FCS — or dropping the sport, period — is under consideration. Instead, athletic director Benedict and Board of Trustees chair Dan Toscano have said many times, and reiterated last week, that the university continues to see value, financially and otherwise, in the Huskies staying in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).
UConn hasn’t had a winning season since 2010, when Edsall guided the team to the Fiesta Bowl before bolting in the darkness of night to become coach at Maryland, which fired him in 2015 after fourplus seasons. Edsall returned to UConn before the 2017 season, taking over for the fired Bob Diaco.
The program continued its free fall, going 3-9 in 2017, 1-11 in 2018 and 2-10 in 2019. Just three of the six victories came against FBS schools. UConn left the American Athletic Conference in July 2020, motivated by being able to have its basketball programs rejoin the Big East.
Edsall finished his second stint with a 6-32 record. Overall, he was 80102 at the school in 15-plus seasons. He transitioned UConn from the FCS level (then Division I-AA) to FBS (then Division I-A) in the early 2000s and led the Huskies to five bowl games (2004, 2007-10). He was 22-34 at Maryland, reaching bowl games in 2013 and 2014.
Spanos, 50, has been UConn’s defensive coordinator since 2019. UConn will conduct a national search for its next full-time coach.
The Huskies host Purdue Saturday at Rentschler Field.