It is not that common an occurrence for a major college football program to hire the same coach twice. It is even more rare for that re-hire to occur in the same decade. That’s what the Connecticut Huskies have done.
In the 2010 college football season, Randy Edsall coached Connecticut to a Big East championship and a spot in the Fiesta Bowl against Oklahoma. He was not able to maintain the momentum he had established, and soon, he was given a pink slip. He then went to Maryland to see if he could succeed in the Big Ten. His venture failed miserably, and he was fired by the Terrapins. Connecticut, though, has asked Edsall for help in a difficult time, and Edsall said yes. He obviously knows how to recruit and engage in public relations and do all the salesmanship-related tasks of being a head football coach. Now, he has to show that he can rebuild Connecticut a second time. He had already done it once, but will the magic disappear? It’s a rich question in the AAC this year.
How Did They End 2016
The Connecticut offense was impotent last year. The Huskies won only one conference game because anything good they did on defense was simply not supported by the offense. If the defense played well for one half, the offense wasn’t able to pick it up and shoulder the load for a period of time. The offense’s inability to control the ball for extended drives left the defense tired and exposed. The roof eventually fell in on the team in most weeks of the season, which concluded with a humiliating home-field loss to Tulane, which had entered 0-7 in the AAC before that win.
One of the things said often about football and basketball programs is that while losing isn’t fun or recommended, it’s a lot worse to lose while being boring. Some programs lose but are at least exciting to watch. UConn football was both boring and unsuccessful.
Offseason Changes
Bob Diaco didn’t work out as head coach, so Randy Edsall was asked to return to UConn for a second stint as the program’s head coach. That’s the biggest change in East Hartford, but the other change worth noting is that Rhett Lashlee, who had been Gus Malzahn’s offensive coordinator at Auburn, made the stunning move to go from the SEC to the AAC. How Lashlee does will have a lot to say about how well Edsall does in act two at UConn.
Team X-Factor
South Carolina transfer and running back David Williams needs to lend pop and sizzle to what was a dormant running game last season. If UConn can run the ball, it can shorten games, rest its defense, and take pressure off its starting quarterback. Williams can achieve so many different positive things if he can come up with a strong season.
What To Expect From The Huskies This Year
UConn’s offense hit rock bottom last season, but Edsall is a proven coach who knows how to fix problems. Expect modest gains from UConn, but not a complete turnaround relative to last season.
Record Last 5 Seasons
2016: 3-9
2015: 6-7
2014: 2-10
2013: 3-9
2012: 5-7
Schedule & Outlook
The Huskies have a somewhat challenging start to the schedule – at least by what should be deemed as difficult for them. They should beat Holy Cross to start the year but a visit from South Florida followed by road games at Virginia and SMU could land the Huskies at 1-3 by the end of September. If you’re looking to get to four wins to go over their regular season win total, it’s tough to find them. They end the season with four home games in their final six, but even beating teams like Boston College, East Carolina or Tulsa are no given.
Even so, it does feel like the bottom fell out last year and that this team won’t be much worse. After a 3-9 disaster in 2016, the Huskies will go 5-7 in 2017. They won’t achieve everything they want, but they will begin a recovery process and set up what should be a solid 2018 season.
Regular Season Win Total Prediction: Over 3.5
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