D.J. Durkin has agreed to become the defensive coordinator at Michigan, sources confirmed to FootballScoop on Tuesday. Durkin had been targeted by a number of high-profile programs for the same role.
Durkin served as defensive coordinator at Florida over the past two seasons, and served as the Gators' interim head coach during their Birmingham Bowl win over East Carolina.
Florida boasted one of the best defenses in the country this fall, ranking fifth nationally in yards per play allowed and among the top 20 in scoring defense, rushing defense, pass efficiency defense, plays of 10-plus yards allowed and takeaways. He inherits a unit that, though it stumbled to a 5-7 season, placed 13th nationally in yards per play allowed.
Durkin worked under new Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh previously as Stanford's defensive ends and special teams coach from 2007-09. He left Stanford to join Will Muschamp's original staff at Florida as special teams coordinator and linebackers coach, working in concert with then-Gators defensive coordinator and Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn. He efforts on special teams earned him a FootballScoop Special Teams Coordinator of the Year award, as chosen by his peers, in 2012.
A former Bowling Green defensive end and linebacker, Durkin jumped into coaching as a graduate assistant on Urban Meyer's staff at his alma mater from 2001-02.
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