Is Mark Whipple UConn's top dog?
Photo Courtesy Miami Herald
The Associated Press reports that the University of Connecticut has selected former Miami offensive coordinator Mark Whipple as the next UConn head football coach. Whipple, 53, will replace longtime coach and UConn program–builder Randy Edsall as the Huskies’ head coach according to the source.
Whipple has a reputable history of coaching in the New England area with collegiate head coaching experience at UMass, where he won a Division 1-AA National Championship in 1998, New Haven and Brown. Following those stints, Whipple was a successful assistant in the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles and the Pittsburgh Steelers before Randy Shannon secured his services at Miami.
If the report holds true, UConn appears to have jumped on the offensive bandwagon as recent coaching hires at Big East brethren West Virginia and Pittsburgh were highlighted by blooming offensive minds. With former Michigan and West Virginia offensive coordinator Calvin Magee accepting the same position at Pittsburgh and offensive guru Dana Holgorsen directing West Virginia’s offense, UConn’s AD Jeff Hathaway clearly needed a break from Edsall’s conservative approach to scoring points.
While Miami didn’t always win under Shannon, Whipple’s offenses added flare and firepower that the Hurricanes had been lacking for nearly a decade. In his first season at Miami, Whipple oversaw an offense that produced nearly 5,200 yards of total offense and directed both the Hurricanes’ rushing and passing offenses to Top 50 finishes this past season.
News concerning an official announcement from the UConn athletic department could come in the next few days and TheBigBeast Blog will have instant analysis and coverage of this potential coaching move.
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