DJ Durkin – Page 5 – Syndication Server

Post Game Recap: No. 23 Texas A&M falls to Miami 48-33

After a fast start the Aggies spudder out and fall to the Miami Hurricanes 48-33

No. 23 Texas A&M Aggies (1-1) dropped the rematch game in Florida 48-33 to the Miami Hurricanes (2-0). Miami weathered the early storm to beat the Aggies convincingly for a marque early season win for Cristobal’s program.

You couldn’t ask for a better start to a football game on the road than the Aggies. Special teams set the tone with a big stop on the opening kickoff, Sam Mathews, the 12th man, trapping the Hurricanes deep to start the game. The defense followed that up with a quick three-and-out, leading to a blocked punt by transfer Jahdae Walker.

Bobby Petrino’s offense’s first drive would start Miami’s 15-yard line. Amari Daniels and Conner Weigman took turns chipping away until they reached the endzone on a one-yard touchdown run for an early 7-0 lead.

Not wanting to let this game get out of hand early, Miami answered back to cut the lead to 10-7 late in the first quarter. As both teams settled in, the Hurricanes came back in to lead 21-17 at halftime.

Unfortunately for the Aggies, Miami would pressure Texas A&M across the board in the second half, keeping them off-balanced for the rest of the night. After the Maroon & White pulled within one in the third quarter, Miami took the kickoff back 98 yards after the field goal to the house, killing what little momentum the Aggies built off the previous dive. The Hurricanes would outscore the Aggies 27 to 16 over the final 30 minutes, leaving the Texas A&M fans scratching their head at the outcome.

The offense did not look bad, but the offensive line is still a work in progress. Conner Wiegman, Noah Thomas, and Even Stewart stood out as studs, but it still was not enough to overcome the deficit. The defense was nonexistent after the first two drives, and while a few players did flash, like Taurean York and Walter Nolan, this was one of the worst outings under DJ Durkin’s watch.

It’s too early to call this a turning point; some even had this as one of the Aggie losses on the books. Monday is on to the next opponent, but the Texas A&M coaching staff will have much to work on moving forward.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on Twitter: @whosnextsports1.

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Jimbo Fisher praises his experienced coaching staff with SEC Networks’ Marty and McGee

Aggies HC Jimbo Fisher praised his talented and experienced coaching staff during his conversation with SEC Networks’ Marty & McGee

Texas A&M’s 2022 football season was an utter failure by every definition, culminating in a 5-7 (2-6 SEC) finish that has left a lasting impression that will only be eliminated through a complete rebound campaign in 2023.

Head Coach Jimbo Fisher immediately felt the heat one month after the season, taking the “no risk, no reward” route in hiring Bobby Petrino as the program’s new offensive coordinator. In contrast, defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin and O-line coach Steve Addazio will return for their second season in Aggieland.

Without going into a rant concerning the talent on the roster, the Aggies lead the SEC in returning production. At the same time, the four presumed leaders on offense and defense include wide receiver Ainias Smith, strong safety Demani Richardson, right guard Layden Robinson, and defensive tackle McKinnley Jackson, who are all entering their presumed final season with the Maroon and White.

Last week, Fisher sat down with college football analysts Marty Smith and Ryan McGee on SEC Networks “Marty and McGee” to preview the 2023 season and heap praise on the coaching as mentioned above staff he has assembled. Honestly, each coach has a downright impressive experience, combining a wealth of football knowledge and all the goals they have set out with just two weeks remaining before the Sept. 2 opener.

✔️ A veteran staff with Petrino, Addazio and Durkin.
✔️ A ton of talent returning on both sides of the ball.

Jimbo Fisher likes what he's seeing from this @AggieFootball team: pic.twitter.com/RKk58gU9mG

— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) August 17, 2023

But outside of Petrino, Durkin, and Addazio, the longtime offensive coordinator Jim Chaney, known for his days helping future Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees break NCAA records at Purdue in the late 90s-2000s, was hired as an offensive analyst back in February, and while Petrino will be the majority play caller, Chaney’s influence, especially on spread offense concepts, will be utilized through each week.

As they say, there is always strength in numbers; by the looks of it, Fisher feels very confident that this current staff is one of the best in the country.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.

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Aggie Defensive Coordinator D.J. Durkin is ready for the defense to take the next step

Everything defensive coordinator DJ Durkin had to say before the open practice

This football season is one of the most anticipated in the past decade (until next year) at Texas A&M, and everyone has questions. Fortunately for us, we will get to double-dip as coaches/players spoke during to media, and there is an open practice to the public.

Second-year defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin is looking to build off a solid but leaky defense last year. It usually takes a few seasons to establish an identity with a new team, especially when it’s stacked with freshmen who will be expected to play. That is what we saw a young talented defense that showed a lot of promise but needed time to grow.

Now acclimating to Aggieland and back coaching linebackers, coach Durkin is confident he can take this defense to the next level. Below you can find what he had to say about the state of the defense.

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D.J. Durkin doesn’t deserve a second chance in college football

Ole Miss has hired the former Maryland coach, D.J. Durkin, who oversaw the program when 19-year-old Jordan McNair died due to heatstroke.

On Thursday, Ole Miss announced it was hiring D.J. Durkin, the former Maryland coach, to be an assistant under new head coach Lane Kiffin.

It’s a shocking decision from Kiffin and Ole Miss AD Keith Carter. Durkin was the head coach of Maryland when lineman Jordan McNair, 19, died due to complications from heatstroke during a team workout.

McNair’s death was a horrifying — and completely preventable — tragedy, and while Durkin never faced charges over his death, the event did eventually cost him his job shine a light on the program Durkin was running at Maryland. An investigation revealed that Durkin had shown graphic videos during team meals as a motivational tactic.

From the report:

According to Gus Little, this included videos of serial killers, drills entering eyeballs, and bloody scenes with animals eating animals.

Members of Durkin’s staff were alleged to use abusive speech against players, including homophobic slurs. Every bit of the investigation showed something clear: Durkin had overseen an unsafe environment for young people, and a young person died under his watch.

That should be the end of it. That has to be the end of the discussion for Ole Miss.

Durkin had a chance to run a football program, and he failed. Not just in wins and losses, but in the very first thing anyone running a college program must be responsible for: The safety of the young people in the program.

My old colleague Alex Kirshner put this well: Durkin can find work doing just about anything in this country. But he should not be overseeing young people in any capacity.

There are lots of jobs in the American economy. DJ Durkin could do one that does not give him influence over the care/treatment of teenagers. This is like the absolute bare minimum punishment https://t.co/Two8ERqil8

— Alex Kirshner (@alex_kirshner) January 2, 2020

Ole Miss AD Keith Carter put out a statement after the hire was made, suggesting that he’d done his due diligence and talked to plenty of people before OK’ing the hire.

From the statement:

“We received consistently strong feedback about Coach Durkin’s strong character and work ethic and his positive impact on the communities and institutions where he was previously employed. Once we had the chance to spend time with coach Durkin, we were even more convinced that he is exactly the type of accomplished coach with strong football credentials who is also a proud and committed family man that will make him a great addition to our new staff.”

What I am willing to bet: Carter didn’t talk to the family of Jordan McNair. I’m guessing he didn’t talk to any of the former players who said Durkin had created a toxic environment at Maryland.

Ole Miss has been put through the ringer recently by the NCAA, and many in Ole Miss land have felt wounded by the NCAA enforcement team’s investigation into the school that lasted years and years.

This has resulted in a defiant attitude from many in and around the university. They may see the hiring of Durkin as another push back against the organization/the world at large, a loud “eff you” to the powers that be.

Here’s the bottom line on Ole Miss/Durkin: Keith Carter is a young, inexperienced AD who is getting positive reinforcement from his fan base for throwing up middle fingers at the world. It is an intoxicating place to be in at the moment.

— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) January 2, 2020

But AD Keith Carter needs to know better. Lane Kiffin needs to know better. This isn’t thumbing your nose at the NCAA and the rest of college football. This is thumbing your nose at the family of Jordan McNair, and putting football over common sense.

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