Bruce Feldman Reports Danny O'Brien Likely to Appeal

CBSSportsline.com's Bruce Feldman is reporting that Danny O'Brien is likely to appeal Randy Edsall's decision to release the former ACC Rookie of the Year from his Maryland scholarship, so long as he did not go to Vanderbilt.

According to Feldman's post, the O'Brien's high school football coach is his source:

Todd Willert, who says he speaks to the QB almost every day, expects the family will make such an appeal in order to have the option to transfer to Vandy.

"I believe they will," said Willert. "This weekend, Danny and his family will sort through everything. They think (Vandy) should be an option but I don't know exactly what they'll decide. It should be an option for him. Just be fair to everybody. Danny has no ill will towards anybody."

At what point does the University of Maryland step up and decide their coach has dug in on the wrong issue? And, perhaps more importantly, at what point does Kevin Anderson get tired of his former quarterback looking more mature than his current head football coach?

As soon as O'Brien appeals, the NCAA will investigate the circumstances surrounding the restriction and Edsall will be forced to put up or shut up. The O'Briens wouldn't be appealing if somethig untoward happened, and the fact that Danny O'Brien's high school coach is going to the press just ratchets this thing up another level. Is Edsall crazy enough to think NCAA will prevent a student from freely transfering to a school that is not on Maryland's schedule and not in their conference based on a coach's perrogative?

For what it's worth, I have no doubt that Todd Willert has been the "go-between" between O'Brien and possible suitors prior to being granted his release. Since Franklin is the one who recruited O'Brien, it is exceedingly likely he has (or had) a good relationship with Willert. The lond and the short of it is that the O'Briens are going on offense - as well they should. Randy Edsall is a bully who is about to have his bluff called. As Bob Dylan says, "you can't win with a losing hand."

I don't see how this ends well for Edsall, especially if the O'Briens appeal to the NCAA. At this point, the powers that be at Maryland would be well advised to tell Randy to stand down.