The Future of Maryland Football

On Saturday, the University of Maryland completed their first full-season of play as a member of the Big Ten Conference. The switch in conference affiliations of course being predicated on the financial difficulties that have existed in the Terps Athletic Department; and with that – a corresponding desire for the Football program to improve. That improvement being measured not only in on-field results, but in revenue generated.

(You can discuss this on the BSL Board here.)

Maryland reaped immediate financial benefits this year. A 19% increase in attendance. Corporate sponsorships up. Donor contributions up.  A larger cut of television payouts.

That doesn’t mean the Athletic Department is now swimming in dough. The budget deficit which has existed has to be overcome. The payout Maryland made to leave the Atlantic Coast Conference has to be factored in. Overall though, things are improving for MD financially, and will continue to do so.

Earlier this Month, MD announced plans for the New Cole Field House. This is an incredible development for the program. It shows inspiring, forward-thinking vision. It’s an investment into the idea of what MD can become. Testudo Times had a nice read on how the facility could take Maryland to another level.

The bottom-line here is that MD uprooted decades of tradition to leave the ACC, because the Big Ten represented a bigger, better future. Maryland is going to spend $155M on this indoor facility (2.3 times more than Oregon did) because the goal is to build a program that competes for Big Ten Championships and on a National level.

Any organization is as good as the leadership that exists at the top. With MD making the aforementioned trans-formative decisions; it only crystallizes the need for further evaluation of Coach Edsall.  I’m not an Edsall hater. His detractors point to a middling career record, and horrible results overall against winning and ranked teams. I think that does not give him enough credit for building a Connecticut program from nothing, to something competitive. Even if UConn was in the weakest ‘power’ conference. The saying goes that you only get one opportunity to make a first impression. Edsall’s first impression to MD fans was poor, and he continues to pay for that. There is a segment of the MD fan-base which will never get past the mistakes Edsall made in his first year at College Park.

After that disastrous first year, there was incremental improvement in years two and three; even with a somewhat unbelievable amount of injuries (especially in year two).  Academic success has improved under Edsall as well. As MD prepares to head to a bowl game somewhere, it can be argued that the ball has inched forward some for MD again here at the end of Year four. Winning five road games in a year is an achievement. Winning at Penn State, and Michigan (even if those programs are down) is as well. Many said MD would be routinely embarrassed in Big Ten play. Instead they finished 3rd in the East.

Blowing a 25 point lead, and losing at home to Rutgers slows the roll of positive momentum though. MD finished 2-4 at Byrd. The limitations in the trenches showed in the blowout losses to conference powers Ohio State, Wisconsin, and Michigan State. (In my opinion, no matter who the HC is – improving the depth and quality of both lines needs to be a lead priority.)

Originally signed to a 6 year contract, Edsall is scheduled to be with MD for the ’15, and  ’16 seasons. Had MD beat Rutgers Saturday, I think an argument existed to tack on an additional year to his contract. Normally I would not allow one win or loss to cloud my opinion on a larger deal; but the loss today eliminates any willingness I had to lock up Edsall further.

What happens going forward becomes an interesting question. Looking at the 2015 schedule, I think MD projects to again win somewhere between 7-9 games (even with the losses in the Terps Front 7). If Edsall is back for ’15, and wins those 7-9 games – is he going to be extended long-term? (Thinking being that they would not let him go into ’16 as a lame duck, as that could be used against him with recruits. So, either he would be extended after ’15, or let go at that time.)

In that scenario, MD would look pretty similar to how they look today. A team capable of competing against the lower and middle-tiers of the Big Ten, with line issues preventing the ability to play with and beat the powers. If you are not willing to extend Edsall today, will you next year with those results? If the answer to that is no, should a move to find a replacement happen now?

Would MD be able to buy out Edsall (and his Assistants), and hire a replacement (and his Assistants)?

Perhaps the question is this. The conference move and the new indoor facility are about becoming great. Do you believe MD can become great under Edsall? That’s what Athletic Director Kevin Anderson needs to weigh.

With any prospective coaching change, you have to identify who you would target, and how viable they are.

If Maryland was willing to make a change in regimes, here are some names which could make sense as candidates:

Scott Frost
Oregon Offensive Coordinator

Todd Orlando
Utah State Defensive Coordinator

John Henson
Missouri Offensive Coordinator

Vance Bedford
Texas Defensive Coordinator

Sonny Cumbie
TCU Co-Offensive Coordinator 

Sam Pittman
Arkansas Associate Head Coach

Mike Bloomgren
Stanford Associate Head Coach & Offensive Coordinator

Geoff Collins
Mississippi State Defensive Coordinator

Kirby Smart
Alabama Defensive Coordinator

Jeremy Pruitt
Georgia Defensive Coordinator

Todd Herman
Ohio State Offensive Coordinator

Pat Narduzzi
Michigan State Defensive Coordinator

Mike Stoops
Oklahoma Defensive Coordinator

Phillip Montgomery
Baylor Offensive Coordinator

Chad Morris
Clemson Offensive Coordinator

Tommy Tuberville
Cincinnati Head Coach

Dave Dickenson
Calgary Stampeders Offensive Coordinator

Jeff Tedford
Tampa Bay Bucs Offensive Coordinator (On leave.)

Todd Bowles
Arizona Cardinals Defensive Coordinator

Dan Quinn
Seattle Seahawks Defensive Coordinator

A lot of well regarded coordinators, but only a couple of guys with HC experience. If MD was willing to make a move, I’d like to think they would have their choice of a couple of these guys. Several of the Coaches are such hot commodities, they will have their choice of jobs – thus likely eliminating MD as a legitimate option. (Of course money speaks… and if you are investing $155M into the facility, maybe you spend a bit more on Coaching as well.)

What Anderson would have to decide is, are you better off with the Coach you know, or with someone like those mentioned above?

If you are Coach Edsall, you go and control what you can control. Get MD in the best position possible to win the upcoming bowl game. Go finish out the recruiting Class of 2015 (I’m still hoping for the additions of Isaiah Prince, and Quarvez Boulware). If you are back for ’15, improve the Coaching staff around you. Again win the games you should. Find a way to win a game you are not expected to.

It’s an interesting time for MD Football. Big decisions have been made, big decisions await.