UConn football coach Randy Edsall isn’t waiting until the end of the season to retire. He’ll step down immediately.
On Monday, the school announced the change of plans, saying that Edsall and director of athletics David Benedict had come to a “mutual decision that is in the best interest of the UConn football program for Edsall to step aside immediately.”
The announcement comes after Sunday’s statement that Edsall, 63, would retire at the conclusion of the season.
Defensive coordinator Lou Spanos will serve as interim head coach for the remainder of the season.
“Upon further reflection by both Randy and I, and after having the opportunity to visit with Randy today, we are both in agreement that it is in the best interest of our student-athletes to have a new voice leading UConn football,” Benedict said in a statement.
Monday marks the end of Edsall’s second stint leading UConn — just two games into his fourth season during which time the Huskies went 6-32.
The Huskies, who did not play last season due to COVID-19, are 0-2 this season with losses to Fresno State and Holy Cross, an FCS program.
It wasn’t the only change by the Huskies. Steven Krajewski will replace Jack Zergiotis as the starting quarterback for Saturday’s game against Purdue, according to the team’s depth chart.
Krajewski, a redshirt sophomore, took over for Zergiotis in the fourth quarter of the season-opening loss to Fresno State. Zergiotis, a sophomore, was 29 of 65 for 235 yards with 3 touchdowns and 3 interceptions in the Huskies’ two losses to Fresno State and Holy Cross.
Krajewski played in four games in 2019, throwing for 292 yards, 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions.
Edsall was once the proud face of UConn football, having led the program from Division I-AA to the FBS.
The Huskies found their footing as an Independent program before joining the Big East in 2004, and Edsall led them to two conference championships and an appearance in the 2010 Fiesta Bowl.
Edsall left for Maryland, where he went 22-34 before he was fired midway through his fifth season.
After spending a year as a consultant with the Detroit Lions, Edsall returned to UConn in 2017.