COMMENTARY: Landing Todd Orlando would be a huge hire

By: Joel Delgado / Sports Director

The ability to build a solid defense is an art.

It usually requires a lot of effort, a lot of time and a lot of confidence in the players implementing the schemes in order for it to make its mark.

Former defensive coordinator Geoff Collins did wonders, elevating the team’s play with his energetic coaching style and newly minted schemes. He was effective mainly thanks to his ability to have his players buy into the system he was attempting to implement.

When he announced that he would be exiting the premises after one season it left a gaping hole, a very large one, in the Golden Panther coaching staff.

But after a couple weeks of searching and interviewing, all the signs are pointing to the imminent hiring of UCONN defensive coordinator Todd Orlando as the successor to Collins.

IMMEDIATE IMPACT

The hiring of Orlando will help prevent the Golden Panthers from losing a step or two from their recent transformation into one of the conference’s top defenses. It is nothing short of a coup: attracting a seasoned coordinator with prominent BCS credentials to a Sun Belt school is no small feat.

Orlando will have to do the same thing now and keep the players believing in whatever it is they are trying to do. He did it at UCONN and the hope is he will be able to replicate that success on Stadium Drive this upcoming fall.

It is clear that the program is beginning to draw the kind of appeal that just a few short years ago was seen as a distant dream. Drawing in a coordinator coming from a successful BCS program is a huge catch for a team that is steadily rising.

And having a coach at the helm who is accustomed to going up against top opponents on a consistent basis will help this team in non-conference games in the future, especially with games against ACC and Big East opponents lined up for the upcoming season.

Having Orlando’s expertise will be invaluable for preparation, in-game adjustments and overall insight for those under his lead. It’s something that the Golden Panthers have never had in their short existence at the FBS level.

MOVING FORWARD

Collins helped kick start what had been an underperforming defensive unit and left a solid foundation for Orlando to build on from this point forward.

It will be interesting to see how Orlando will be able to affect recruiting and bring the kind of talent that he was able to attract to the snowy world that is the state of Connecticut. With the sun and fun of Miami as a new recruiting tool, the hope is that it won’t be much of a problem luring top talent to Calle Ocho.

He has been a staple of UCONN’s coaching staff for over a decade and when he took over the playcalling duties in 2006, the results were swift and a profound success. In 2010, the Huskies were in their first ever BCS bowl, earning a date with the Oklahoma Sooners in the Fiesta Bowl.

He was there when UCONN moved up to Division-1 status. He was there when they went to their first bowl game. He was there through their struggles and trials and was there up until their rise to football prominence.

In that regard, he has the knowledge and experience that will help in the process to fulfill the aspirations that the Golden Panthers have had for quite some time: becoming a Top 25 team.

It is similar to the kind of experience that Cristobal brought to FIU from Rutgers, coming with a blueprint of success that can be copied in this environment.

Now in a much warmer climate with a fertile recruiting environment, Orlando will have an opportunity to perhaps build one of the strongest defenses in the non-BCS world.