Randy Edsall's enthusiasm over the prospect of becoming Maryland's football coach was a big reason he got hired for the job.
That, and his ability to win.
Edsall, who enjoyed unprecedented success during his 12 seasons at Connecticut, beat out former Texas Tech coach Mike Leach and several other applicants in a search that began immediately after Ralph Friedgen was fired on Dec. 20.
"What really brought things home is that Randy is not just another football coach," first-year athletic director Kevin Anderson said Monday. "There was no one - no one - who came forward and said, 'I want to be the head football coach at Maryland and that's my dream job' but Randy Edsall."
The first college football game Edsall saw in person was at Byrd Stadium in the 1970s. And now, he will walk the sideline as Maryland's coach.
Hired Sunday night, Edsall was formally introduced Monday at a crowded news conference in the football team house. After donning a red baseball cap emblazoned with the script letters "Terps," he spoke excitedly about the direction his life had taken during a very busy weekend.
"It's not every day that you can go do something that you like, 70 miles away from home, at an institution that I think has everything that you need to be successful," Edsall said. "For me, it was a dream come true."
Edsall, 52, took UConn from what was then called Division I-AA (now FCS) to the Division I level and won Big East titles in 2007 and this year.
Wannstedt won't coach Pitt in bowl: Dave Wannstedt, ousted as Pittsburgh's football coach last month, announced Monday he won't be on the sideline for the Compass Bowl against Kentucky on Saturday. Defensive coordinator Phil Bennett will be the interim coach.
Missouri's Gabbert to enter draft: Missouri junior quarterback Blaine Gabbert has elected to make himself available for the NFL draft.
Haywood enters not guilty plea: A magistrate in Indiana has entered a not guilty plea on a felony domestic violence charge for former Pittsburgh coach Mike Haywood.
Haywood walked out of the courtroom and didn't speak to reporters. Haywood replaced Dave Wannstedt on Dec. 16 and was fired on Saturday.
UConn women fall to No. 2: UConn's NCAA-record 90-game winning streak ended Thursday night with a loss to Stanford. Their nearly three-year hold on the top ranking ended Monday when they were overtaken by Baylor and dropped to No. 2 in the AP poll. Connecticut had had been the top team for a record 51 straight weeks, beginning Feb. 18, 2008.
Baylor is No. 1 for the first time. Duke, Stanford and Tennessee round out the first five.
ACC honors: Duke's Nolan Smith was selected the league men's player of the week, and Wake Forest's Travis McKie was selected the top rookie.
CIAA honors: Shaw earned three weekly honors from the league on Monday.
Senior guard Kyria Buford was selected women's player of the week after posting two double-doubles while the Bears went 1-1. Shaw junior guard Brittany Ransom was the women's top newcomer.
Shaw junior guard Tony Smith (15.0 ppg) was the men's newcomer of the week.
ODAC honor: Hampden-Sydney sophomore forward Harrison George, a former Leesville Road High star, was selected the league player of the week.
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