4 replies to this topic

[BSLChrisStoner]

Testudo Times: Edsall & the Road Ahead
http://www.testudoti...ll-and-the-road

[BSLMikeLowe]

Concur 100%. There were positive things about this season, especially the way the team played hard despite almost unimaginable adversity. That said, there were three winnable games that were blown, and not as a direct result of any injuries. Considering that, Edsall must produce at least a bowl game to keep his job next year.

Personally, I expected a 3-4 win season, and that's what we got. Still, considering how close they were in enough games that they could be preparing for a bowl right now, it's disappointing.

[Mackus]

Off topic: Does anyone know if they sell the heritage gear anywhere?

I would love to have this sweatshirt.



I'll be seeing former kicker Dan Ennis at my HS reunion Saturday night, maybe he can somehow hook me up!

[Mackus]

Keys for Edsall if he continues to be the coach for the next few years:

Continue to do great at recruiting (gotta think Locksley helps a ton here)
Figure out something to do on offense consistently
Talk publicly as little as possible

The recruiting under Edsall has been great. Diggs is the best immediate impact player I've ever seen at Maryland. He's got no business being here, but somehow Edsall and his staff landed him. Try and get a guy like that every couple years if you can, and support him with a large depth of good talent. Keep that up, and things can turn around.

The defense was pretty damn good last year, but aside from getting the ball to Diggs in as many creative ways as possible, the offense stunk most of the season. Even before the QB injuries got to the laughable state. I know Locksley is a great recruiter, but he doesn't have a great reputation as an offensive coach. Hopefully the struggles were more due to lack of talent and that will be fixed by my previous point.

The worst thing about Edsall's first year was not the record, which is pretty amazing when you go 2-10 coming off of a 9-4 season. The worst thing was that nearly every time he opened his mouth, he managed to get even more people to hate him. His words and actions early on in his tenure were the exact opposite of how a person who is familiar with the world behaves. For a guy replacing a coach who's exit was controversial at best and many of the boosters and fans thought shouldn't have been let go, you can't immediately come in and bash everything he's done and the kids who are in your program. You can't bash his wife. You can't talk crap about everything the guy before you did when your fanbase was split over if he should have been let go at all and especially not when even the half that thought he should have been fired never would have wanted it if they knew you would be the guy chosen to replace him. This year, he did better, though. Not by saying better things, but by not talking nearly as much. I don't think many of us fans will ever like or respect Edsall as a person. He's lost that by showing right away that he's not worthy of any respect with his constantly stupid comments. But he can still win us over as a football coach if he recruits and the recruiting translates to wins...if he also keeps his stupid mouth shut while doing it.

[BSLMikeLowe]

I'll be seeing former kicker Dan Ennis at my HS reunion Saturday night, maybe he can somehow hook me up!

Ask him if he still has any eligibility left.