He may have an advantage here over former UConn coach Skip Holtz. Holtz, the son of former and legendary Notre Dame coach Lou Holtz, ditched UConn last fall to take an offensive coordinator job at South Carolina with his father. While some believe UConn will suffer because the Holtz name may have been a recruiting magnet, others highlight Edsall's long career in the coaching ranks and the inevitable flow of contacts. He spent a year at Georgia Tech, had stints at Boston College and Syracuse and three years in the NFLwith the Jacksonville Jaguars. His coaching staff has worked the country as well.
Coaches usually recruit in places they come from.
And although UConn does not have a strong presence in the football heartland, Edsall's first recruiting class is making some plays. Linebacker Uyi Osunde is a case in point. He had 14 tackles against Richmond in his first start of the season and followed it up with 11 tackles versus Northeastern. A true freshman, Osunde hails from Bloomsberg, Penn. and was recruited by Kevin Doherty, then head coach at St. Francis University. Now an assistant at UConn, Doherty brought Osunde to Edsall's attention.