In filling two holes on his coaching staff, DJ Durkin turned to another Big Ten program for one of his new assistants.
Confirming reports from earlier in the day, Maryland announced that Jafar Williams (pictured, catching pass) and Dave Bucar have joined Durkin’s Terrapins football coaching staff. The former will handle running backs, while Bucar will serve as tight ends coach.
The Williams hiring amounts to a homecoming as he played his college football for the Terps and graduated from the university in 2003. Williams played wide receiver from 2000-03 and ranks Top 20 all-time at the school in both career receptions (90) and career receiving yards (1,301). He averaged 20.07 yards per catch in 2002, which is still the third-most in the program’s history.
The past two seasons, Williams was the wide receivers coach at Big Ten East rival Rutgers. Prior to his time at RU, Williams was the running backs coach at Purdue (2013-15) and Kent State (2012).
Bucar spent the 2017 season at LSU. The Tigers’ offensive coordinator that season? Matt Canada, who moved into the same job with the Terrapins after a very public divorce from the Tigers. This will mark Bucar’s first on-field job at this level of football.
“I’m excited to welcome Jafar and Dave to our program,” said Durkin in a statement. “Jafar is a Terp and has a real passion for Maryland. He’s done an outstanding job developing players at each of his coaching stops. Dave has worked with Coach Canada at both LSU and Pitt. He has a strong football mind and our players will benefit with Dave on staff.”