Maryland Football Players Defend DJ Durkin: 'I Really Hope' Coach Comes Back
Maryland Terrapins defensive tackle Oseh Saine and punter Wade Lees went on the record to discuss their experience at the program and express their desire to see head coach DJ Durkin remain at the school.
"I hope his name and reputation doesn't get tarnished," Saine said in an interview with WUSA in Washington, D.C. "He doesn't deserve any of the things people are saying about him."
Lees echoed a similar sentiment: "I really hope coach Durkin comes back to coach us, because he's done all the hard work to getting us so close to succeeding."
Saine did add he saw a player pass out as the result of a team workout and that a coach made one player eat a candy bar while the rest of the team resumed working out.
The comments come as Durkin is on administrative leave while the university investigates what was reported to be a "toxic culture" around the program.
Offensive lineman Jordan McNair died in June after suffering heatstroke during a practice May 29. According to ESPN.com's Heather Dinich, Adam Rittenberg and Tom VanHaaren, the McNair family's attorney said McNair suffered a seizure at 5 p.m. ET, but nobody called 911 until 5:58 p.m. ET.
The ESPN report laid out a number of allegations against Durkin and his staff, who sources said utilized "fear and intimidation" as well as the "belittling, humiliation and embarrassment of players."
During a press conference Tuesday, University of Maryland president Wallace Loh apologized to the McNair family and said the Maryland training staff failed to take the proper steps to care for McNair's health. He added the school "accepts legal and moral responsibility" for those errors.
