After just three seasons as the head coach at UConn, Bob Diaco’s time in Storrs is about to end.
On Jan. 2, Diaco will no longer be the head coach of the Huskies. He finishes with an 11-26 record at UConn and had the worst offense in college football this season.
It was an uphill battle for Diaco as soon as he stepped on campus. The team went 2-10 in Diaco’s first season in 2014. Things seemed to be looking up after the Huskies made a bowl in 2015. However, any momentum appeared to be stopped after UConn’s 3-9 record in 2016.
While the news of Diaco’s firing isn’t a big surprise, the timing of it is a little odd. However, there is a monetary reason behind this (because this is college athletics after all). By firing Diaco on Jan. 2, the school pays a $3.4 million buyout. If the Huskies had opted to fire Diaco now, they would’ve paid Diaco $5 million, per details in his contract. I’m sure Diaco is kicking himself for that loophole.
The most memorable moment of Diaco’s tenure with the Huskies was probably his creation of the “Civil ConFLiCT” rivalry with Central Florida, which the Knights refused to acknowledge.
It seems like Diaco should be able to land on his feet somewhere. Prior to coming to UCONN, Diaco was a defensive coordinator at Notre Dame. While he was there, the Fighting Irish made it to the national championship (where they were stomped by Alabama). With Notre Dame’s current struggles, Diaco might be welcomed back to help get things going in the right direction.
