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As of December 2, 2015, Daniel John “D.J” Durkin is the new Head Coach for the University of Maryland Terrapins. Before Maryland, Durkin was the Defensive Coordinator for the University of Michigan. Durkin also served as the interim head football coach and defensive coordinator for the Florida Gators.
The question on everyone’s mind: Why Maryland? Why Coach DJ Durkin? Why Now?
37- year old first-time head coach believes University of Maryland has a lot of potential.
Thank you #TerpNation for welcoming us into the Maryland Family! pic.twitter.com/8sGkfw9tCm
— Coach Durkin (@CoachDurkin) December 3, 2015
First, the new head coach is the youngest head coach in the Big Ten. He is young and motivated individual who always looks for the good of the team. Second, Maryland is a great place for recruits with a brand new coaching staff. Durkin says these reasons are why he is excited to be the new head coach.
In the first days starting off at the job, Durkin says he has made it clear that he wants to take a “deliberate approach”. The reason is that the staff makes the future success of the team.
Durkin says he is excited to work with the new coaches with lots of potential.
Welcome to Maryland #MarylandPride pic.twitter.com/AnMM8259TJ
— Maryland Football (@MarylandPride) January 7, 2016
The Maryland football team just came off of a 3- 9 season and hopes that the new coaches will provide them a winning season. ESPN currently ranks University of Maryland number 13 in the Big Ten, just above the Purdue Boilermakers. The top teams in the Big Ten are Ohio State, Michigan, and Michigan State. Maryland will play those three teams in a four week span in late October and early November of next year. Durkin says he is excited to play in this conference, but knows it will be extremely competitive.
Durkin definitely has his work cut out in for of him in order to put Maryland back on the map to a new level of consistent success. Something the team hasn’t seen since the early 2000’s.
