UMD Board report details abuse by coaches, recommends greater transparency after Jordan McNair death

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The University System of Maryland's Board of Regents has released a detailed report on Monday on the culture of the university athletics program following the death of Maryland football player Jordan McNair.

The 200-page report details several incidents of abuse by coaching staff, including former strength and conditioning coach Rick Court based on feedback from a Sept. 9 survey of 94 current football players.

While the report does not go so far to call the university's athletics culture "toxic" as reported by ESPN, however, the survey received accounts of players being forced to eat to excess and being physically attacked and humiliated by coaching staff. Accounts say Court threw weights in anger and reportedly forced an overweight player to eat candy while other players were working out.

Coach D.J. Durkin was placed on administrative leave in August as the investigation took off. The board is due to discuss if Durkin will be reinstated with the team.

While some players took issue with Durkin's leadership, others say that he cared about the players and was supportive. The coaching staff said they did not believe Durkin had knowledge of the extent of Court's behavior. Durkin denies having knowledge of Court being abusive toward players.

The Board of Regents said in the report they recommended installing video cameras in the weight room, available for regular review by coaches, university administrators, and medical and training staff. It also recommends greater public access to team practices and that the university authorizes a qualified, independent third party to conduct reviews for the program once every two years.

President Wallace Loh has come under fire since McNair's death in June after the offensive lineman collapsed during a team practice.

Loh and athletic director Damon Evans previously issued apologies to McNair's family, stating the university accepts "legal and moral responsibility for the mistakes" it made.

"They entrusted their son to us, and he did not return home," Loh said back in August. "The University accepts legal and moral responsibility for the mistakes that were made on that fateful day. ... They misdiagnosed the situation."

Dr. Rod Walters, a former college athletic trainer, was hired by Maryland to investigate the circumstances of McNair's death. In Walter's report, which was released back in September, he stated, "there was a failure to identify symptoms and aggressively treat it."

"We have learned that Jordan did not receive appropriate medical care, and mistakes were made by some of our athletic training personnel," Evans said back in August. "Walters found that the emergency response plan was not appropriately followed" and that McNair's symptoms "were not properly identified or treated."

The university announced in August that it had parted ways with Court, who resigned in the wake of the death of McNair, who was 19 years old. Sources told the Associated Press Court received a one-time payment of $315,000 as part of his settlement with the school.

Head trainer Wes Robinson and Steve Nordwall, an assistant athletic director for training, were placed on administrative leave in August.

McNair family attorney Billy Murphy Jr. had called for Durkin's immediate dismissal following McNair's death.

McNair was hospitalized on May 29 after a strenuous offseason workout and later died on June 13. Murphy said a preliminary death certificate indicates the cause of death was heatstroke.

Evans admitted in August that the athletic staff misdiagnosed McNair and he did not have his temperature taken and did not receive ice-water immersion treatment, which is the suggested treatment for an individual overcome by heat.

In August, Loh was adamant in his belief that the school would take steps to make sure this never happened again.

"I made a commitment to Jordan's parents," Loh said. "I want to make the same commitment to the parents of all of our student-athletes, and to our entire campus community: We will do everything within our power to ensure that no University of Maryland student-athlete is ever again put in a situation where his or her safety and life are at foreseeable risk."

The Associated Press Contributed to this report.