Edsall ‘Not Interested’ in Syracuse Job?

UConn coach Randy Edsall is a Syracuse alum. He understands Big East football. He can recruit in the Northeast talent hotspots of New Jersey and New York. And most importantly, he’s proven in his time at UConn that he knows how to build a winner.

So it’s easy to see why Syracuse fans—and, according to various reports, Syracuse officials—see Edsall as an obvious choice to take over their soon-to-be vacant head coaching job. It’s a job that became available on Sunday, when Syracuse officials announced that Greg Robinson, who has compiled a miserable 9-36 record in four seasons with the Orange, would not return as the team’s coach in 2009.

As for Edsall?

Well, he told The (New London) Day on Monday that he is “not interested” in being a candidate.

Which I find difficult to believe.

As good as UConn has become under Edsall—and it’s no stretch to say the program is now one of the Big East’s best—even he must realize that the Huskies are never going to be a national powerhouse. And while Syracuse is certainly terrible now, the fact is, this is a program with a long, proud history. Syracuse has the name and the resources to win again. Especially in the Big East, a league Edsall obviously knows pretty well.

Now, I understand why Edsall said what he said. Out of loyalty to his current players, he almost had no choice. But if I was a Syracuse fan, I wouldn’t be too worried.

Edsall is a Syracuse guy. The Orange are going to throw a lot of money at him.

And when they do, my guess is that he certainly will be “interested.”

Photo: UConn coach Randy Edsall is believed to be the leading candidate to take over at Syracuse in 2009.