Just one year ago, it was all smiles for Maryland Terrapin fans and Danny O'Brien. He was coming off a great freshman season and us fans were looking at 3 more years of possibly our best QB since Scott McBrien.
Now he's gone.
And he is sprinting out the door.
And I don't blame him one bit.
While the future may be better for the football program after a shockingly successful recruiting class, it could not have been worse in the first year of the Randy Edsall era. Edsall may end up learning from his mistakes, but he will never be able to see if O'Brien could fulfill the potential he showed in his first season in College Park. The change in offense and the quick hook from the starting lineup damaged the relationship between the coach and QB and something behind the seasons likely destroyed it.
O'Brien struggled early in the season, but after the freshman season he had, he deserved to be given the benefit of the doubt, even with a new coaching regime. O'Brien was let down by his receivers on and off the field and that made it difficult for any offensive success.
So I wish DOB the best in the future. I personally will always be a fan and root him on no matter what school he plays for.
Edsall can spin it whatever way he wants by saying DOB wasn't "all in" and all that garbage. I don't blame him for not being "all in" after last year's misery. The program should do the right thing, wish him well and hope CJ Brown and the incoming QB's can lead the team to some wins. That's what the coaching staff should worry about.
You look at the ways to come in as a new coach and the ways not to. It's simple. Brady Hoke came into Michigan with a plan to embrace the current players, get them to think positive and give them a reason to play hard. That sure as hell worked. Edsall did the opposite by alienating the players, putting in stupid rules and looking ahead at the guys he wanted in the program rather than the guys he HAD in the program. Needless to say, this is a main reason why O'Brien and many other players left, I don't blame them and wish them all the best.
