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D.J. Durkin's future with Maryland's football team could be resolved soon

The University System of Maryland Board of Regents met Tuesday to discuss the results of an investigation into allegations of a toxic culture within the Maryland football program.
Credit: Joe Robbins
STATE COLLEGE, PA - OCTOBER 08: Head coach DJ Durkin of the Maryland Terrapins reacts in the first quarter against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium on October 8, 2016 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

BALTIMORE (WUSA 9) -- The University System of Maryland (USM) Board of Regents convened Tuesday morning to discuss the results of an investigation into allegations of a toxic culture within the University of Maryland football program, according to the USM.

The board will also meet Thursday via conference call to continue discussing the results of the investigation.

The findings of the investigation are expected to be made public within the next seven days, at which point the board will announce any initial decisions or recommendations resulting from the investigation, according to the USM.

The board is expected to make a recommendation regarding the future of head football coach D.J. Durkin. While the board does not have the power to fire the coach, it can recommend personnel decisions, according to ESPN in an FAQ regarding the investigation. Durkin has been on administrative leave since Aug. 11.

Athletics director Damon Evans is the only person who can relieve Durkin of his head coaching duties, according to ESPN, though university president Wallace D. Loh will most likely have a say in the decision. Loh was not present at Tuesday’s meeting, according to Heather Dinich of ESPN.

Despite not being the focus of the investigation, the future of Evans and Loh at Maryland is uncertain, according to ESPN.

The allegations of a toxic culture within the Maryland football program were reported by ESPN on Aug. 10. On Aug. 14, in response to the allegations, Loh announced he was forming a committee to investigate the situation while strength and conditioning coach Rick Court was relieved of his position. The board took complete control of the investigation on Aug. 24, according to ESPN.

During the meeting on Tuesday, members of the board were given a draft of a report on the investigation, according to Dinich. She reported that a member of the board estimated the report to be 200 pages long.

This investigation is one of two that has been conducted following the death of 19-year-old offensive lineman Jordan McNair. McNair died on June 13 after suffering a heatstroke during a team workout on May 29. Durkin was present at the workout, but his role on that day is currently unclear, according to ESPN.

The results of the first investigation, which was conducted by Walters Inc., were made public on Sept. 21 and found Maryland’s athletic training staff liable in McNair’s death because they failed treat him for heatstroke symptoms.

The football program has played the first seven games of the 2018 season under interim head coach Matt Canada, going 4-3.

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