Durkin weighs in on Terps' top position battles

COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- During his press conference at Maryland’s media day Aug. 16, head coach D.J. Durkin weighed in on what he has seen from the players involved in the Terps’ top position battles this fall camp.

Durkin maintained his stance that the Terps’ starting quarterback spot is there for the taking, however, all signs continue to point to senior Perry Hills getting the nod under center to start the season against Howard.

TERPS INSIDER message board | SHOP NOW: DEALS on TERPS apparel

While quarterback might not be as tight of a competition as many initially anticipated, there are battles at the BUCK position (hybrid defensive end-linebacker) and in the secondary that are heating up.

“There are a lot of good ones going on,” Durkin said. “Jesse [Aniebonam] and Melvin [Keihn] is a fun one to watch. Jesse is playing the best football he has played in his career. I am just so excited about him and proud of him for his motor every day. Things we have talked about him working on, he has worked on. He is just stacking good days back to back right now.”

Keihn has looked solid in fall camp so far and the former Virginia Tech Hokie will surely see his fair share of playing time in 2016. But based on Durkin’s comments, it would appear Aniebonam is emerging as the likeliest candidate to be the starting BUCK for Maryland’s defense and many around the team believe he could have a breakout season as a junior.

More from TSR: LONDON LOVING GETTING BACK TO HIS ROOTS | TERPS O-LINE THRIVING IN UP-TEMPO OFFENSE

Maryland’s defensive backs have also raised their level of competition, especially since the arrival of former Florida Gator JC Jackson, who already seems to be one of the Terps’ best athletes and figures to step in right away to play a prominent role in the secondary.

“The defensive backfield has been really good because you bring in a guy like JC Jackson who is very talented,” Durkin said. “Darnell Savage who is playing corner and safety, we are moving him around a little bit. Obviously Will Likely has been doing a tremendous job. Alvin Hill has been playing great football for us right now. Then you bring in a whole group of freshmen and all of the sudden Josh Woods and Denzel Conyers are lifting up their level of play because the room just got more competitive.”

Durkin likes to mix up his looks in the defensive backfield and is searching for versatile players in the secondary that can be shifted from safety to cornerback or outside corner to nickel. Likely, Jackson, Hill, Savage, Conyers and Woods have all been working with the first-team defense during fall camp and give Durkin a lot of reliable options to work with.

On the other side of the ball, there’s a logjam at wide receiver in College Park. Sophomore D.J. Moore as well as seniors Malcolm Culmer, Levern Jacobs and DeAndre Lane all seem to have separated themselves a bit in fall camp and are getting regular first-team reps. But Durkin knows offensive coordinator Walt Bell’s offense is going to spread the ball around a ton, and he’s excited with what he has seen from the wideouts that could round out the receiving corps.

“Tino Ellis and DJ Turner and Teldrick Morgan, all those guys are high-quality players and have done really good things here throughout camp and are creating great competition for those spots,” Durkin said. “Offensively, it’s not going to be just three receivers. We’re going to play six or seven guys, but they’re all fighting for who’s starting, who’s getting the playing time, who’s getting the most reps. So it’s been good. They’re making each other better.”

The idea of increasing the competition level to get better results is one of the virtues of Durkin’s coaching philosophy. Durkin has certainly done just that in his first summer as the Terps head coach by bringing in talented transfers like Jackson and Morgan, and he continues to do so by recruiting at a high level.

“To me, that is ultimately what you want to do. You want to keep bringing in talented players to your program and keep developing the guys you have and then the competition makes everyone better,” Durkin said.

To say you’re creating a competitive atmosphere is one thing, but in order to get the players to buy into a culture that makes you earn your keep, Durkin has been sure to remain true to his word and reward those who are stepping up in practice by keeping a fluid depth chart.

“Everyday there’s a new depth chart,” Terps defensive line coach Mike London said. “Coach Durkin is really big on the guy that outperformed the other guy the day before is the guy that’s on top of the depth chart. So what you see is guys that are satisfied with where they are or guys that have been playing well, they can’t rest on their laurels because if somebody else has a better practice the next day, then we’re making the switch. The best guys are going to play and that’s a consistent message for offense, defense, special teams, even the guy that runs out and gets the tee after the kickoff. He better be running or else if he’s not running fast we’re going to have another guy get the tee.”