There were grumblings around the college football world on Monday when it was reported that DJ Durkin was one of the guest coaches working with the Atlanta Falcons as their training camp opened. Durkin was the head coach of the Maryland Terrapins in 2016 and 2017, but he was placed on administrative leave before being eventually fired last August.
DJ Durkin was fired from Maryland in the aftermath of the death of Jordan McNair and an investigation into the “toxic culture” of his program https://t.co/PvQgCztTPE
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) July 22, 2019
Durkin’s presence led to plenty of controversy as many wondered whether he should be actively involved in football. Since he was fired from Maryland, he has not been hired in a full-time capacity by any school or professional team.
This is the first official coaching job for Durkin since he was fired by Maryland last season amid allegations that a toxic culture within his program led to the death of 19-year-old Jordan McNair. https://t.co/mcAPxuwyUw
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) July 23, 2019
Durkin was not a good coach on the field, compiling a record of 10-15 and going 5-13 in conference play in two seasons with the Terrapins, but that’s not the real issue here.
On May 29, 2018, Maryland offensive lineman Jordan McNair collapsed during offseason workouts. He was rushed to a local hospital where he was found to have had an internal temperature of 106°F, and two weeks later he passed away at the age of 19.
In the aftermath of McNair’s death, there were multiple accusations of Durkin fostering a toxic culture. A subsequent ESPN report in early August led to multiple members of the football staff being suspended, and Durkin was placed on administrative leave. He was reinstated by the Board of Regents on October 30, but several Maryland players walked out of a team meeting after hearing the news, and Durkin was terminated with cause by school president Wallace Loh the next day. Since that time, the Maryland Board of Regents has come under intense scrutiny for meddling with the investigation, and the university’s accreditation is even at risk.
Dan Quinn on @AtlantaFalcons' camp guest coach D.J. Durkin, who was head coach of @TerpsFootball when Jordan McNair died from a workout: "I know what his character is."
➡️ https://t.co/URfzCLaLdr pic.twitter.com/2CP7UjHjRW
— Yahoo Sports NFL (@YahooSportsNFL) July 23, 2019
Dan Quinn and Durkin worked together on Will Muschamp’s staff at Florida in 2011 and 2012. Quinn was the defensive coordinator for those Gators’ teams, and he used his success there to become the DC of the Seattle Seahawks in 2013. Durkin was the linebacker and special teams coach under Quinn at UF, and Quinn defended the hire to the media on Monday afternoon.
H/T Sports Illustrated
