Things are not going well for the UConn Huskies football program.
Randy Edsall, who oversaw the program’s rise from 1-AA to 1-A and eventually turned them into a perennial bowl team that went to the 2011 Fiesta Bowl, returned in 2017 with an eye on resurrecting the Huskies after they’d fallen off. Things have not gone according to plan as the team has gone 3-9, 1-11, and 2-10 on his watch.
After taking 2o20 off due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Huskies returned to play in 2021 and things have somehow gotten worse. They opened the season with a 45-0 drubbing at the hands of Fresno State and followed that up with a program-deflating 38-28 loss to Holy Cross on Saturday.
A clip of players looking listless and uninspired as one of their coaches tries in vain to get them pumped up on the sidelines seemed to sum up the sorry state of affairs at UConn.
I've seen some real pathetic stuff as a UConn football fan. This is the lowest point. pic.twitter.com/e1EjNhNmtv
— No Escalators (@NoEscalators) September 4, 2021
With things about as bad as they’ve ever been, no end in sight, and the looming threat of a game against the mighty Clemson Tigers in the future, Edsall did just about the only thing he could do at this point. He announced on Sunday that he would be retiring at the end of the season.
https://twitter.com/RandyEdsall/status/1434593661342322689
“After 17 years of service at the University of Connecticut as its Head Football Coach, I’ve decided to retire at the end of the season,” said Edsall in a tweet.
“Back in 2017 I made a commitment to the University but felt it was better to make this announcement now rather than the end of the year to allow the University ample time to prepare for the future of the Football program. All my focus and attention or the rest of the season will be to prepare our players and coaches to go out and win as many games as possible.”
Reactions to the news rolled in immediately.
— No Escalators (@NoEscalators) September 5, 2021
Week One is not over, and we have our first coaching move. Randy Edsall is retiring at the end of the season, although frankly it might be a bit indulgent of the school to let him coach that long: https://t.co/JTehA1uPx7
— Pat Forde (@ByPatForde) September 5, 2021
Randy Edsall is retiring. People will make jokes rather than focus on the end of a man’s long career in which he’s worked with a lot of people. And I just have to say that’s fine, it’s pretty funny to announce your retirement right after losing to a Patriot League team
— Alex Kirshner (@alex_kirshner) September 5, 2021
I'm sure somehow his contract is structured that by announcing his retirement now, he somehow made $5k. https://t.co/vw521waNcC
— Brian Harrison (@BH_Orange44) September 5, 2021
Interestingly, it also appears that the news has made it clear that Edsall has blocked a lot of reporters and others on Twitter at some point.
https://twitter.com/Kofie/status/1434598026111340551
Randy Edsall is retiring to complete his career objective, unblocking me on Twitter.
— Andrew Hammond (@ahammALDC) September 5, 2021
I’ll always remember that Randy Edsall blocked me after I laughed at him for using a Drake lyric on Twitter
— A.J. Black (@AJBlack247) September 5, 2021
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.