Maryland interim coach Canada: Health, safety are 'primary focus'

[August 16, 2018]  Maryland offensive coordinator and interim head coach Matt Canada emphasized the health and safety of his players on Wednesday in his first public comments since head coach DJ Durkin was placed on leave.

"Our practices have been extremely crisp," Canada told reporters at practice. "The focus of our players' health and safety is No. 1, and our players are feeling that and understanding that. That's our primary focus."

The comments came a day after university president Wallace D. Loh said at a press conference that the school accepted "legal and moral responsibility" for the decisions made by its training staff in relation to the death of 19-year-old offensive lineman Jordan McNair.

McNair died on June 13 after being hospitalized following a team workout on May 29. No cause of death has been announced, but ESPN reported he died of heatstroke.

Canada spoke to some of the changes the team has made in recent weeks to improve health and safety, including giving players two breaks per practice. Players also have access to snacks, Gatorade and water, and two white tents (one for offense, one for defense) have been set up at practice to serve as cooling stations.

"Our entire staff has done a tremendous job of coming together, of bonding together, of making it about our players," Canada said. "It's amazing what you can accomplish when nobody cares who's getting the credit, and we're seeing that right now in our building."

Canada added that his staff had a meeting with players' parents to discuss any concerns they have.

"I've talked to a couple of parents, and I've been very open and honest, which I think is the only way to be," he said. "Everybody's concerns right now are very wide-ranging. ... Our parents and our players want to have a good football season."

The university previously hired former collegiate athletic trainer Dr. Rod Walters to investigate whether coaches and team staff followed proper procedures on the day McNair was hospitalized. According to Walters' preliminary findings, the staff at Maryland did not take McNair's body temperature at the workout, apply any cold water immersion treatment or follow the proper emergency response plan.

Penn State linebacker Jason Cabinda (40) moves in to strip the ball from Maryland Terrapins quarterback Max Bortenschlager (18) at Maryland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports

The details of Walters' full investigation are expected to be released on Sept. 15.

Billy Murphy, the McNair family's attorney, told ESPN over the weekend that McNair suffered a seizure at 5 p.m. on May 29, and nobody from Maryland called 911 until an hour after. Murphy added that McNair had a body temperature of 106 degrees when he was admitted to a local hospital.

An ESPN report over the weekend detailed what it called a "toxic culture" in the Maryland football program that existed before McNair's death's. In the report, assistant athletics director for sports performance Rick Court was singled out for allegations of verbal abuse and bullying, which were allegedly enabled by Durkin.

Maryland put Durkin on administrative leave Saturday, and parted ways with Court through a financial settlement on Tuesday. ESPN reported the team also placed head football athletic trainer Wes Robinson and director of athletic training Steve Nordwall on leave.

Loh said Tuesday that all individuals suspended deserve "due process" before a decision is made on their futures.

--Field Level Media

[© 2018 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2018 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.