Jabrill Peppers: DJ Durkin’s coaching ‘felt extreme’

Cleveland Browns safety Jabrill Peppers played under DJ Durkin at Michigan when the Maryland coach was Jim Harbaugh’s defensive coordinator — and the former Wolverines star said Tuesday he felt Durkin’s coaching tactics were “extreme at times.” 

In an interview with “The Rich Eisen Show,” Peppers described Durkin’s style as “bully coaching.” 

Durkin is on administrative leave as Maryland investigates the death of Jordan McNair. On Friday, ESPN released a report that detailed a “toxic culture” at Maryland with Durkin in charge. 

“Coach Durkin, he was a different guy, you know what I mean,” Peppers said, via USA Today. “His tactics were different. It felt extreme at times. I’m just as shocked reading all the stuff that’s going on now. I thought he was only like that because it was his first time coaching us. He was the defensive coordinator so he was just trying to get us to buy-in to how he wants his defense to play.

“I thought once he became a head coach that he would calm down a little bit, become more of a people person, a player’s coach.”

Maryland President Wallace D. Loh said Tuesday the school accepted “legal and moral responsibility” for McNair’s death.

McNair collapsed during a May 29 practice after suffering a heatstroke and died 15 days later. In a news conference, Maryland athletic director Damon Evans said the former offensive lineman did not receive appropriate medical care from the school’s training staff.

Maryland also parted ways with strength and conditioning coach Rick Court, who was accused of throwing weights and forcing an underweight player to overeat until he vomited. On Twitter, Court said he resigned.

“It’s just the way that he goes about getting the most out of his players,” Peppers said of Durkin. “Me, being from where I’m from, I didn’t like it, but at the end of the day, I knew what the overall goal was.”