The Terps hired former Syracuse coach Scott Shafer to be their new defensive coordinator.
The Terrapins football team has hired former Syracuse coach Scott Shafer as its next defensive coordinator, the program announced Wednesday. Shafer is one of four additions to new coach DJ Durkin’s staff.
After working as the Orange’s defensive coordinator from 2009-12, Shafer was named the head coach before the 2013 campaign. He went 14-23 as a head coach before being fired on Nov. 23. The Orange finished 4-8 this season.
Shafer, 48, has a connection with Durkin from their time together at Stanford in 2007. They both worked under current Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh with the Cardinal.
In their year together at Stanford, Durkin worked as the defensive ends coach and special teams coach while Shafer served as the team’s defensive coordinator.
Shafer got his coaching start in 1991 as a graduate assistant at Indiana. Since then, he has worked at Rhode Island, Northern Illinois, Illinois, Western Michigan, Stanford, and Michigan.
Shafer becomes the second coach Durkin has added to his staff since he was hired Wednesday. On Monday, the Terps reportedly hired former Alabama assistant director of player personnel, Aazaar Abdul-Rahim, to work as the team’s defensive backs coach.
Sports Illustrated was the first to announce Shafer’s hiring Tuesday.
