DJ Durkin Working Behind the Scenes for Saban at 'Bama
Former Maryland head coach D.J. Durkin, fired in October after a lengthy investigation into the death of one of his players, has resurfaced at Alabama.
In his first foray back into football since his October firing, Durkin has been helping Alabama this past week in a consultant-like capacity, sources told AL.com. It’s unclear at this point if Durkin could have a long-term role on Nick Saban’s Alabama staff though, according to sources.
Interesting with the Dax Hill situation
December 13th, 2018 at 11:27 AM ^
Why am I not surprised?
December 13th, 2018 at 11:28 AM ^
i'm a little surprised. i figured he'd be at liberty.
December 13th, 2018 at 11:29 AM ^
Fuck! You earned that +1!
December 13th, 2018 at 11:47 AM ^
Everyone is welcome at Saban's Home for Wayward Coaches.
December 13th, 2018 at 11:55 AM ^
Or as the Shutdown Fullcast called it once... Ma Saban's Home for Very Special Boys.
December 13th, 2018 at 12:53 PM ^
There is a brilliance to this. It ensures that even though he is a cheating scumbag, far fewer of his colleagues are going to call him out on that, either because they once worked for him, might work for him in the future, don't want to implicate someone now on their own staff, etc. Smart scumbag...
December 13th, 2018 at 1:04 PM ^
Saban either is an evil genius that looks for any advantage no matter where it comes from, or he down deep has some softness toward men that have screwed up and wants to help them get their life back on track. I believe he tried to hire / wanted to hire Freeze as an assistant but the SEC said "NO".
Who am I kidding. Dude is as Machiavellian as it gets.
December 13th, 2018 at 1:21 PM ^
I don't think Nick Saban with ever be confused with Father Flanagan, and Alabama is not Boys Town.
December 13th, 2018 at 3:02 PM ^
of course satan would want him on staff....durk is a killer coach.
oh, that was bad...... Lord, I apologize.
December 13th, 2018 at 11:36 AM ^
Who's handling Durkin's junk?
December 13th, 2018 at 12:19 PM ^
His Ball Guy, not to be confused with his Fall Guy.
December 13th, 2018 at 1:18 PM ^
Nicely done...
December 13th, 2018 at 10:10 PM ^
He's not at liberty to say why he's at Alabama. He'd better not shoot the elephant.
December 13th, 2018 at 11:35 AM ^
Saban tried to hire Freeze last year. I'm pretty sure you could kill Saban's dog and he'd still hire you if he thought you could help his team win.
December 13th, 2018 at 11:59 AM ^
You could kill anyone's dog, but his.
December 13th, 2018 at 12:22 PM ^
You can kill an actual student athlete, but not Saban's dog.
December 13th, 2018 at 12:26 PM ^
Well if you killed his dog you would have to play football well instead of coach it. But you did say hire so I guess that actually covers it
December 13th, 2018 at 12:35 PM ^
I wonder who stopped him last year. Where is the ethical line? Maybe Art Briles next?
December 13th, 2018 at 12:56 PM ^
Where is the ethical line...here's a picture of Saban's ethical line:
December 13th, 2018 at 5:10 PM ^
Which begs the question...how can Durkin help his team win?
December 13th, 2018 at 11:27 AM ^
Because of course he is.
December 13th, 2018 at 11:27 AM ^
Low character has no limits
December 13th, 2018 at 11:29 AM ^
I guess likes do in fact attract
December 13th, 2018 at 11:50 AM ^
Former head coach with a history of player abuse? There's always room at Bama or OSU!
December 13th, 2018 at 11:32 AM ^
What the heck does Durkin offer to that program?
December 13th, 2018 at 11:47 AM ^
Unfortunately a more brutal way to process players that satan has no use for.
December 13th, 2018 at 1:11 PM ^
Telling Michigan commits, who Alabama want, that Harbaugh and the program are terrible, as well as coach leaving for the NFL.
December 13th, 2018 at 11:49 AM ^
Not sure who you're asking that question to, durkin or satan, but in either case the answer's no they don't!
December 13th, 2018 at 11:34 AM ^
Boom...I bet this is the shocking news Sam Webb mentioned Durkin told Hill he knew Harbaugh is going to NFL
December 13th, 2018 at 12:21 PM ^
This would confirm that Durkin truly is a piece of shit in my book.
December 13th, 2018 at 12:41 PM ^
Are you just confirming this now??
December 13th, 2018 at 12:58 PM ^
Maybe
December 13th, 2018 at 2:25 PM ^
You know, he did oversee a toxic football program that resulted in the preventable death of one of his players. But, let's not rush to judgment.
December 13th, 2018 at 12:42 PM ^
I'm not so sure that I needed any confirmation of that, just sayin'.
December 13th, 2018 at 3:43 PM ^
So you're saying that Saban hired him to be the emotional bag man? That's an effective duo in tandem with the physical bag men.
December 13th, 2018 at 11:34 AM ^
Similar people tend to attract each other. Not surprised at this... Saban see's a good football mind and mines it. Durkin see's an untouchable program willing to touch him, so he jumps. What is there to be surprised about? The ethics of anything just don't matter. Ask the Powell PD...
December 13th, 2018 at 11:45 AM ^
"See's" lol. This is a new one for me.
December 13th, 2018 at 12:12 PM ^
%$#%%$&$ autocorrect.
December 13th, 2018 at 12:31 PM ^
December 13th, 2018 at 12:30 PM ^
The whole apostrophe thing from another thread may have influenced this post. (Or should I have said 'the hole apostrophe'...?)
December 13th, 2018 at 12:22 PM ^
Harbaugh and Durkin worked together for multiple periods of time, so that doesn't reflect great on Harbaugh either. That said, Durkin didn't get Saban's attention until after a kid died on his watch
December 13th, 2018 at 12:44 PM ^
The difference being, Harbaugh was pre-negligent homicide and Saban was post. That's a pretty big difference. What your saying is kinda like Ted Kaczynski went to U of M so that reflects poorly on the college because he decided at some point in his life to send bombs in the mail. People are responsible for their own decisions.
It's almost like Saban is trying to submarine his program just to see what he can get away with.
December 13th, 2018 at 12:58 PM ^
I realize sticking up for Harbaugh makes sense for us fans, but it's OK to wonder if DJ was somewhat off when he was with Harbaugh. If he wasn't, no problem. If he was (and it sounds like he was at least a bit based on player accounts), then Harbaugh either didn't see, ignored it, or didn't find it problematic.
Just like the ex-wife of a guy who goes on a killing spree gets some tough questions, it's natural to wonder what Harbaugh did or didn't see out of DJ.
Of course, pre and post killing is a different story so Saban and Harbaugh are nothing alike in this situation.
December 13th, 2018 at 11:35 AM ^
I can hardly remember when he got fired for killing a kid, it felt so long ago, what has been like two months? Damn, Alabama I see you have no shame at all... It's like your actively trying to make me hate college football.
December 13th, 2018 at 11:36 AM ^
Ryan Day is already behind on hiring coaches with scandals in their history.
Urban Meyer would've never let this one slip by.
I cant believe I didn't see this coming.
December 13th, 2018 at 1:40 PM ^
I was just logging on to say this. Missing out on a coach with a very questionable past is a serious failing in the eyes of buckeye fans.
December 13th, 2018 at 11:38 AM ^
Perfect match. Where OSU not under the microscope with a new coach, he'd probably be back there with Meyer.
December 13th, 2018 at 11:38 AM ^
What would this have anything to do with the Dax Hill situation? Any coach could claim they know Harbaugh is going to the NFL. Durkin isn't special.
December 13th, 2018 at 11:40 AM ^
Durkin, a dude who has known Harbaugh for years and worked closely with him multiple times, "isn't special"? He's ostensibly Harbaugh's good friend with no desire to fuck him over.
Put your thinking cap on. If Durkin told Dax that Harbaugh was gone, it explains everything.