UConn Football: Randy Edsall calls 2011-17 seasons “just a shame”

UConn football once played in the Fiesta Bowl, a far cry from the current Huskies who are 0-2 following losses to Central Florida and Boise State.

Randy Edsall led the team that season to the Fiesta Bowl in 2010 before taking the job at Maryland the following season. Things didn’t work out for him there, as he returned to UConn in 2017 and went 3-9.

Edsall took the proverbial training wheels off when discussing why his current team is struggling, placing the blame solely on the six years he spent away. The Huskies didn’t record a season above .500, though Bob Diaco did lead them to the St. Petersburg Bowl in 2015, finishing 6-7.

Recently, Edsall told the New Hampshire Register that the turnaround is going to take time, while also taking a shot at the prior staff:

"We’re doing everything we can but if somebody thinks we’re going to take some fairy dust, just sprinkle it and all of a sudden it’s going to change, you might as well go and keep drinking alcohol or something because this isn’t easy, but it’s fun. It’s fun because these kids want it, they want to do it and they’re out there trying. Most of them shouldn’t even be playing (as freshmen)."

Edsall continued:

"It’s just a shame what has happened from 2011-17; you can’t get it back but it’s a great lesson when you don’t do the right things how quickly it can go. You saw what the time it took to get it there but if you don’t do the things you are supposed to, it’s going down and it’s going to take a little bit longer to get back to where you want it to be and that’s the reality of it in this sport."

Needless to say, Edsall won’t be sending – or receiving – Christmas cards or birthday well wishes from Diaco or Paul Pasqualoni, who also was part of that stretch where UConn went just 16-44 under their direction.

So far this year, Connecticut has fallen to Central Florida, 56-17, and Boise State, 62-7. They take on Rhode Island in a winnable contest this Saturday before dates with Syracuse, Cincinnati and Memphis.

Saturday’s game with the Rams dates back to 1897, but the two have met just twice since 2000. Connecticut holds wins in both of those meetings, 52-7 in 2006 and 52-10 in 2009.

The 60-year-old Edsall is a former quarterback at Syracuse and is a two-time Big East champion. He also spent time in the NFL with the Detroit Lions and Jacksonville Jaguars around jobs with the Orange, Boston College and Georgia Tech.

David Pindell has provided much of the offense for the Huskies this year, throwing for 337 yards and running for another 197. Kevin Mensah has 141 yards on the ground, and should find plenty of holes vs. Rhode Island this week.