It's now official. Randy Edsall, who has been the coach of Connecticut for the past 12 years, is Maryland's new football coach. The school just sent out a press release announcing the news. A press conference is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Monday.
Edsell emerged as a candidate on Sunday, just hours after his Huskies lost 48-20 to Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl. He compiled a 74-70 record in 12 seasons on the job, bringing the program to a Division I level. His teams have shared the Big East crown twice. However, his record is not as good as Ralph Friedgen's, the man he is replacing, and he has been in an inferior conference.
Edsall flew in for an interview on Sunday and was named the team's coach shortly thereafter. The team was informed of the decision at around 6 p.m. Sunday, after which defensive back Cameron Chism tweeted the news.
Edsall beats out former Texas Tech coach Mike Leach for the position. Leach emerged as an early favorite for the position, but the program was unwilling to gamble on his unpredictability.