Written by Matt Zemek at Bloguin
Randy Edsall was relieved of his duties as Maryland’s head football coach on Sunday. Regardless of what you might have felt about the firing — and whether it was merited or not — the move at least brought an end to a strange and uncomfortable form of coaching limbo in which Edsall was “going to be, but not yet” fired. No one should have to live in that kind of a situation, and now we can move on with our lives. Edsall can move on with his.
My colleague at TSS, Bart Doan, wrote about Edsall and Maryland last week, and he’s going to say more about the Terrapins in short order. You can get a larger sense of the Maryland chapter of Edsall’s coaching journey from Bart.
In this piece, you’re going to read about the enduring value of Edsall’s signature coaching achievement: his successful 2010 season at the University of Connecticut, which culminated in the 2011 Fiesta Bowl against Oklahoma.
We’re now in our second year of the College Football Playoff system, but with a move to eight playoff teams likely to occur within the next 15 years (and very possibly sooner), the emergence of Edsall in the sport’s spotlight — albeit for unwelcome reasons — gives us a chance to look back and forward at college football’s postseason structure. That 2011 Fiesta Bowl showed exactly what was wrong with it… and why a future move to eight playoff teams, if it happens, must be administered with more care than you might think.
Intrigued? Let’s continue.
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