Terps Fire DJ Durkin One Day After Bringing Him Back
DJ Durkin was fired as the head coach of the Maryland football program just one day after he was reinstated.
Ever since the news broke that Maryland’s football program had a “toxic” culture, it was hard to believe head coach DJ Durkin would be on the sidelines again. Yet, yesterday the university brought him back on October 30th days before a game that could launch them to bowl eligibility. As you’d expect, people were not happy and today, the powers that be made the ultimate decision to let him go, according to an ESPN report.
“The decision to fire Durkin come on the heels of his returning to work Tuesday after the board of regents recommended his reinstatement after reviewing an investigative report into the culture of Durkin’s program. The third-year coach had been on paid administrative leave since Aug. 11.”
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“Sources told ESPN that university president Wallace Loh, who announced Tuesday that he will retire in June, only brought back Durkin after the board of regents threatened to fire the president if he didn’t reinstate the coach.
“Since returning to campus after yesterday’s press conference, I have met with the leadership of the Student Government Association speaking on behalf of numerous student organizations; the Senate Executive Committee; Deans; department chairs; and campus leadership,” Loh said in the statement. “The overwhelming majority of stakeholders expressed serious concerns about Coach DJ Durkin returning to the campus.”
Maryland will host Michigan State on Saturday in front of a national television audience on ESPN2. The game could give them six wins and ensure a bowl game come bowl season.
Durkin had a 10-15 record in his two seasons as Maryland’s head coach. Previously, he was a defensive coordinator at Florida and Michigan.
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