Three writers that can’t quite agree on anything are ready to sling mud at one another once again in weekly roundtable series. It’s once again time for Phil Harrison, Bart Doan, and Terry Johnson to solve the world’s problems one first down at a time in the heartland. It’s the weekly B1G Uglies series, and we’re talking D.J. Durkin.
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Question: Did Maryland get it right with the hiring of D.J. Durkin?
Boy, I don’t know. From the outside looking in, it appears to be a solid play, but then when you start looking at the swanky neighborhood the Terps are living in now, I don’t know if it’s going to cut it.
You try being the new guy on the block going up against the likes of Urban Meyer at Ohio State, Mark Dantonio in East Lansing, and your former boss, Jim Harbaugh at Meeeechigan. And that’s before we even get to how things should be improving in Happy Valley, or who will come out of the West. In today’s day and age, good luck going against those Rock-star coaches. Durkin has a reputation as a tireless recruiter, and I’m sure that played into the decision to offer him the job, but he’s always had an Urban Meyer or Jim Harbaugh name recognition he could drop in recruiting circles. That’s not to say that he didn’t pluck some four and five-star recruits out of the meadows himself, but it’s almost a sure bet that some of those kids came to play for his boss.
So, for me, the jury is still out, but I would have much rather seen the program back the Brinks truck up and pay a Mark Richt or other big name to go head-to-head with what’s becoming a Who’s Who division of college coaching personalities. I understand the play for a defensive-minded guy who’s learned from some of the best in the game to get things rocking right away, I’m just not sure it works in the East division of the Big Ten in this season of its existence.
Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe this all works out and Athletic Director Kevin Anderson looks like the wizard of College Park, but I doubt it. History has not been kind to the moves he’s made. Time will tell.
Well, supposedly, they were looking for a more offensive-minded coach, so on the surface, it makes little sense considering their first goal. As Phil points out, the guy has worked under two of the best names in college football, Urban Meyer and Jim Harbaugh, so he has seen the chops it takes to succeed. That alone means jack. Look at the Nick Saban or Bill Belichick coaching trees … they rot pretty much after the trunk.
That said, Durkin is very highly regarded and well-respected in college football coaching circles. He’s young, energetic, and capable of revitalizing a program with serious potential. I suppose the main question is whether or not he leaves if they have decent success within a few years.
No surprise, but I disagree with Phil. I actually think it’s a good hire. Durkin has a lot of personality. I recall being a guest on the Dan Dakich Show a few months ago and Dan mentioned a time when he was at Bowling Green and Durkin was going to play a joke on him, and Dan was having none of it. Durkin apparently knew his role and backed off. I liked the story because it shows a playfulness yet respect of those who know more than you, and the smarts to just tight-lip it in those situations.
It’s a tough job considering the coaching timber in the Big Ten East, but it’s a good play by Maryland, even if it wasn’t along with their philosophy going in.
Agreed. I think it’s a solid hire.
That’s not to say that he would have been my first choice. Given that Maryland wanted an offensive-minded head coach, it would have made sense to have a conversation with Mark Richt, Dino Babers, and P. J. Fleck, and force them to turn the job down.
With that said, Durkin will do a great job at Maryland. In three years as a coordinator (two at Florida, one at Michigan), his units have always ranked in the top 15 nationally in total defense, including this season’s Wolverine squad that finished fourth in that department. Given his ability to develop talent on that side of the ball, defensive players from all around the country will flock to College Park to play for him. This is especially true for safeties, who no longer have to worry about getting moved to linebacker after an all-conference season – something Durkin’s predecessor was “famous” for.
I also think he’ll help the Terrapin offense as well. Remember, as the interim coach in Florida’s bowl game, the Gators struggling offense actually moved the ball through the air and on the ground, racking up 339 yards of total offense. That’s a great performance considering that UF ranked 96th nationally in total offense.
Adding the last two paragraphs together, it’s easy to see why I approve of this hire – and I’ve already disapproved of the hires made by Iowa State and Georgia.
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Have a question you’d like Phil, Bart and Terry to discuss? email at the above links or send us a tweet and we’ll think about multiple ways to disagree on the answer. Follow Phil on Twitter @PhilHarrisonCFB, Bart @TheCoachBart, and Terry @SectionTPJ
