Former Maryland coach D.J. Durkin, who was fired during the 2018 season following the death of a player who had collapsed during offseason conditioning drills, was hired Thursday as an assistant by Mississippi.
Durkin, who spent part of this past season as a consultant with the Atlanta Falcons, will join new Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin's defensive staff.
Durkin had stints as defensive coordinator at Michigan and Florida, building up a reputation as a top recruiter, before being hired as Maryland head coach at age 37. He went 10-15 in two seasons at Maryland, but his tenure ended abruptly amid scandal.
Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter said in a statement the university conducted a “thorough” background check on Durkin, speaking with several “highly respected college football coaches, administrators and school officials.
Durkin’s association with the Falcons came through his friendship with head coach Dan Quinn. The two worked together on Will Muschamp’s defensive staff at Florida seven years ago.
"I knew his background as a defensive coach and special teams," Quinn explained last July. "By doing our due diligence from there. ... An unfortunate situation, of course, but as far as eyes to look at the defense to help us, I definitely knew the advantage of that."
On May 29, 2018, offensive lineman Jordan McNair, a 19-year-old sophomore, collapsed during conditioning drills because of heat-related illness. McNair died on June 13.
An independent investigation determined athletic trainers on the scene did not follow proper procedures to treat McNair for possible heatstroke. Durkin was not found responsible for McNair’s death, but he was fired in October after having been placed on administrative leave to start the season.
Reports of dysfunction in the football program emerged after McNair’s death. Durkin and his strength and conditioning coach, Rick Court, were accused by some players of creating a toxic culture where some players were demeaned and bullied.
Court was put on administrative leave by the school and eventually resigned.
Facing scrutiny and criticism from the public and politicians, University of Maryland president Wallace Loh fired Durkin on Halloween 2018.
Durkin has been out of college coaching since.
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