Football

Q&A: Former Syracuse running back Drummond talks about being mentored by Maryland head coach Edsall

Maryland head coach Randy Edsall was a quarterback at Syracuse from 1976-79 before starting an 11-year coaching career with the Orange. Robert Drummond was a running back for Syracuse from 1985-88, and Edsall was SU’s running backs coach for parts of Drummond’s four years.

Here’s what Drummond told The Daily Orange about Edsall as a coach with the Orange.

The Daily Orange: What comes to mind when you think of Randy Edsall at Syracuse?

Robert Drummond: The fact that he coached me when I was there at Syracuse. He basically was the type of coach, when I was a freshman, that got the most out of me by simply in practice, teaching me how to maximize my practice time. Taking every play and no matter where I was at, running it into the end zone, always maximizing that effort in practice so when game time came around, it was natural.

The D.O.: How well was Edsall able to not only cater to your skills as a running back, but also the other running backs with different styles?



R.D.: Being a freshman and not understanding what was going on and being involved in a starting job at a young age, it was a testament to him being able to get the best of my ability as a coach. We had four running backs, but him being able to go in there and get the best of my ability and allow me to be all set as a freshman says a lot to the kind of coach he was.

The D.O.: What about his coaching style has enabled him to move up the coaching ranks?

R.D.: The simple fact that he can get players and other coaches to buy in what he’s trying to sell. I’m a product of the Edsall tutelage at an early age so I understand what they believe in him and what he gets out of them in practice.

The D.O.: Do you have any specific memories of Edsall that stand out?

R.D.: It was a short-yardage play and I remember we were backed up in our end zone and we were just practicing. Probably on the 5-yard line, I remember getting a handoff and running about five or 10 yards downfield and just stopped to turn around and come back. And Coach Edsall said to me, “Robert, what are you doing?” I’m like, “What are you talking about?” He’s like, “Get in the end zone, suppose you break a long run.” I was like, “Seriously?” He’s like, “Yeah.” So I turned it on and sprinted into the end zone but then I had to sprint all the way back and get ready for the next play. I prepared myself for games like that, where I would always sprint into the end zone no matter where I was at. It got me in great shape and it taught me the aspect of getting the ball in the end zone and doing the things to prepare and get you ready to play football.





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