Coach DJ Durkin walked to midcourt of Xfinity Center on Saturday night, one year and one day after he took over the Maryland football team, and received an ovation.
As the applause subsided, he addressed the Maryland men’s basketball team’s halftime crowd, thanking the fans for their support during a regular season in which the Terps suffered a few blowout defeats but also doubled last year’s win total to clinch bowl eligibility.
“This is the first stepping stone in the direction we’re going,” Durkin said, pointing his arm up. “It’s taking off, and this is the first step for us.”
Sunday afternoon, the Terps (6-6, 3-6 Big Ten) learned their destination for the final outing of Durkin’s rookie season. Maryland will face Boston College in the Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit on Dec. 26 at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN.
“Obviously, it’s a reward for our guys in terms of enjoyment and things that go along with it, but there’s also great responsibility and preparation,” Durkin said on a conference call. “We’re doing everything we can and preparing to win this game and not just be a participant.”
The Eagles went 6-6 this season with a 2-6 mark in ACC play. They won their last two games to secure bowl eligibility. Boston College’s offense ranks 127th out of 128 FBS teams in total offense, averaging 288.3 yards a game.
For Maryland, which clinched bowl eligibility with a victory over Rutgers in the regular-season finale, the contest allows Durkin to hold extra practices. Teams participating in bowls practice about 15 times entering their appearances, an opportunity Durkin said he cherishes for his young players’ developments. The Terps played more than 15 true freshmen this season, many of whom started at least one game.
The Terps found out about their matchup on Ford Field after Sunday afternoon’s practice, a session Durkin said his team was “flying around” the field.
“They were excited,” he said. “They were fired up to go play.”
Durkin plans to mix practices with coaches’ recruiting trips and players’ final exams before leaving for Detroit on Dec. 22.
Perhaps Maryland’s biggest emphasis in the weeks before facing the Eagles will be playing its seniors. The Terps rallied around the veterans in the build up to facing the Scarlet Knights and want to end their tumultuous season on a positive postseason note.
The veterans have endured a coaching change and multiple losing seasons since arriving in College Park, while suffering two bowl losses.
Under former coach Randy Edsall, the Terps lost, 31-20, to Marshall in the 2013 Military Bowl. The next season, the team suffered a 45-21 defeat against Stanford in the Foster Farms Bowl.
The Terps haven’t won a bowl game since the 2010 Military Bowl, former coach Ralph Friedgen’s final game with the program. They’ll aim to end the slide against Boston College and cap Durkin’s first year in College Park with a winning record.
“It’s a tangible thing that people can see and say ‘OK, we know that there’s growth and progress within the program,'” Durkin said.
“We’re honored to be a part of it,” he added, “and we’re going to prepare the right way and play our best.”
