ESPN College Football

Our series on coaches we love to hate is coming to a close. Go ahead, shed that tear.

Earlier this week, I asked you to vote for the biggest Big East villain in recent history. All week, it was a dead heat between vagabond Todd Graham and traitor Rich Rodriguez, ahead of Bobby Petrino, Brian Kelly and Randy Edsall.

The winner, as of 8 a.m. this morning: Rodriguez -- but he was just barely ahead of Graham. With 3,206 votes in, Rodriguez got 29 percent of the vote; Graham got 28 percent. Petrino was next, followed by Kelly and Edsall.

Here is a little of what you had to say, with a few entries for coaches not included in the poll.

John Ready in Youngstown, Ohio, writes: I think you should add Steve Kragthorpe to the list. He absolutely ruined the Cards. I am a die hard Louisville fan, but found it hard to watch the Cards during the Krag-era. He may not be a villain, but he has been quite vilified for his job (not) done during his tenure.

Mark in Marlboro, N.J., writes: With regards to the poll about the biggest villains, they all have their faults. Graham was a horrible coach, Edsall didn't take a much better job, Rich Rod went for the money and Petrino is a bad guy, even before his latest episode. As the father of a Cincy grad, I don't get on Kelly as much as their fan base. He made the program relevant taking them to two straight BCS Bowl games. My son went to school thinking the hoop squad would be playing in the Final Four. With a name like Kelly, you can't deny the man the opportunity to coach at Notre Dame

Jordan in Lakeland, Fla., writes: He may not be the winner, but I am not sure how you could not include Jim Leavitt in your list of villians.

White Dog777 writes: All the other coaches seem to have made upward mobile decisions but Randy Edsall leaving UCONN for his dream job at Maryland? Plus the way he left the team and not flying back from the Fiesta bowl with them was in my mind bush league. I really hope UCONN kicks the snot out of them in Maryland on Sept. 15th.

Bradenton Bull writes: IMO it's Brian Kelly for leaving UC high an dry right before playing UF in the BCS Bowl. UC ended up getting killed, which obviously greatly contributed to the negative perception of the Big East.. That blow out was killer to the conference. Not saying they would've beat UF, but I don't think they'd have gotten worked over like that.

Calmteer writes: Todd Graham and Petrino should be running away with this vote. The other three all put in their time and left their schools much better than they found them and all brought their schools multiple Big East championships and BCS games.

Eric 72785 writes: They did not point out that RichRod left the day after losing a game against a TERRIBLE team... that had we won, would have placed WVU in the NC. He literally (threw) away a number 2 ranking, with zero shot at not being in the big show ... *uck RichRod.

IAM4WVU87 writes: Funny Rodriguez and Graham receiving an almost equal number of votes, and now that are coaching in the same conference. Those poor $@%!$@%! have no idea what they're in for.

Dear Tom O'Brien,

Run. Duck. Hide. Do whatever you have to do, but don't -- I repeat don't -- go to Chapel Hill alone.

You, TOB, have earned the crown of most hated coach in the ACC.

Poor fella.

Earlier this week, in keeping with ESPN.com's theme of "coaches we love to hate," I sought your opinion on who the most hated coach is in the ACC. North Carolina fans did not disappoint. O'Brien wasn't the only coach ACC fans are hatin' on these days, though. Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson got a lot of votes, along with Clemson coach Dabo Swinney, Maryland coach Randy Edsall and Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer.

Based on the mailbag responses, O'Brien wins, but let's put it to a vote for an official tally:

Tom O'Brien
Paul Johnson
Dabo Swinney
Randy Edsall
Frank Beamer

Here's a sampling of your hate mail. Thanks for playin':

John Witt in Richmond, VA writes: Most Hated Coach Butch Davis (even though he is gone). He was a lying, cheating, scumbag, snakeoil salesman. He recruited well because some could not see through the facade. They know now and some are stuck at UNC playing for nothing because of it.

stephanie in NC writes: Butch Davis - I'm a Tarheel grad and actually have pride in my university. That should say it all.

Russell in Asheville, NC writes: UNC fans hate Tom O'brien for owning them 5 years in a row.UNC fans hate Everette Withers for forever renaming their University "THE flagship".

Trenton Tovar in Nashville, TN writes: You'll probably get this one a lot. UNC fans hate Tom O'Brien. Pretty obvious why.

Matt Ethridge in Florence, SC writes: My most hated coach has to be Tom O'Brian at NC State. He continually recruits sub par athletes and has beaten my Tar Heels 5 times in a row. Hopefully Fedora will change this in a BIG way this year!

Zach in Arlington, VA writes: Poor old Tom O'Brien has to be one of the most hated on coaches in the ACC. He was key in BC's run towards excellence earlier in the decade and he's always making noise in November at NCSU, but year in year out everyone seems to question whether he's any good or not, or if he's on the hot seat. He's maybe a bit boring, but why does everyone keep talking smack about him, he's one of the better coaches in the ACC!

James in NY, NY writes: I hate Paul Johnson for bringing the triple option to GT and confounding Clemson's defense ever since...

Lamar G. in Athens, GA writes: Virginia Tech fans (and, for the record, Georgia fans) hate Paul Johnson. Why? We hate watching an offense that lends itself better to the black-and-white-TV era.

Jeff in California writes: Heather, Welcome Back! with regard to the most hated ACC Coach.This one is simple, Paul Johnson.Watching his offense slowly and methodically march up and down on your defense, especially late in a close game, is a nightmare and an anxiety ridden experience most fans in the ACC have experienced more than once.The guy is one of the best minds and the game, and is successful with an offense nobody thought, nor wanted to work at this level.During his short stint in the ACC, he has played spoiler enough times, to enough teams, to draw the sort of hatred that any successful coach will have to endure. Losing to Johnson is like watching a troupe of army ant march slowly march away with your picnic basket, and you are powerless to stop them.

Randy in State College, PA writes: All of them. The rationale being that none of them can consistently win out-of-conference, and thus they have all damaged the ACC brand. More specifically, I'll levy blame towards Frank Beamer for winning so many games in the ACC and losing so many big games OOC... -- A Tech Fan.

Walt in Columbia, MD writes: Edsal at Maryland should get some "thoughtful consideration" as the most hated coach in the ACC. How can you go 2-10 when Ralph Friedgen left a stable of studs who should have put in a 10-2 season? Instead, Edsal ran off some of the best players ever to play at Maryland, and then blamed the former coach, the current players, and the assistant coached (whom he selected) for all of his woes? He also blamed the fans for not showing up to watch his pathetic performance in coaching. He could easily go another 2-10 this year.

Mark in Gaithersburg, Maryland writes: As a Terp fan I used to hate Bobby Bowden and how FSU would always destroy us, but now as a Terp fan, I hate Randy Edsall, he's done more to hurt this team than any other coach in the ACC. We wouldn't have lost all 10 of those games last year if it wasn't for Edsall, he was our worst opponent.

Time for a little game. Think of the most vilified college football coaches today.

Your list probably looks something like this:

Bobby Petrino.
Rich Rodriguez.
Todd Graham.
Randy Edsall.

You know what they all have in common. They all were Big East coaches at one point in time. Really great Big East coaches, to boot. But alas, great coaches never stick around for long in this league, a common lament among Big East fans. Perhaps the bigger question is -- what has made the Big East a breeding ground for villainous coaches?

Consider the recent history.

Exhibit A. Petrino got his first head coaching job at Louisville, and did one heck of a job, going 41-9 in four seasons. But the Cardinals were never just right, were they? I mean, how could they be when you 1) Try to negotiate a deal to become head coach at Auburn behind your boss' back. 2) Interview at Florida, Mississippi AND LSU the following year, while pledging love and loyalty to Louisville in between. 3) Forget loyalty and interview with the Oakland Raiders after Year 3 in Louisville. 4) Finally end the misery and leave for the Atlanta Falcons after a 12-1 season and an Orange Bowl berth.

That Atlanta dream job was not quite right either, so he left with good-bye statements taped to his players' lockers before the season even ended and headed for Arkansas. You all know how well his stint ended there.

Maybe all these aforementioned Big East coaches just hate good-byes.

Edsall left for Maryland after UConn lost the Fiesta Bowl to Oklahoma in January 2011 and never told his players word one about his plans. In fact, he did not even take the team charter home with the team. What may even be worse than that -- he made Jordan Todman get up in front of the team to explain why he was leaving early for the NFL draft. Edsall just finished a 2-10 season at Maryland in which he took a beating and lost 24 transfers. He is working hard to right the ship -- but you can bet some folks in Storrs are thinking, "Karma!"

Meanwhile at Pitt, Graham also had a tough time with good-byes at the end of last season. He told his players he was leaving via text message and hightailed it for Arizona State after a 6-6 season in which he had his players buying into an "high-octane" and "high-energy" offense. This, of course, came after he pretty much begged for the Pitt job after the Mike Haywood fiasco. But his shenanigans started at Rice, where he also had a one-year stint before leaving for Tulsa. ESPN.com columnist Mark Schlabach dubbed Graham the new president of the Liar's Club after his Pitt exit.

Rich Rod? Well, he is persona non grata in two states, West Virginia and Michigan. Who can forget the drama after he left the Mountaineers for the Wolverines in 2007, a few short months after signing a new contract and pledging his commitment to his school? West Virginia sued Rodriguez in the wake of his departure, and Michigan turned out to be an absolute disaster. It sure ain't easy being hated in as many spots as these guys.

There are others who left in less-than-ideal ways. How about Brian Kelly at Cincinnati, waiting until the end of his team banquet to announce his departure for Notre Dame? This was hours AFTER players began hearing news reports that they had lost their coach. Most recently, Rutgers coach Greg Schiano left for Tampa Bay less than a week before signing day, not even telling his loyal assistants, who were out on the road recruiting without any idea about what was happening.

His departure was tame compared to the rest. As for the others, I think they would make an excellent subject for a new television series.

"College Football Coaches Behaving Badly."

Now that spring practices are over, it’s time to re-evaluate the ACC pecking order for 2012. There wasn’t much change at the top from the pre-spring power rankings, but Georgia Tech did get a slight bump, along with two teams on Tobacco Road. Here’s a look at the latest ACC power rankings:

1. Florida State: The Noles’ defensive line should be one of the deepest and best in the conference, if not the country, and they’ve got an outstanding quarterback in EJ Manuel. If the young offensive line can mature quickly and the running game improves from 2011, there’s no reason the Seminoles shouldn’t be contending for the ACC title.

2. Clemson: The Tigers could open the season without star receiver Sammy Watkins, who is awaiting his punishment after he was arrested on misdemeanor drug charges, but as long as he’s in the lineup and the offensive line is playing well, Clemson has enough talent to defend its 2011 ACC title.

3. Virginia Tech: It’s hard to forget how the Hokies fared against Clemson in two meetings last season, but they enter this season with the better defense. The question is how quickly the revamped offensive line can come together, and who will emerge as the next star running back.

4. NC State: This team is quietly preparing a championship-caliber roster. Quarterback Mike Glennon is still under the radar, and he’s got an experienced offensive line to work with. This is a team that could surprise some people.

5. Georgia Tech: The Jackets had a promising spring, but the defensive line has to replace two of three starters, and last season’s atrocious special teams still have a lot to prove. One thing is for sure: These guys will be able to run the ball on just about anyone.

6. Wake Forest: Much like the rest of its division, Wake Forest’s success will hinge in part on how quickly the new starters on the offensive line come together. The Demon Deacons have an experienced and much-improved quarterback in Tanner Price, and last year they made a statement that they’re not to be overlooked in the ACC race.

7. North Carolina: The two biggest questions for the Tar Heels are how quickly they can adapt to and execute a new system under first-year coach Larry Fedora, and where they will find their motivation now that the NCAA has banned them from the postseason. This spring revealed a positive outlook for the new offense, which should give quarterback Bryn Renner a chance to shine.

8. Virginia: The ACC’s 2011 Coach of the Year has quickly raised expectations, but they should be tempered because seven starters have to be replaced on defense. Michael Rocco is the undisputed starting quarterback -- unless Alabama transfer Phillip Sims has something to say about it.

9. Miami: With Stephen Morris out this spring with a back injury, quarterback transfer Ryan Williams had a chance to impress the coaches. The position is one of many questions still looming for the Canes, a young team still waiting for closure from an NCAA investigation.

10. Maryland: The Terps had a good spring and were able to move forward with players who wanted to be there. It was a positive vibe, but coach Randy Edsall is still tangled in the shadow of last year’s two-win season. He’ll have to improve upon it without the services of former quarterback Danny O’Brien.

11. Boston College: Several offseason staff changes were embraced this spring, and quarterback Chase Rettig made strides under yet another offensive coordinator, Doug Martin. The Eagles have to find a way to win without two of their most valuable players in running back Montel Harris, who was dismissed from the team, and linebacker Luke Kuechly, who left early for the NFL.

12. Duke: The Blue Devils had a good spring and are still buying into the philosophies of coach David Cutcliffe. They’ve been on the verge of making the postseason before, but fans are looking for them to finally break through in Year 5 under Cutcliffe. Quarterback Sean Renfree can get them there if they minimize the turnovers and play better defense.

1. College football administrators worry that if they adopt a four-team postseason playoff, fans may have trouble coming up with the time and money to travel to a conference championship game, a bowl semifinal and a championship game. Washington athletic director Scott Woodward is not among the concerned. “Man, I’d love to be in that situation, to travel three times,” Woodward said. “At the end of the day, (only) two teams have to do it. It’s a hell of a problem to have. I’d love to have it.”

2. Maryland coach Randy Edsall, like most coaches, is not happy that recruiting now begins with sophomores. To solve that, Edsall suggested that a scholarship offer may be made only by the university financial aid office. That means a prospect will have to have filled out an application. In other words, he would be a senior. “It’s got to slow down,” Edsall said. “There’s too much pressure. Now the parents get involved and they want to be more recruited than the kid. Are we really helping these guys when they are 15 or 16?”

3. Another year, another UCLA quarterback competition that no one wants to win. As Pac-12 blogger Kevin Gemmell wrote Wednesday, veterans Kevin Prince and Richard Brehaut are being pushed by redshirt freshman Brett Hundley. Bruin fans are used to lacking a standout. No UCLA quarterback has thrown for 2,500 yards since Drew Olson did so in 2005. That’s a passing total surpassed by 58 FBS quarterbacks last season alone.

On the day the 24th player to leave Maryland under Randy Edsall found a new destination, a 25th player is now on his way out the door.

Defensive back Avery Graham quit the Terrapins, the schools announced Wednesday. Edsall said Graham will be given his unconditional release should he decide to transfer.

"I'm disappointed that Avery has decided to leave us, but he didn't feel he was going to be a starter in the fall," Edsall said in a statement. "Avery was a hard worker during his time here and we wish him well."

A redshirt junior, Graham entered the spring as a reserve cornerback. He has 17 tackles in 13 career games, playing corner, linebacker and special teams. Graham's 2011 season came to an end after suffering a knee injury Oct. 15 against Clemson, and a groin injury in 2010 limited him to just seven games during that campaign.

Earlier Wednesday, Danny O'Brien — until today, the most recent player to exit Maryland — transferred to Wisconsin.

Graham is the 25th player with eligibility remaining to leave Maryland since Edsall was hired last Jan. 24, and he is the 13th player to leave following this past season.

The Danny O'Brien saga ended Wednesday, 44 days after Maryland announced the quarterback would leave the Terrapins.

And for ACC fans, the landing spot may look a bit familiar.

O'Brien will join coach Bret Bielema at Wisconsin, marking the second straight year the Badgers notched a signal-caller from an ACC school through the graduate student exception rule. Former NC State quarterback Russell Wilson had great success in taking advantage of the rule last season, leading Wisconsin to a Big Ten title and the program's second straight appearance in the Rose Bowl.

The circumstances surrounding each transfer were different, but Wisconsin could reap more benefits in the short-term from O'Brien than it did from Wilson, as O'Brien is set to graduate this spring and will have two years of eligibility upon immediate arrival in Madison, Wis.

Yes, there are certain stereotypes that may plague a program that repeatedly uses the rule to bring in someone at the game's most important position year after year, and Wisconsin will have to overcome that through recruiting in the years to follow. But that shouldn't diminish the importance of the rule, as it is one of the few that truly rewards the student-athlete for taking care of business in the "student" part of that label.

O'Brien did just that, and it was clear that his marriage with Terps coach Randy Edsall was not going to last. So, despite earlier well-documented obstacles after the decision to transfer, O'Brien found a new home, an opportunity that was well-deserved. Now, both he and his former school can officially move on from this complicated chapter.

Vanderbilt athletic officials have completed their investigation dealing with allegations of tampering by the Commodores' coaching staff regarding the possible transfer of Maryland quarterback Danny O'Brien and have sent the report to the SEC.

The backstory:

O'Brien was one of three Maryland players who all expressed a desire to transfer from the program earlier this year. Vanderbilt coach James Franklin coached O'Brien during his freshman season as Maryland's offensive coordinator (O'Brien was named the ACC freshman of the year), so the feeling was that Vanderbilt would be one of the top choices for the quarterback. However, O'Brien and his teammates weren't originally granted a release to Vanderbilt -- or any of the other ACC schools.

O'Brien was eventually granted a full release by Maryland coach Randy Edsall, but just when people thought O'Brien and Franklin would reunite, Maryland filed a complaint against Vanderbilt alleging that improper contact occurred between the school and the quarterback.

Vanderbilt officials are unable to elaborate or release the conclusion of the report until the SEC reviews it, but vice chancellor David Williams did release a statement through the school on the situation Wednesday:

We did a thorough review. We looked closely at months of phone and email records, and Twitter accounts. We interviewed all of our coaches with University of Maryland backgrounds and we also interviewed the student-athlete.

Our reputation is our primary concern. We have a long and proud history of playing by the letter and the spirit of the rules. Coach Franklin feels the same way. He and his staff were most cooperative.

Williams said the study was done internally because if the matter was indeed a violation it would -- at most -- be a secondary one.

O'Brien will graduate from Maryland this spring, meaning he'd be able to play immediately this fall and would have two years of eligibility remaining. O'Brien has shown interest in other schools, but he hasn't committed anywhere, meaning Vanderbilt still has a chance. The longer this drags on, the worse it is for Vandy's staff, but his decision to take his time with this certainly helps the Commodores' chances.

One way or the other, a decision from the SEC will speed up the process.

1. The 14 months that Randy Edsall has spent at Maryland makes Rich Rodriguez’s three years at Michigan look like a storybook career. To recap, Edsall took over a 9-4 team and went 2-10. And when quarterback Danny O'Brien decided he wanted to transfer, Edsall managed to take a stand that made himself look not only mean but anti-education. Rodriguez, as John U. Bacon depicted so well in his book "Three and Out," dug himself into a hole and couldn’t climb out in time. Edsall needs to stop digging.

2. Maybe Miami has so much agony from its NCAA troubles that it won't notice. The ACC schedule released Monday has the Hurricanes on the road to Boston College, Kansas State, Georgia Tech and Notre Dame (at Soldier Field in Chicago) in the first six weeks. As for the league schedule overall, the website trumpets that ACC teams play 10 games against teams in the ESPN.com Way Too Early Top 25. The website doesn’t mention the 14 games against FCS opponents.

3. For 14 years, the powers that be in college football have been telling us that the BCS is the best way to decide a champion. They have dismissed any talk of a playoff. And in the matter of weeks, one after another, the most ardent playoff foes all have executed a complete reversal. Just like that, they are now searching for the best way to install a four-team playoff. What none of them have said is why they changed their minds. Is it falling ratings? Empty bowl seats? Fan unhappiness? Fatigue from defending the BCS?

Maryland coach Randy Edsall made the right call Wednesday when he finally changed his mind and decided to grant quarterback Danny O'Brien and two other players their full releases from the program with no transfer restrictions.

Edsall took loads of criticism for his decision to not allow three Maryland players the opportunity to transfer to Vanderbilt -- a school that isn't scheduled to play Maryland in the near future and rarely ever competes with the Terps in recruiting.

Maybe all that negativity thrown toward him and the program helped him come to his senses.

Here's what Edsall said in a prepared statement:

"While at first I thought it was important to limit the institutions to which they could transfer, I have since reconsidered my decision. At the end of the day, I want what's best for these guys and I wish them well in their futures."

O'Brien also released a statement on the situation:

"I am pleased to be able to move on and pursue a graduate degree and continue my athletic career at the school of my choosing. "I would like to thank Coach Edsall for his support throughout this process."

Now, it appears O'Brien can take his talents to Vanderbilt and reunite with coach James Franklin, who was the offensive coordinator at Maryland during O'Brien's successful freshman season in 2010.

Well, once the rules are made clear ...

Tuesday, two sources close to the situation told ESPN.com's Heather Dinich that Maryland filed a complaint against Vanderbilt alleging that improper contact occurred between the school and O'Brien.

Vanderbilt vice chancellor David Williams released a statement Wednesday afternoon acknowledging the ACC's complaint against Vandy's football program:

“We have been informed by the Southeastern Conference that the Atlantic Coast Conference has filed a formal complaint involving Vanderbilt University football on behalf of one of its members. We are complying with SEC and Vanderbilt procedures and are conducting an investigation on the matter.”

Until things get cleared up, O'Brien and Vanderbilt will have to wait before taking the next step, if both sides choose to.

It’s time to back off. Lay off. Leave the man breathe for a moment.

Maryland coach Randy Edsall has made his share of mistakes, but this wasn’t one of them. On Wednesday morning, Edsall made things right.

Edsall’s decision to release former quarterback Danny O'Brien and two other players from the program without transfer restrictions shows Edsall does have the ability to concede he was wrong and put the program ahead of himself.

“While at first I thought it was important to limit the institutions to which they could transfer, I have since reconsidered my decision,” Edsall said in a prepared statement. “At the end of the day, I want what’s best for these guys and I wish them well in their futures.”

Was Edsall feeling the heat from all of the recent negative publicity? Probably. Pressured by his bosses to make the public relations nightmare go away? Maybe.

Here’s the thing, though: It doesn’t matter what prompted Edsall to change his mind, or why he did it because he’s not the story here. The players are. And not just O’Brien, Max Garcia and linebacker Mario Rowson -- or any of the other 21 players who have decided to leave the program -- but the ones who are currently on the team.

In order for Maryland to move on, those transfers have to move on, and it’s common sense to say they should be allowed to do that at whichever school they choose.

Edsall deserves credit for recognizing that and allowing it, even if it wasn’t his first choice.

Maryland coach Randy Edsall has changed his mind and is granting former quarterback Danny O'Brien and two other former players a full release from the program without transfer restrictions. Former offensive lineman Max Garcia and linebacker Mario Rowson were also released.

“While at first I thought it was important to limit the institutions to which they could transfer, I have since reconsidered my decision,” Edsall said in a prepared statement. “At the end of the day, I want what’s best for these guys and I wish them well in their futures."

“I am pleased to be able to move on and pursue a graduate degree and continue my athletic career at the school of my choosing.” O’Brien said in the release. “I would like to thank Coach Edsall for his support throughout this process.”

I'll have more on this in a bit.

There was never anything official about the possibility of Vanderbilt coach James Franklin and former Maryland quarterback Danny O'Brien reuniting. But from the moment the school announced that O'Brien was leaving, the speculation began.

It made sense. While Franklin was Maryland's offensive coordinator back in 2010, O'Brien, who will graduate this spring and has two years of eligibility remaining, was named the ACC's rookie of the year after passing for 2,438 yards and 22 touchdowns. O'Brien is even quoted in Vandy's media guide as saying that “Coach [Franklin] was a big factor in my decision (to attend Maryland). We have a similar passion for the game, and I thought he was the coach to mold me into the player I thought I could be.”

Needless to say, the two got along and worked well together. With O'Brien a free agent and Vanderbilt's starting quarterback spot not exactly locked up, why wouldn't Franklin make a run at his old quarterback?

However, that might not be possible if Maryland coach Randy Edsall has his way. The Washington Post reported earlier this week that Edsall won't grant O'Brien permission to transfer to Vanderbilt. Under the stipulation, O'Brien can still attend Vanderbilt, but not with a football scholarship.

Usually, coaches don't allow players to transfer to schools that are in the same conference, are rivals or are future opponents. That's totally understandable, but Vanderbilt doesn't fit any of those descriptions. There's a chance these two could play in a bowl game. I'm sure that at some point in the history of college football a player who has transferred elsewhere has faced his former team in the postseason.

The fact that Edsall won't allow grant O'Brien permission to transfer to a school that isn't likely to have any sort of negative affect on Maryland is baffling.

Edsall also forbid two other players who requested to transfer from heading to the same 16 schools (mostly ACC schools and future nonconference opponents) as O'Brien, including Vandy. When pressed about the issue, Edsall told Comcast SportsNet’s Chick Hernandez that all of the players were treated the same, but he never specifically said why Vanderbilt was off limits:

“We had stipulations in there, the same schools for all three of them,” Edsall said. “And so neither of the three were treated any differently than the other guys. And again, I’m not gonna get into the names or anything like that [of] the schools that we put on there, because as we talked to the players, it was a situation where we said that we would keep that amongst ourselves.

“But usually what’ll end up happening is there’s gonna be schools on there that you might compete against, or if there’s things that you feel might have taken place, you might put schools on that list. So we have that prerogative, to put those schools on the list. The players have the prerogative that if they want to appeal that, that they can appeal that as well.”

The problem is that there really isn't much of a reason to put Vanderbilt on this list. He bolted from UConn to Maryland because it was his "dream job" but these players can't head to Vanderbilt to finish out their football careers?

It's all very silly, really, as odds are that Edsall won't have to see either O'Brien or any form of the Commodores anytime soon. Vanderbilt certainly won't stop Maryland from competing for an ACC title.

So what gives? One theory is that maybe some premature contact occurred between Vanderbilt and the Maryland players, so that could very well be a turnoff. Maybe the fact that Franklin coached at Maryland and now has Vanderbilt trending up, while Edsall is coming off a 2-10 first year at Maryland has something to do with it.

Who knows?

Regardless, this isn't the best situation for Edsall. Our own ACC blogger, Heather Dinich, already wrote that Edsall handled the O'Brien situation poorly from the start, and it doesn't look like he's handling the finish well, either.

You wouldn’t believe this, but Hallmark was all out of Valentine’s Day cards for ACC coaches. So, I took it upon myself to lighten the mood here in the blogosphere with a little bit o’ love and these personal touch cards.

Dear …

FRANK BEAMER:

The loss to Michigan wasn’t so bad, it’s the 1-5 BCS bowl record that has your fans sad. The 2012 recruiting class should help ease the pain, just try not to lose to Clemson again.

DAVID CUTCLIFFE:

You’ve given it all, your heart and your soul, yet after four seasons we’ve still seen no bowl. This recruiting class is highlighted by athleticism and speed, which is good news for you -- it’s a running game you need.

RANDY EDSALL:

Danny O’Brien has broken your heart, but Stefon Diggs couldn’t bear to part. You win some, you lose some, that’s what they say, but you gotta spread the love if you want players to stay.

LARRY FEDORA:

Welcome to the ACC, where we do things right. That means keep all agents and runners out of our sight. There’s plenty of talent to start with a clean slate, the big question is, can you beat NC State?

JIMBO FISHER:

It’s you and your staff the elite recruits adore, but the rest of the world is still waiting for more. Another national title for that trophy case is the only thing your fans will truly embrace.

AL GOLDEN:

Nevin Shapiro has a whole lot to say, but just don’t you worry ‘bout that NCAA. The worst is behind us, you’ve said before, it’s the fans’ expectations that should concern you more.

JIM GROBE:

An impressive turnaround in 2011 was nice, but to do it again you must protect Tanner Price. Thirty-five sacks has got to hurt, and now four new starters must keep him outta the dirt.

PAUL JOHNSON:

Who needs a playbook? Not CPJ. The master of the option offense can throw his away. It’s defense and special teams that needs some work, and throwing more efficiently certainly couldn’t hurt.

MIKE LONDON:

Coach of the Year and first bowl since ’07? After only two seasons Virginia fans were in heaven. You’ve set the bar high, but there’s one question to me: Can you beat the Hokies, or is it strike three?

TOM O’BRIEN:

Broken bones have held your team back, so keep ‘em healthy and look out for the Pack. FSU and Clemson are getting all of the hype, but when it comes to quarterbacks, Mike Glennon’s just your type.

FRANK SPAZIANI:

They say your seat is hot, and I couldn’t agree more; in 2012 you must win more than four. The offense has been at the heart of your woes, but a new OC could help cure some of those.

DABO SWINNEY:

An ACC title, a top-10 recruiting class and more. There’s only one problem … West Virginia just scored. A new DC just might do the trick, but if you don’t beat South Carolina, Clemson fans will be sick.

Since Randy Edsall was hired at Maryland last January, 24 players with eligibility remaining have left the program.

Since the 2011 season ended, a total of a dozen players with eligibility remaining have bolted, including a combined 48 starts and both starting offensive tackles.

This one tops ‘em all.

Quarterback Danny O'Brien's decision to leave the program, which was announced by the school on Monday morning, doesn’t just leave the Terps in a bind at the position (C.J. Brown is now the only quarterback on the roster with any experience), it is a reflection on how poorly the situation was handled by Edsall from start to finish. O’Brien’s decision should come as no surprise to Maryland fans who have followed this saga since last season.

It began with last season’s quarterback controversy, when O’Brien was benched at Georgia Tech in favor of Brown. The move showed a lack of confidence and faith in O’Brien and it carried on throughout the rest of the season, leaving Maryland’s offense without an identity and its 2010 starting quarterback without any direction.

It continued with Edsall’s infamous quote about not “minimizing expectations” enough for O’Brien. According to Patrick Stevens of the Washington Times, Edsall said in November, "Again, I think sometimes that expectations on young people can make it tough as well. Maybe I didn't do a good enough job of minimizing expectations for him.” O’Brien responded by saying that nobody holds higher expectations for him than he does.

And now, as the two of them finally parted ways, Edsall let it be known he wasn't happy with O'Brien's decision.

“I’m disappointed by Danny’s decision,” Edsall said. “Danny told me that he’s not committed to our program, that he’s not ‘all in.’ I want what’s best for all of our players.”

There's a reason, though, that not all of them are there anymore.