Mad props and bon mots to UConn president Susan Herbst and athletic director David Benedict, whose decision to fire Bob Diaco passes the common sense — but perhaps not the practicality — test.

Translation: Anyone with even passing familiarity with UConn football knows Diaco's 11-26 record in three years came with an alarming dose of, shall we say, eccentricity, too. His departure is welcome to fans and media alike. But the process by which it happened couldn't have been easy, thus trumpeting the leadership of Herbst and Benedict.

Diaco's buyout today: $5 million. His buyout Jan. 1: $3.4 million. Which is why his official termination day is Jan. 2, saving somebody — or somebodies — $1.7 million. Still, though, in an athletic department not swimming in Power 5 revenues, it couldn't have been easy to find $3.4 million of private money to escort Diaco out of the Burton Family Football Complex.

University sources indicate this was done with private money. It had to be, given the state's budget travails. We may never know the folks tied to such largesse. But they saved the program. They gave everyone a reason to go back to UConn football games next year. And now we'll never have to hear another coach here speak in parables. Or tell us not to pay attention to the scoreboard.

And so while Herbst and Benedict deserve plenty of applause for orchestrating Diaco's exit, alas their job is but half done. They are about to face the biggest hire in the history of the UConn athletic department. The next football coach must succeed here. Because if he doesn't, any chance at lucrative football revenues in the future would swirl the bowl. And we'd be entirely justified in asking why there needs to be a football program here at all.

Seriously. If the new hire is 11-26 after three years, can we start discussing the viability of a program clearly going nowhere?

Benedict can't pull a Jeff Hathaway, who blew it with Paul Pasqualoni. Hathaway got what he wanted: a nice guy who wouldn't make his life miserable. Randy Edsall left on bad terms with Hathaway for many reasons, not the least of which was a perceived lack of support. Edsall wanted to know why admissions was suddenly denying kids it had admitted previously in Edsall's tenure — they started going to Louisville and West Virginia — and Hathaway wasn't fighting the fight with him.

Benedict can't pull a Warde Manuel, who blew it with Diaco. Manuel got snowed the way the rest of us did. This smooth-talking defensive whiz with the good looks and Notre Dame pedigree. Looked great at the podium in a suit. Sounded great, too. At least at the beginning. And then he turned into a combination of Vivian Stringer and Casey Stengel — venturing on twisted streams of consciousness — and then didn't win enough.

Benedict's job won't be easy. Honestly: Is this a coveted job? After the modern and impressive Burton Complex, what's left? A roster filled with players who might not be good enough, tepid fan support and a stadium decorated in Early Concrete 20 miles from campus. Not exactly Ann Arbor.

The guess is that the right guy is probably at a Mid-American Conference-type program or an assistant somewhere. Think perhaps Dino Babers, who went from Eastern Illinois to Bowling Green to Syracuse and did a solid job in his first season. This is hardly exact, though. This is going to require diligence, sure. Some faith, too.

For now, though, UConn football has its first day to truly celebrate something. The Diaco Era is over. Here's hoping the new sheriff opens practices more so the media can become the true liaison between the program and the fans, rather than forced to regurgitate what Big Brother wants. Here's hoping the guy wins, too. UConn needs it. Worse than ever.

This is the opinion of Day sports columnist Mike DiMauro