Have regents overcome their ‘bout of stupidity?’

Upon further review, the egregiously wrong call made by the Maryland Board of Regents to allow DJ Durkin to return as head coach of the University of Maryland football team has been overturned and a modicum of sense seems to have prevailed (“Gov. Hogan says firing of Maryland football coach a ‘big step’ forward, but has ‘concerns’ about process,” Nov. 1).

The board’s chairman, James T. Brady, and the other 16 members seemed to have suffered a momentary bout of stupidity claiming that Coach Durkin was “unfairly blamed” for the culture of his program. (Mr. Brady resigned Thursday.) I see seven and a half million reasons why Mr. Durkin, in his third year at a $2.5 million annual salary, should be held totally responsible for the death of one the players, Jordan McNair. The level of first-aid knowledge that would have prevented the young man’s death from heatstroke is taught in CPR and sports safety courses required by every high school coach in most states. That the training staff was intimidated by Mr. Durkin and his strength coach, Rick Court, to the extent that they were reluctant and negligent in treating Jordan is the reason why the coach should have been fired last August.

Mr. Durkin has had a three-month paid vacation, Mr. Court received $315,000 to go away, and the McNair family has received nothing but more pain by the Board of Regent’s actions this week.