Brady's resignation took effect immediately, ending what has been a tumultuous week at MarylandBALTIMORE SUN
University System of Maryland Board of Regents Chair James Brady resigned Thursday following the "whirlwind of controversy at the state’s flagship university that began with the June death of football player Jordan McNair," according to a front-page piece by Tkacik, Dance & Broadwater of the BALTIMORE SUN. Brady said, "In recent days, I have become the public face of both the board and its decisions. In my estimation, my continued presence on the board will inhibit its ability to move Maryland’s higher education agenda forward." His resignation "took effect immediately." The news "capped off a tumultuous three days" in which UMD football coach D.J. Durkin was "reinstated Tuesday by the regents and then fired Wednesday" by school President Wallace Loh. Brady said that while a board-commissioned report released this week "found problems within the university’s football program, the responsibility for that 'dysfunction' was shared" by Durkin, Loh and AD Damon Evans. While Loh has announced plans to retire, the move to retain Durkin and Evans "provoked outcry across the university community, from lawmakers and from Gov. Larry Hogan." Hogan on Thursday said he wanted a "complete and thorough investigation" into the board’s actions (BALTIMORE SUN, 11/2). In DC, Anderson, Cox & Maese in a front-page piece write Brady's resignation is just the "latest surprise in a fast-moving power struggle" between UMD and the BOR. Critics of the board said that the uproar this week over their decision was damaging UMD's "image and imperiling fund-raising and recruiting" (WASHINGTON POST, 11/2).
ROLLER COASTER RIDE: In DC, John Feinstein writes when the board finally got around to "taking action, it got everything exactly wrong." It "made a mistake" in retaining Evans as AD, but the "colossal error was attempting to convince people that Durkin should keep his job." Durkin "wasn’t fired by the regents or by Loh." He was "fired by the outrage that rained down upon the regents for their coldhearted, stunningly tone-deaf initial decision" (WASHINGTON POST, 11/2). In DC, Thom Loverro writes Durkin has been fired and Brady resigned, but it "shouldn't stop there." Evans -- an "empty suit who spent much of his time as assistant AD stabbing his boss, Kevin Anderson in the back -- needs to be gone" (WASHINGTON TIMES, 11/2). THE RINGER's Rodger Sherman wrote the way Durkin's firing went down "reveals the true nature of college football’s power structure -- and it’s unclear how much of it is wrapped up in the traditional winning-over-everything mentality that pragmatists presume" (THERINGER.com, 11/1).
POWER TO THE PLAYERS: In DC, Jerry Brewer writes under the header, "Maryland's Football Players Found Their Voice As Their University Floundered." UMD's football players "provided the emotion and coherent thought that led to a revolt from students, faculty, frustrated alums and state lawmakers." At the end, their support gave Loh the "strength to do what he wanted to do -- what he needed to do -- and shun the forceful recommendation" of the BOR to reinstate Durkin. But "don’t make Loh ... into a martyr." He ultimately "did the right thing despite being told to do otherwise." But he was able to "stand atop public outrage while acting in defiance." The players "deserve the appreciation, and the praise shouldn’t be reserved solely for the ones who refused that initial judgment" (WASHINGTON POST, 11/2).
