Yahoo Sports Report: D.J. Durkin helped Maryland assistants game plan while under investigation
Even though he was on administrative leave, ex-Maryland coach D.J. Durkin was reportedly still helping develop game plans for the team.
According to the Baltimore Sun, Durkin, who was on leave while the culture of his football program was investigated, “continued to communicate” with his assistant coaches and watched game film — sent to him by assistants — to help the team prepare for games. That includes the season-opening win over Texas.
Per the Sun, the school’s board of regents and athletic director Damon Evans were aware of Durkin’s interactions with his staff:
Sources also said Durkin’s continuing role was shared with and discussed by the state university system’s Board of Regents, which cleared him Oct. 30 to return as coach before he was dismissed one day later by university president Wallace Loh.
Whether university officials approved Durkin’s involvement while on leave is in dispute. Durkin told the regents his activity was approved by athletic director Damon Evans, two sources said. And Durkin told the task force he was responding to requests for advice from the assistants and that the university had not limited such contact.
Maryland, in a statement to the Sun, disputed that account:
In a statement late Wednesday, a university spokeswoman said Durkin “was not to perform coaching duties while on administrative leave” and that neither Evans nor Loh had granted permission for him to do so.
“Matt Canada was performing all head coaching duties during this interim time and continues to lead the team,” spokeswoman Jessica Jennings said.
Durkin, the Sun reports, told the task force assigned to investigate his program, that he was never told by the school to avoid communicating with Terps players or coaches.
D.J. Durkin was fired Oct. 31
Durkin, who was about to enter his third season as head coach when he was put on leave in August, was eventually fired Oct. 31. A day earlier, Maryland’s board of regents announced its decision to retain Durkin. However, university president Wallace Loh, after meeting with student government and other campus leadership, decided to fire Durkin.
The investigation into an alleged “toxic” culture under Durkin was sparked by media reports that followed the death of offensive lineman Jordan McNair, who collapsed during a May conditioning workout and died two weeks later. McNair’s family was very upset with the board’s decision to keep Durkin. The school also faced swarms of pressure from state lawmakers to reverse course and fire Durkin.
Maryland had a culture where ‘players feared speaking out’
The investigation into Durkin’s program concluded that its culture was not “toxic.” However, it said there was a culture where “problems festered because too many players feared speaking out.” It also said that Maryland “lacked a culture of accountability and “did not provide adequate oversight of the football program.”
Without Durkin, offensive coordinator Matt Canada has served as interim head coach. The Terps are 5-5 on the year entering this weekend’s home game against No. 10 Ohio State. Maryland then closes out the season on the road against No. 14 Penn State. The Terps need to win one of those games to clinch bowl eligibility.
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