Durkin to MD, grain of salt taken

john Harbaugh?

I am getting sick of the whole game plan complaints. Is it Durbin's fault his LBs can't make a play in the hole? They have had DTs that have eaten blocks through most the season and since Glasgow has been out, RBs have had their way with us because Bolden and Morgan couldn't get off their blocks. Our defense played a horrible game and the players needs to take that lump. Michigan fans need to take off the blue colored glasses and just except we are not ready yet to take out a team like OSU. Hope we don't draw LSU in a bowl game......

I'm not mad about Durkin seeking career advancement. I didn't expect him to land another gig so soon, though. And I thought Maryland wanted a head coach with a focus on offense.  

If he does go to Maryland, I can't blame him and wish him the best of luck.  I don't like the timing, but that isn't his fault.  Opportunities come when they come, and he's probably looking at a 300% pay raise.  That's a game-changer.  Anyone who begrudges someone else for grabbing the brass ring is just being selfish.  

My only hope is that our staff is completely transparent with recruits.  There was no way in hell that he was long for an assistant job anywhere;  it's only a matter of time that he's offered a head coaching gig at a P5 job.  I just hope that this doesn't turn into our version of Weber bait-and-switch.

If he does leave, we better hope he isn't talking anyone with him.

Really hope this is false.

Jim Herman

Boy, I hope this isn't true. He's really young and not ready for that level of responsibility, few are at that age, and would be better served with another year 2-3 years of development. after seeing what happened with Kiffin, I'm convinced good head coaches need seasoning and to build a coaching fraternity of their own - who would be his coordinators? If he went to a lower tier program, like a MAC program, with less pressure I feel like he would be better served over the long term.

Hard to turn down millions, though.

I honestly believe mattison could have done a similar job this year. Mattison defenses was not bad, but didnt create turnovers. Same as durkin. The biggest difference is it seemed like we played more man to man this year

Glad he was here, even for a short time.

The thing that most worries me about Durkin accepting the Maryland job isn't the loss of a first rate OC but the effect it may have on our east coast recruiting.  Durkin is a proven outstanding recruiter and we were doing well with east coast recruiting since Harbaugh took over.

Safe to assume Maryland will never force turnover. Just kidding. good luck to the coach, appreciate the job he did while here.

I'm so confused as to why people are assuming this is happening. There is one tweet that hasn't been confirmed by anyone. Certainly a possibility, but right now there is no evidence by anyone close to the program or nationally relevant saying anything.

Please god don't let mattison take over the defense or we'll be back to playing 40 yards off WR's on 3rd and 5. Love Mattison as the DL coach, nothing more. Please please please get some fresh blood in there.

The Irony of Michigan fans hating on Durkin after this game is only matched by Ohio State fan's labeling Fickell as a defensive genius.

You don't disown coaches because of one bad performance, and you don't put coaches on a pedastal because of one good performance. That is how mediocrity is bred.

The problem is that a lot of you people thought this year's Michigan team was on par with Ohio States. They weren't, and any rational person could have seen that. That is why all of the irrational people are shit talking on Durkin.

The odd thing is this is the only school that seems interested in him. On Durkin's part, there are around 20 openings for HC right now (not counting the ones that'll be open when HCs leave for other jobs) some of which will be lower profile, but in better shape than Maryland.

And I don't think he's wrong really about the negatives Maryland has, I think he just underestimated the fact that it's becoming much harder for DCs to get head coaching jobs. Bud Foster got passed for the VTech gig. Narduzzi took years to get one and had to take the Pitt job. OCs with similar track records would be looking at jobs like Miami or Georgia, honestly.

I think the guy wants to be a HC, and someone in a power 5 conference is offering him that chance, and in this offensive focused world you can't really turn down a chance if you're a DC. I still think he'd be better off at a place like UCF doing what Herman's done in a high level Mid major with no Ohio State or Michigan or Michigan State to compete with, but I get it.

I was very impressed with our overall D after the three straight shutouts.  After that, not so much, and I'm taking into account the D-line injuries.  LBs were a weak link and Durkin was their position coach.  So, I don't think it would be a gigantic drop-off if he left, especially if Mattison (who is good, but not great) returns.

On the other hand, I saw lots of improvement with the QB, TEs, WRs, and DBs during the course of the season, and I think those position coaches deserve a bonus.  Getting the DBs to successfully switch to press coverage was huge, IMO.  

 

I'm not buying it...but here is what I believe

http://detroitsportsrag.net/d-j-durkin-coaching-update/

I honestly didn't see the same intensity, entusiasm, or performance from the defense in the latter part of the season that we saw in the beginning. I don't know whether that was because guys were playing hurt, because the practice or training schedule wore them out, or what.

PURSUIT: was an obvious difference. In the early part of the season, we marveled at how there were 3-4 players on top of every pass receiver immediately; on run plays it was often 8 or 9. by the end of the season, it was only a couple, they didn't seem as fast to the ball, and didn't seem like they were attacking the ball as a group.

SPEED: In the early season, we saw amazing speed to the ball- guys flying around, selling out, with confidence and enthusiasm.  Michigan defenders looked like they had an extra gear compared to the guys were playing against, but it wasn't just relative.  Later in the year, they had pretty much lost that gear. I remember on a game or two thinking, "did these guys run a 10K this morning? They look a little tired, even in the 1st half."

LINING UP: How many times in the OSU game did you see 3 or 4 guys scrambling to get to the other side to line up, just before the snap. Durkin may have out-smarted himself there, trying to get the perfect matchups on receivers, etc. But it seemed like a lot of wasted movement, which couldn't be good for concentration, and seemed to increase the amount of stress and likelihood of mistakes.

FOOTWORK: It seemed as the season went on, players relied more and more on reaching, instead of moving into proper position. Their feet and hips slowed down. This results in more arm tackles, poorer leverage, etc. Again, tired legs, maybe?
[BTW this has been my one criticism of Jordan Lewis, and the thing I hope he comes back to work on- he seems to rely a little to much on his hands and arms in coverage, sometimes a little lazy getting his hips in better position on the receiver]

TURNOVERS:
Weren't we supposed to see a lot more this year, because that is what they emphasized? [As though Hoke/Mattison didn't]. I don't know how we ended up, but a lot less than we had hoped for or imagined. Later in the season, I did notice Michigan defenders giving up a lot more yards after contact when it seemed like they were going to strip the ball, rather than taking down the defender.

LINEBACKERS: They did not progress as we would have hoped. Granted, they may have been a problem to begin with. I find it interesting how often the position the DC coaches can be a problem spot (I seem to recall saying the same thing when Ron English was the DC coaching the Safeties). This might be coincidence, but I think it is also possible because that coach is divided in his duties, and that in order to be good to his fellow defensive coaches, he schematically puts a little bit too much on his own position group guys.

An added factor to LBer problems- Bolden really had the persona of a solid LB: he had LB looks, talked like a LB, had the charisma and apparent leadership skills, so he is definitely the kind of guy you want to work out at that position; but for one reason or another, was not able to consistently perform at a championship level. [Reminded me a lot of Devin Gardner in that sense]

I'd like to know how all this sniffing around other jobs affected Durkin's level of focus during the OSU game preparations (and perhaps even PSU and Indiana).

Nobody in any position at Michigan would claim it did but it's common sense. You're not gonna be 100% in your focus on your current duties if you also have other important stuff going on which could seriously affect your life and career.

Given that the D by all accounts laid an egg..maybe the game preparation wasn't top notch.

but 4* Dontavius Jackson refuted the point on twitter while he was with Durkin.