DJ Durkin Appreciation Thread
There are some pretty immature, pathetic comments trashing Durkin in the threads below this one. You guys should be ashamed. Neg away, but I'd rather appreciate Durkin for helping turn this defense into one of the country's best. God forbid he leave for a raise and a promotion somewhere else (and god forbid he offers some of our other staffers raises and promotions as well).
You wanted a good program? This is what you get. This is how you build a coaching tree. Every other DC candidate takes notice that after good work under Harbaugh, your career is in good shape.
Thanks, Coach Durkin. It was a great year, and we appreciate your work.
December 2nd, 2015 at 8:22 PM ^
Will be missed.
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December 2nd, 2015 at 8:23 PM ^
will go after, rather than the staff of the previous regime where even high schools teams were not offering them any jobs.
December 2nd, 2015 at 8:24 PM ^
December 2nd, 2015 at 10:03 PM ^
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December 2nd, 2015 at 8:24 PM ^
December 2nd, 2015 at 8:38 PM ^
When the DC decides to suddenly switch to a 3-3-5 the week of a big game and the players, having unfamiliar keys to read, go on to struggle, is the blame really "50-50"?
December 2nd, 2015 at 8:24 PM ^
WRT Partridge:
1. I think harbaugh would give his blessing to partridge to leave if he knows he'll never get a coaching spot at Michigan
2. I don't think harbaugh is hurting for coaches who are probably lining up by the dozens to be on his staff. Getting a guy a HC job after one year here is impressive. Getting a guy who was coaching HS a year ago a coaching job in the B1G is as impressive. Don't worry, chicken littles.
3. It's not like money will be an issue. If harbaugh wants someone to stay (or join) Michigan will pony up.
My feeling is this: if harbaugh wants partridge on the staff he will be, no matter what it takes. But he also won't promote him just to keep him if he knows he isn't ready.
December 2nd, 2015 at 8:26 PM ^
Ding ding ding.
December 2nd, 2015 at 8:27 PM ^
December 2nd, 2015 at 8:25 PM ^
It's not about leaving. It's about "how" you leave. Right now, it's too early for any sort of judgment because there is a lot we don't know. But, in about two months time, we'll know if he left in an honorable way or a dishonorable way. We know it's business, but it's also about how you conduct business.
December 2nd, 2015 at 8:29 PM ^
Sure, I agree. Problem is, many posters have already concluded (1) he's leaving in a dishonorable way, (2) he wasn't all that great anyway (despite tons of evidence to the contrary), and (3) he fucked everyone's mother on the way out the door (or at least that's what the posters sound like).
Especially #2 is just hilarious. Reeks of such sour grapes.
December 2nd, 2015 at 8:35 PM ^
It's not sour grapes. Michigan faced maybe a couple of legimitately good offenses this year, and the defense didn't look so great against them.
December 2nd, 2015 at 9:05 PM ^
And last January, Durkin's defense at Florida gave up 536 yards and 32 first downs to another up-tempo spread team, East Carolina. He's a promising DC, to be sure, but maybe he is more a work in progress than we assumed midway through the year. Perhaps our next DC can be better at adapting to different opposing offenses.
December 2nd, 2015 at 9:08 PM ^
The number of teams/defenses that have looked good against Ohio State is few and far between.
December 2nd, 2015 at 9:19 PM ^
When 10 of the other 11 teams on OSU's schedule hold them to fewer yards per play than Michigan, that's rather damning.
Not really sure how that defensive gameplan can be defended.
December 2nd, 2015 at 9:18 PM ^
Just this year I could point to Northern Illinois, Minnesota, and MSU that did significantly better jobs at hamstringing OSU's offense than we did. Hell, even Indiana and their nonexistent defense did a better job. I know it's different with Cardale in there but there's still no excuse for a defense as talented and that had been performing as well all year as Michigan's had to get gashed like that.
December 2nd, 2015 at 8:33 PM ^
December 2nd, 2015 at 8:36 PM ^
Except that he would only be taking Partridge to tap into the NJ recruits that we're after.
Look, I don't need to define what is honorable or dishonorable to you. I will say that when you go to a school in the same division, you are opening yourself up to annual hostilities since you are in direct competition for recruits, coaches, and most importantly, WINS.
December 2nd, 2015 at 8:40 PM ^
December 2nd, 2015 at 8:46 PM ^
You acquire an asset because it's accretive. You hire a staff member because of the marginal revenue. You hire a recruiting coordinator because he's going to get you recruits.
You don't have to be a genius to put two and two together.
We'll know the truth eventually. It's business I get it, but let's not make it seem like he's doing us a favor.
December 2nd, 2015 at 8:51 PM ^
December 2nd, 2015 at 8:59 PM ^
You're missing the point. Regardless of whether Durkin has an opening for Partridge, it's not Partridge he's after... it's his recruits. Durkin wants the NJ recruits and he will hire Partridge as a means to get those recruits.
Got to get back to work, but that's it, if you don't see that then I don't have any other words to convince you with. Good night.
December 2nd, 2015 at 9:46 PM ^
December 2nd, 2015 at 9:51 PM ^
December 2nd, 2015 at 8:25 PM ^
Also, great job on the Linebacker group DJ!
December 2nd, 2015 at 8:26 PM ^
That is what assistant coaches do. They move on and get promoted to higher positions. Durkin has been at this game for a few years, and his hire was considered a coup, considering that he had been pegged as a top head coaching prospect last year.
Durkin rolled in and made this a championship level defense, built on the strength of a solid defensive line and a shutdown cornerback. His coaching gave us three consecutive shutouts and some other outstanding defensive performances.
I wish he'd gone to the Big 12 or the Pac 12, or any other conference. But it is what it is. At least he's at Maryland. All of the Underarmor dollars in the world isn't going to turn that program around. I hope he rides that team to three or four .500+ seasons and then moves on to bigger pond. I think that we will good naturedly stomp his team into the ground for the forseeable future.
Best of luck DJ.
December 2nd, 2015 at 8:26 PM ^
Shut up DJ
December 2nd, 2015 at 8:35 PM ^
I don't know who bashed him but honestly man, you can step down from your high horse. He was here less than 12 months, his position group (linebacker) was cleary the weakest on the team and he ended his tenure with a disastrously bad gameplan. I don't have a personal issue with the guy, but I don't see him as some vital, irreplaceable cog in the machine. And why would I now want to sing the praises of a rival division coach?
December 2nd, 2015 at 8:28 PM ^
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December 2nd, 2015 at 8:34 PM ^
People act like offering peers better jobs somewhere else is a bad thing. Dollars to donuts, nobody on this thread would have some undying loyalty to their less-than-a-year employer if your friend said you could join him for a job with (I presume) a better title and more money.
December 2nd, 2015 at 9:35 PM ^
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December 2nd, 2015 at 11:24 PM ^
If this was bull busting I'd be fine with it; some people are acting like this is treason. But ah well, I guess the frothing masses have spoken.
December 2nd, 2015 at 8:29 PM ^
Leaving is fine.
The following is not so fine:
(1) Taking staff
(2) Taking recruits
(3) Negative recruiting against your former boss
We don't know at this point whether he has done the above, but we will within the next few months leading up to signing day. I'll reserve judgment until then.
December 2nd, 2015 at 8:32 PM ^
There is nothing wrong with #1 or #2, and I doubt he'd do #3.
Also, these are grown-ass people we are talking about. If somebody wants to go with his friend to a place with (I assume) a better job, at least in terms of rank and title, then I'm not going to begrudge him. I've worked in enough companies to see this happen, and nobody loses their minds about it.
December 2nd, 2015 at 8:39 PM ^
I would tend to disagree. Most places would make you sign non-competes 50 times over. This is a big problem for most companies and it is especially a problem for companies that compete in the same space. For example, if you go to a competitor in the same division that you have to play every single year, that will lead to some hostility, whether you believe it has merit or not.
December 2nd, 2015 at 8:44 PM ^
December 2nd, 2015 at 8:49 PM ^
Yes, they are enforceable (in particular, for skilled workers or highly paid workers). I've seen them enforced many times and I've also seen them settled. I've also seen companies choose not to enforce them, but they can be enforced. Yes, I'm a lawyer (but this is not legal advice nor am I your lawyer).
December 2nd, 2015 at 8:49 PM ^
Not that it has much relevance to this thread, but noncompete clauses are enforced constantly. It's a very standard aspect of employment law.
December 2nd, 2015 at 11:29 PM ^
The only way non-compete clauses ever remain enforced is if the person in question has very specific skills and abilities that would materially hurt the company he/she is leaving in the event she went to a competitor, and even then they are tenuous. Companies threaten people all the time with them, but actual enforcement is far less common.
And frankly, who cares if there is hostility? I mean, you are playing a game against each other to score more points that involves throwing human bodies around. Guys are pretty hostile already.
Again, this is a dumb argument because people have made this a moral argument instead of a functional one, and when you do the prior there is no point in arguing. Everyone can believe what he/she wants about Durkin taking the Maryland. Personally, I'm fine with it, and I'm guessingHarbaugh and the rest of the staff, while not happy they are losing a DC, aren't overly angry or hurt. I might be proven wrong, but coaches leave programs all the time. But if a couple of internet posters want to create dozens of threads about how they've been wronged by a guy they've seen coach their team for less than a year, by all means do it.
December 2nd, 2015 at 8:46 PM ^
If you've worked in several companies where this has happened, your companies suck at employment law.
December 2nd, 2015 at 10:45 PM ^
I am one of your fans here but have to disagree. It isn't just about getting a better job. It's about screwing over your former employer, without who, Durkin would not be in the lineup for the"better job." I do not agree that HC at Maryland is a better job than being on staff at Michigan. Becoming part of Jim Harbaugh's coaching roster should be a career high in its right, and in exchange for that, you don't bolt for the first opportunity that pays you more. Sure, that's a choice that only Durkin can make, but I don't get having to wish him well after his linebackers were completely unable to tackle for several games and were shellacked by OSU.
December 2nd, 2015 at 11:42 PM ^
How did Durkin screw people over? I'd like some evidence, other than the fact the defense got its head bashed in by OSU in the second half. How about against IU - was he interviewing for a job then? Because that sure got ugly quickly. Or how about MSU, which put up nearly 400 yards in the air?
The fact the LBs couldn't tackle OSU had very little to do with his coaching, IMO. Outside of Morgan, none of the LBs have been particularly great tackling guys in space, and even Morgan gets run over at times. Again, people keep looking for causation in UM getting its butt kicked by a spread team versus, I don't know, looking back at the history of UM defenses against legitimate spread teams with mobile QBs. Dennis Dixon ripped UM apart, Donovan McNabb did it to them, hell, Jarious Jackson gave them trouble. It's a thing UM coaches have never been great at. The fact Durkin wasn't any better doesn't make me see nefarious intentions in him.
And while being a DC on UM's staff might be worth it to some people, Durkin is clearly a guy who is shooting for more. He left Florida to come to UM for that reason, and now he's a HC at 37. That's pretty damn impressive, to be running a power-5 team before you are old enough to be a POTUS. Hell, he bolted from Florida for a "better" job and more money to be DC at UM, and that was less than a year ago.
Again, this is an argument I don't care about winning. Let people be mad, but I just find it funny how this place melts down whenever anything violates these "unwritten rules" UM fans apparently plays by when it benefits them.
December 2nd, 2015 at 8:39 PM ^
Ignore -- wrong thread.
December 2nd, 2015 at 8:36 PM ^
Harbaugh is not hurting for guys wanting to coach under him. They'll be replaced by someone with as much or more potential.
December 2nd, 2015 at 8:38 PM ^
December 2nd, 2015 at 8:42 PM ^
Lot of assumptions my friend. We don't know what the story is at the moment, therefore, my post said we need to wait two months to see the actions that occur from now until signing day. We'll see if everything was done with clean hands or not.
December 2nd, 2015 at 8:44 PM ^
December 2nd, 2015 at 8:29 PM ^
This place always gets like this when something goes wrong and a bunch of boo-birds come out. It's why I typically stay away from too many of these threads; the echo chamber becomes super-loud.
Durkin was here for less than a year, and people think that he somehow "threw" the OSU game because he interviewed for a job and that didn't allow him to focus on stopping OSU's offense, as opposed to that not really being a possibility given the team's composition and abilities at the end of the year.
Anyway, I don't love Durkin or anything, but I don't blame him one bit for jumping at a HC job, and I wish him the best except when he plays UM.
December 2nd, 2015 at 8:47 PM ^
Playing the GERG defense the same week you stepped out during the biggest week of the season is pretty damning.
December 2nd, 2015 at 9:27 PM ^
If Harbaugh didn't have a problem with the timing of it, why do you?