Admitting Significant Mistakes, Maryland Accepts Responsibility for Football Player’s Death

Patrick Semansky, AP Images

Training-staff members made key mistakes at the University of Maryland at College Park football practice that preceded a player’s death this year, and the president, Wallace D. Loh, on Tuesday said the campus was accountable.

“The university accepts legal and moral responsibility for the mistakes that our training staff made on that fateful workout day of May 29,” he said at a news conference, echoing what he said he had told the parents of the student, Jordan McNair, on Tuesday morning.

Loh’s statement is significant as he’s drawn criticism for the university’s response to the death. Outrage bubbled over this week after allegations of verbal abuse and intimidation by the football program’s staff were first reported by ESPN on Friday. A lawyer representing McNair’s family has called for the head coach, DJ Durkin, to be fired immediately, the Associated Press reported. He has been placed on leave.

Damon Evans, Maryland’s athletics director, said he had not witnessed the behavior described in news-media reports, and when asked if he was responsible for the team’s culture, he pledged to help lead the staff through “difficult times.”

Though a review of coaching practices is underway, Loh said he knew enough to recognize that some policies “do not conform to best practices.”

Staff members did not diagnose McNair’s heat-related illness, take his temperature, or treat him by immersing him in cold water, which were “significant” findings, Evans said.

Evans said Rick Court, a strength and conditioning coach, is no longer employed by the university. Multiple people alleged name calling and other intimidation by Court, ESPN reported.

Lindsay Ellis is a staff reporter. Follow her on Twitter @lindsayaellis, or email her at lindsay.ellis@chronicle.com.