For Maryland football, it’s been the most abnormal week imaginable.
The 2018 season was already bizarre enough. Head coach DJ Durkin went on administrative leave during fall camp, and Maryland had already played eight games with Matt Canada as the acting head coach, going 5-3. But this week, after a months-long investigation into the program’s culture, the Board of Regents recommended Durkin’s reinstatement. He returned to the team Tuesday. Then, school president Wallace Loh fired Durkin anyway on Wednesday. During the 28 hours in between, three players walked out of a meeting and two punters traded punches.
On Saturday, though, Maryland took the field and normalcy returned.