Originally Posted by Dustin
Originally Posted by jawbone
Durkin got fired from Maryland after the player died but the biggest reason was some of the players didn't like him and the people that fired him said he created a "toxic culture". That sounds way too woke to me. I think AU should see how the players respond to him, which seems positive so far and give him serious consideration. If he gets the job, I'll be alright with that.

I wonder how many of the players that I saw running stadium steps at AU at daybreak when I was there because they got in Dye's doghouse thought that was "toxic"? They lived through it and went on to great things, on and off the field.

I wonder how "toxic" the players that survived Bear Bryant's Junction training camp thought it was?

It takes tough times to change a culture and that is what coaches have to do sometimes.

It wasn't about running steps.
Bryant's Junction camp was "toxic" and abusive and he recognized that later. We did a lot of things years ago that were stupid but we didn't know any better.
This was less than 10 years ago. Throwing weights at people, making them eat until they puke sounds like an abusive culture. It wasn't Durkin but it was the guy that Durkin hired. Players probably had a reason not to like him.

Originally Posted by ESPN article
Players and other sources close to the team said Durkin and Court were aligned in all elements surrounding workouts and strength training.

"They're joined at the hip," one source said. "They're the same. They use the same language and the same classification."

Added a current player: "They usually target and pick a couple people they think are soft and go after them. ... [Durkin and Court] feed off of each other. I would say Court is as much responsible for the culture as Durkin."

A former staff member said Court is Durkin's "confidant."

You can be a good coach and get people to perform without being a dumbass.
Maybe Durkin has learned that but If I'm trying to turn the ship around after the past few coaching hires I do believe I'd try to avoid someone with that blemish on their record.
Here's a RUMOR I heard last week....

The Auburn administration held back on firing Freeze after the Missouri loss because they didn't want to give Durkin an opportunity to turn the season around. This would have made it more difficult to push him aside after the season and they don't want him to have the job.

I can't say this has any merit, it's just something a friend shared with me a week ago.

Dying ain't much of a living boy...Josey Wales

Molon Labe