Maryland OL who died in May died from heatstroke after team workout
Some relevant quotes:
"Our preliminary investigation reveals there is an unexplained one-hour time period when nothing significant was done to avoid the complications of heatstroke," Murphy said. "Although there is some evidence they allegedly tried to cool him down, he should have been iced immediately. He presented at the hospital with a temperature of 106, which means he was not cooled down"
"But multiple witnesses at the workout told ESPN that McNair had physical difficulty before the workout ended and needed two teammates to help him complete the 10th sprint. "There's no way he finished on his own," one of the players at the workout told ESPN."
"Multiple sources said that after the 10th sprint finished, Wes Robinson, Maryland's longtime head football trainer, yelled, "Drag his ass across the field!""
This is pretty horrifying. If true Durkin and his staff need to be gone ASAP.
August 10th, 2018 at 5:54 PM ^
At what point do coaches get criminally charged for being culpable in a student athletes death?
At: "drag his ass across the field" is right about where I'd draw that line.
August 10th, 2018 at 6:44 PM ^
and that was the trainer. Shameful
August 10th, 2018 at 10:02 PM ^
What a scumbag to say that.
August 10th, 2018 at 5:57 PM ^
Another disgrace for B10 football coaches. Fire them!
August 10th, 2018 at 6:05 PM ^
There was a time when it seemed the B10 could legitimately claim they held themselves to a higher standard than at least some of the other power conferences. That time has clearly passed regardless of whether it's only a few bad apples.
August 10th, 2018 at 6:13 PM ^
That time never existed
August 10th, 2018 at 7:08 PM ^
Jim Delany needs to go.
August 10th, 2018 at 5:59 PM ^
It's sad how fucked up my favorite sport is.
August 10th, 2018 at 8:58 PM ^
Agree. Football hit it's peak and now it's on the way down.
Too much win at all costs / scandals, both NFL and college.
Kids are moving away from it. Our high school is about 12-20 players short of what they used to field.
August 10th, 2018 at 5:59 PM ^
Holy shit. This sounds like more than an NCAA-mandated firing. This could be involuntary manslaughter or negligent homicide (or something similar, for those more expert in the law than I).
August 11th, 2018 at 12:19 AM ^
This story sounds a lot like what happened at Northwestern with Rashidi Wheeler in 2001. He was clearly struggling in a workout with no coaches around and no one did anything until it was too late. Hard to believe the stupidity; feel horrible for the family.
August 10th, 2018 at 6:01 PM ^
That poor guy’s family, wrongful death suit will be justified
August 10th, 2018 at 6:01 PM ^
Wtf. How does this shit still happen? How many more times does it have to happen before knucklehead coaches figure it out? Especially the BIG guys.
August 10th, 2018 at 7:10 PM ^
Sadly they have it figured out. Cheating, gross misconduct, etc. Just win baby. Keep bringing that money in at any cost.
August 10th, 2018 at 6:06 PM ^
This is the least important issue, but as other commenters have pointed out legal and moral considerations, I think it's worth mentioning that Durkin could get the boot over this--and pending some contextualizing information, especially team policy on these issues--probably should.
August 10th, 2018 at 6:12 PM ^
My guess is that Maryland will appoint a "Blue Ribbon Fact-Finding Commission" that will work for TWO WHOLE WEEKS to decide whether or no all proper protocols were followed. Their findings will be that yes, they were. However, this is only because Durkin has won more games than most Maryland coaches. If he goes 4-8 this year, they will fire him without a second thought...
August 10th, 2018 at 7:34 PM ^
Such cynicism!
August 10th, 2018 at 8:19 PM ^
But on this one, he's probably more accurate than any of us want to admit.
August 11th, 2018 at 12:39 AM ^
The OSU panel will conclude very soon. Maryland should consider hiring them for their investigation.....
August 10th, 2018 at 6:10 PM ^
I expected something like this 30+ years ago. I thought these days everybody was aware of the dangers of exercise in high heat and the importance of keeping hydrated.
August 10th, 2018 at 6:12 PM ^
People are aware... but some of those people also don't give a shit, apparently.
August 10th, 2018 at 6:18 PM ^
Not that this isn’t a tragedy but this happened on a day that was in the 80s. Not exactly a super high heat.
its part of the tough guy culture of football that leads to guys playing through injuries, and considering our dB coach just last year was calling out a guy by name to the media for not playing through an injury let’s not pretend it couldn’t happen here too.
interesting that people want Durkin fired since you’d think whether a player can go or not would be on the training and medical staff. I think part of the reason there wasn’t immediate outcry is because stuff like working to exhaustion to the point where guys need support is something that happens more than once a season.
August 10th, 2018 at 7:59 PM ^
Yeah. No need to be a responsible adult and call an EMS for an hour after a kid collapses and has a seizure.
Kids have seizures all the time. Just drag them off to the side and let them recover, right?
Edit: looks liked Durkin wasn't there for this workout. But the above comment alluded to him not having culpability even if he were, which is wrong. Any coach there that was aware of the situation and did nothing should be fired.
August 10th, 2018 at 9:16 PM ^
I haven’t seen any reports that the seizure happened on the field and I believe it’s when the seizure occurred during treatment that the ambulance was called.
of course people fucked up, someone died. But I think this is something that could happen to a lot of teams because of the culture around football. Look at what people are saying about Durkin, you really think that just magically occurred when he left? It’s that mentality that harbaugh loves about him.
August 10th, 2018 at 8:54 PM ^
In the 80s, okay, what was the humidity level at the time in question? There doesn't need to be "super high" heat, just enough heat and humidity that would make it difficult for the human body to regulate its temperature. 25 years ago when I was training our fine young men in the art of war, during warm weather we would get hourly updates as to the wet bulb temperature so that we could force hydrate and or reduce and even curtail activities. You have an 18 year old recruit die from heat stroke be prepared for a Courts Martial from which you wouldn't merely be fired, but would face some hard time at Ft. Leavenworth.
Damn skippy Durkin should be fired, and face civil tort, but the trainer, especially the trainer, and anybody else from the football staff that were in attendance should be facing criminal charges.
August 10th, 2018 at 9:46 PM ^
Temperatures in the 80s and in a full May sun --- that's no joke. The May sun is an intense as the July sun. Plus the Maryland almost-always-present humidity.
I get it --- coaches want to toughen up their players. But coaches need to be trained to recognize the heatstroke warning signs, even if it's not super hot. It can happen even when it's not 100+ outside.
Myself --- I'll go out and run every once in awhile during the middle of the afternoon in the summer. Some of this on 90+ days in the intense Colorado sun. But the second I start to feel a little "more than just tired", I shut it down. I'd push through that if I was running at 6 AM in 63-degree weather. But not in the heat though. Heat can be dangerous.
Best wishes to the player's family. Very tough for them.
August 10th, 2018 at 10:58 PM ^
I agree and disagree.
I agree in the sense that this could have happened just about anywhere. It's the way football is run anymore. I disagree that people shouldn't be calling for Durkin's firing, though. If this can happen anywhere then the only way for it to stop is to start holding coaches responsible for things like this that happen on their watch. Same with the Brian Kelly incident. If there are no consequences for things like this then coaches aren't going to change anything.
August 10th, 2018 at 6:53 PM ^
They're aware, but not everyone is fully aware.
August 10th, 2018 at 6:13 PM ^
This is beyond horrible and tragic! Thoughts and prayers once again to his family for an absolutely unnecessary loss of a young life.
August 10th, 2018 at 6:17 PM ^
It's a sad case. And obviously a bad one or Maryland. Once they get past the trainers and S&C coaches who were present, who is most culpable? It could be the AD.
There should be a school wide policy on how to deal with heatstroke and other medical emergencies. Why have a different procedure for football and lacrosse, for example? It's too important to leave up to the staff of each sport. We certainly wouldn't want that to be left up to coaches. If the policy is insufficient, then the AD is to blame.
If there was a proper procedure and it wasn't followed, then it falls more on Durkin. It sounds like that was likely. He's responsible when his staff screws up. I hope he wasn't any more involved than that.
August 10th, 2018 at 6:28 PM ^
Article is even worse:
"His head, he barely had control over it. His head was limp to the point where it was back. They were walking him across the field to get him up and moving, I guess. But then they basically took him over to position drills, which took a long time."
MD contests that he had a seizure at 5pm (and EMT not called until 6pm). But even if he was like the above at 5pm, seems criminally negligent.
August 10th, 2018 at 6:36 PM ^
Wow. That goes well beyond having a tough workout. If he didn't have control of his head it seems that any prudent coach would have got him help immediately instead of having people carry him to position drills.
The players will likely turn on the negligent staff members I would think and lawsuits will come at the school. With what we know right now I think several people will get fired.
August 10th, 2018 at 8:01 PM ^
Having read that, this sets up for a lot of firings, as you said, and a pretty hefty and justified lawsuit, as others have mentioned. I really don't see how Durkin survives this, but then there might not be a lot of people left to coach at Maryland in short order - or at least that's what the result of this should be, IMHO.
August 10th, 2018 at 10:14 PM ^
Why do you have a Star next to your name
August 10th, 2018 at 8:39 PM ^
"His head, he barely had control over it. His head was limp to the point where it was back."
Sounds really bad, But does anyone with medical athletic training experience know- how much of a red flag is this? What are the various symptoms who is pushed the limits of exhaustion (and will recover and presumably get stronger) versus those that an athlete is in actual physical danger?
August 10th, 2018 at 9:05 PM ^
I find it hard to believe that players and coaches can't, in this day and age, recognize the symptoms of heat injuries and implement immediate first aid.
August 10th, 2018 at 6:38 PM ^
OT - Does anyone know how to add an avatar to your profile? I can't see to find it.
August 10th, 2018 at 6:41 PM ^
Your sympathy for the victim is truly moving...
August 10th, 2018 at 6:40 PM ^
Very tragic and possibly preventable had the appropriate actions been taken. But from what i recall of the reports after his death I don’t think Durkin was present at the workout. People in the position of training staff should know the signs and symptoms of someone in clear distress.
From today’s report: The strength and conditioning staff, led by Rick Court, supervised the workout.
August 10th, 2018 at 6:40 PM ^
With all the precautions in place this day in age, this inaction is unacceptable. Something could've been done to prevent this. Absolutely senseless. 80 degree day, 100 degree day. None of that matters. This isn't 1954 in Junction, Texas. When someone collapses or falls out during military training due to a suspected heat induced injury, the first thing they do is take a core temperature. A bit aggressive, but effective. This is pure negligence. How's that for a recruiting line: "Come to Maryland where we'll drive you so hard you'll die." It's a badge of honor for sure.
August 10th, 2018 at 6:48 PM ^
I don't know what can be done to differentiate between normal fatigue and neat that is a natural part of conditioning, and a dangerous level of body heat that can cause serious health problems or death.
But it's not my job to know, I don't run an intensive conditioning program for a high-level athletic establishment.
The guys who do run these programs have to know. Korey Stringer died 17 years ago; it's not like there haven't been things learned and adapted. Even if someone has a special health problem (whether unknown or induced) that makes them sucseptible to this in conditions in which there would normally not be a problem, S&C staff have to know.
If a guy can't walk on his own there's a problem. If this sort of thing happens for non-serious reasons, no matter; it's still a potential problem. NDP1075 mentions a perfectly adequate test that can apparently be performed quickly.
I'm not sure if Durkin is responsible here--S&C stuff usually has to occur outside of the immediate involvement of the HC for a number of reasons. But it's his show and he has questions to answer.
August 10th, 2018 at 6:54 PM ^
Another stain on the conference.....
August 10th, 2018 at 6:58 PM ^
Reading the article I can’t imagine that staff lasting the season, let along making it to week one.
August 10th, 2018 at 7:07 PM ^
Durkin’s ass is gone within a week. Maybe even by Monday. They’ll still have to keep part of the staff together on an interim basis to weather the season, but they’ll all be out of a job by the last week of November.
Glad Durkin isn’t here anymore. Don’t want someone like that around our players. Not to mention we’ve got someone even better.
August 10th, 2018 at 7:12 PM ^
We do have someone better. But it doesn't sound like it was Durkin doing the dirty stuff, just one of the staff members. Durkin is still responsible for his staff and (as I say below) may need to be fired for it, but the nasty stuff described here isn't stuff he has done personally.
August 10th, 2018 at 7:29 PM ^
Read the ESPN our old friend Tom VanHaarn just posted and I guarentee you'll change your mind. It's brutal
August 10th, 2018 at 7:34 PM ^
Can you imagine a training staff behaving that way if the coach didn't approve? Going into their 3rd season together, I just can't.
August 11th, 2018 at 12:05 AM ^
Even if he didn’t have a direct hand in it, it doesn’t matter. Durkin hired these guys, or at least kept them on staff. So he is responsible for them. This wasn’t some one-off situation where Durkin was out of town, laid down the law with his staff about what was acceptable, and an assistant trainer decided he was going to push the envelope anyway. This is a systemic culture problem which, at best, Durkin ignores and looks the other way on. Or at worst, he encourages it.
A young man is dead. That’s as bad as it gets. He deserves to be fired. At the bare minimum.
August 11th, 2018 at 1:55 AM ^
The background info in the new ESPN article comes from numerous current and former players and former staff members and essentially says it's Durkin's culture, and he and the strength coach were like peas in a pod. Obligatory IF this is all true, it's really, really bad.
Which makes me wonder how things were in his area of operations when he was here. I don't recall hearing about things like this, but these are the kind of things that absent something extreme happening, players and staff are just going to keep their mouths shut about.
August 10th, 2018 at 6:59 PM ^
Feel for the victim and his family. And yes, he is a victim.
Too many coach’s value “toughness” and “perseverance” over the safety of their players.