Randy Edsall finally gets out of UConn

As I mentioned, I never envied UConn's BCS appearance nor that they had Randy Edsall as their coach. Well after interviewing with BC (three times), Miami, Georgia Tech, and NC State, Edsall finally landed an ACC job with Maryland. I don't think he'll be a disaster, but I think Maryland could have been more bold with the new hire. Mike Leach at Maryland would have been scary for BC. Rich Rodriquez would have made things interesting. I am not even sure Edsall is an upgrade over Friedgen.

As for why Edsall wanted out...I think the situation is very similar to TOB's at BC. I think these coaches get tired of the limitations and start to think the grass is greener. Edsall knew getting UConn back to the BCS would be tough and that anything less would be met with fan impatience. Now he gets a fresh start and a raise.

Of course this coaching carousel will impact BC as old names like Jags and Whipple have surfaced as candidates in Storrs. If Jags lands the gig I will weigh in further. But let me say this: UConn is a tough place to build a winner. Syracuse is back. TCU is entering the conference. It looks like WVU just upgraded their staff. I think the better Big East opening is Pitt but at this point I think Jags and Whipple are both itching for a chance to be the head guy again and both are filled with confidence that they can win anywhere.

The TOB tree is taking over the ACC

Since I've been tracking this for a while, it is time again to look back on Tom O'Brien's first staff. Now in the 12-team ACC 25% of the conference is coached by TOB's proteges. Now this sort of six degrees game can be played on many coaching staffs, but TOB deserves credit for finding these guys in 1997 and happenstance deserves a little credit for all of them ending up in one conference 13 years later.

Then (1997)
Tom O'Brien. Relatively unknown coordinator from Virginia set to begin his first head coaching job at Boston College.
Frank Spaziani. TOB's old colleague from Navy and Virginia. Had been in the witness protection program (his own joke) coaching defense in the CFL. TOB brought him back to the States to be his first running backs coach at BC.
Al Golden. BC was Golden's first official college football job. Amazingly TOB named him recruiting coordinator too. (Can you imagine a BCS program naming a totally untested kid recruiting coordinator now?). But Golden had impressed TOB enough while a GA at Virginia to give him such a crucial role at BC.
Mike London. London had a little more experience than Golden, but it wasn't screaming "Big Time" job. He had been a position coach at William & Mary and Richmond before TOB gave him his first DIA job working as BC's defensive line coach.

Now (2010)
Tom O'Brien. After becoming BC's all-time winningest coach, TOB left to be the head coach at NC State.
Frank Spaziani. Spaz moved from RB to the defensive side of the ball in TOB's third year. From there he shaped years of successful BC defenses before becoming the head man himself in 2009.
Al Golden. The ever ambitious Golden left BC to head recruiting at Penn State. Then it was onto UVA before becoming a head coach at Temple and now Miami.
Mike London. Like Goldon, London was certainly ambitious and made stops along the way at Virginia and the NFL. He won a national championship at Richmond and is now at Virginia.

I should also note that in 1997 TOB also gave Michigan State Offensive Coordinator Don Treadwell and former BC coach Jeff Jagodzinski their first BCS level jobs.

I don't know what it says about the ACC or TOB that all these guys got their first big break at the same time. It is also interesting to note that after building his first BC staff with young, aggressive coaches, TOB has stuck with a more mature and loyal staff since.

More hoops comings and goings and Jags update

Andy Katz is adding to the Sanders news by reporting that Rakim is likely to join former BC assistant Ed Cooley's team at Fairfield.

The other news is that new assistant John Gallagher will never actually coach a game at the Heights. He's reportedly been hired as the new head coach at Hartford.

Finally Jags will return to the sidelines as Head Coach of the UFL's expansion franchise in Omaha. Not particularly glamorous but it gets him back in the game and if he wins, it gets him back on track to being a head coach in the NFL or college.

Missed opportunity

When Gene was trying to manage the Jags situation last winter, I think he missed a true opportunity at program continuity. He could have let Jags walk and put WEEI producer Steve "Chach" Ciaccio in Jags place. Think of "Dave" or "Moon Over Parador." Spaz could have been DC. Logan stays. All is well. Chach could have passed for Jags with a head set and a BC jacket (see below).



Although it is old news now, Chach and Meter previewed the NC State game. Hopefully they will do it for the other games too.

Thank you Jeff Jagodzinski

As I did when TOB left, let me say thanks to Jags. Regardless of how this plays out, he did an excellent job over two years. He provided a boost of energy and passion we all desired and he clearly bought into what BC was about. I wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors.