Maryland Hires Michigan DC D.J. Durkin as New Head Coach

Written by Ryan Wright

Twitter: @HogManInLA

With every new hire of a head coach at the collegiate level comes hope and promise of a new era with promises of a winning program along with pledges of challenging for conference titles. The University of Maryland went through an unparalleled level of success under former head coach Ralph Friedgen (2001-2010) not seen since the Jim Tatum years (1947-1955) with all due respects to the winning ways under Bobby Ross (1982-1986).

Under Friedgen, Maryland experienced the best and worst of times three times topping the 10-win plateau three times but then also suffering through a 2-win season in 2009. Randy Edsall took over in 2011 appearing to be on the right track in 2013 and 2014 with back-to-back 7-win seasons but could never take that next step with the Terrapins to push them back into relevancy in the ACC or Big Ten. Edsall was fired after six games posting a 2-4 mark but life got worse under interim head coach Mike Locksley seeing the team go 1-5 down the back stretch of the 2015 campaign.

A new hope begins on the recruiting trail, in the weight room, and on the collegiate gridiron for the 2016 season for the Terrapins with the announcement on Wednesday of D.J. Durkin as Maryland’s new head coach.

Durkin, 37-years-old, is an Ohio native having played linebacker and defensive end at Bowling Green (1997-2000) before returning to his alma mater in 2005 to coach defensive ends. Durkin left Bowling Green in 2007 to join Jim Harbaugh’s staff at Stanford coaching defensive ends leaving for the Florida Gators in 2010 to coach linebackers. By 2013 Durkin was promoted to defensive coordinator being named interim head coach after the dismissal of Will Muschamp.

Durkin found a soft landing at Michigan coaching alongside Harbaugh again helping Michigan with a turnaround season going 9-3, 6-2, contending for a Big Ten East Division Title until the final weekend of the regular season.

A large part of Michigan’s success in 2015 has been the Wolverine’s defense. Michigan has the nation’s No. 4 ranked total defense allowing just 281 yards per game. The defense has been spurred by a pass defense limiting teams to an average of 159 yards per game, ranked No. 3 in FBS, and a run defense limiting teams to 123 yards per contest. Some of Michigan’s success on defense might be smoke and mirrors, the only offensive juggernaut they faced this season was Indiana, ranked No. 18 in total offense, allowing the Hoosiers to gain 527 yards of total offense in a 48-41 double-overtime win. Ohio State has the nation’s 43rd ranked offense putting up 482 yards of total offense in a 42-13 rout of the Wolverines in Week 13.

Durkin has recruiting ties along the east coast and is a young passionate coach which should help him relate to players in hopes of building a winning program.

Photo credit: maizenbrew.com; Durkin on the sidelines with Michigan.