Florida adds Durkin as linebackers coach

STAFF/WIRE REPORT

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — D.J. Durkin, a native of Boardman and a graduate of Boardman High, has joined the University of Florida football coaching staff as a linebackers coach.

Durkin, an assistant coach at Stanford for the past three seasons tutoring defensive ends and special teams, will leave the Cardinal staff to become a Florida assistant under interim coach Steve Addazio, who had been the Gators’ offensive coordinator.

Addazio is filling in for coach Urban Meyer, who has taken a leave of absence for health reasons.

Durkin, a graduate of Bowling Green where he was a four-year starter at defensive end from 1997-2000, concluded his Stanford career on Dec. 31 when the Cardinal lost to Oklahoma, 31-27, in the 76th Brut Sun Bowl Dec. 31 in El Paso, Texas.

Under Durkin’s guidance, Stanford’s defensive ends helped the team to rank 11th nationally in sacks per game in his first two seasons on the staff.

Durkin came to Stanford after serving two seasons (2005-06) on the coaching staff at Bowling Green.

He also launched his coaching career at Bowling Green as a defensive graduate assistant on Meyer’s staff for two seasons (2001-02).

Then Durkin went to Notre Dame as a graduate assistant coach on defense for two years (2003-04), before returning to the Bowling Green staff.

A call to Durkin was not immediately returned.

Florida also re-hired Stanley Drayton, a former star running back at Allegheny College. Drayton is returning to Gainesville as running backs coach, the same position he held between 2005 and 2007. He spent the last two years at Tennessee (2008) and Syracuse (2009). Drayton replaces Kenny Carter, who is joining Charlie Strong at Louisville.