By Pat Harty

IOWA CITY, Iowa – I’ve never met, interviewed or even been in the same room with South Carolina football coach Will Muschamp, but it still feels like I know him a little bit.

And I don’t like what I know.

Granted, it’s hard to form an opinion on somebody based on just one answer to a question.

But I was disgusted after listening to Muschamp comment on the controversy surrounding the Maryland football program where head coach D.J. Durkin has been put on administrative leave as the school investigates allegations of abuse, ridicule and disparagement.

Several current University of Maryland football players, and people close to the Terrapins program, describe a toxic and virulent coaching culture under Durkin before offensive lineman Jordan McNair's death in June after a grueling football workout in which his body temperature reportedly had risen to 106 degrees.

The allegations come from anonymous sources, however, and that doesn’t sit well with Muschamp.

“There is no credibility with anonymous sources,” Muschamp said. “If that former staffer had any guts, why didn’t he put his name on that? I think that’s gutless.

“And in any business, in any company, and in a football team, especially right here in August, you can find a disgruntled player that’s probably not playing. So I think it’s a lack of journalistic integrity to print things with anonymous sources.

“But I know D.J. Durkin personally, and I know what kind of man he is. I know what kind of person he is. I talked to him this morning. And I don’t think it’s right.”

Muschamp seems to be saying that since Durkin is his friend and a former trusted assistant, he is above being investigated despite serious and disturbing allegations.

To me, that’s gutless, wrong and shows a lack of common decency.

Muschamp doesn’t seem to realize, or care, that any respectable media member or outlet conducts an extensive vetting process when using anonymous sources. I know this to be true after working in the newspaper industry for over 20 years.

I get that Durkin is his friend, but a 19-year old kid died under Durkin’s watch, and yet, Muschamp seems more concerned about the use of anonymous sources.

Muschamp could have shown support for Durkin without lashing out at the messenger and suggesting that nearly everybody else associated with this disturbing and sad story is to blame.

It was just a horrible look for a coaching industry that has been rocked by scandal and hypocrisy in recent years. Especially in the Big Ten where over one-third of the schools have been soiled by scandal.

Maryland joins Michigan State, Ohio State, Minnesota, and of course, Penn State as schools that have either been convicted of serious crimes or rule violations related to athletics, or have been accused of one or the other or both.

A week ago, I thought Ohio State football coach Urban Meyer was toast because the evidence against him in the domestic abuse case involving former Ohio State assistant coach Zach Smith appeared indisputable.

Meyer’s cult-like followers insist that he is innocent simply because he said in a statement that he followed proper reporting protocols and procedures by elevating the issues to the proper channels.

Some of Meyer’s supporters went as far as to hold a rally on his behalf outside of Ohio Stadium. The only positive to come from that pathetic and narrow-minded display of loyalty was that so few attended the misguided rally.

And the main reason they probably rallied in the first place was in support of Meyer's 73-8 record at Ohio State. 

It doesn’t seem to matter that Meyer lied about what he knew about the allegations against Smith at Big Ten media day last month. Actually, Meyer didn’t just lie. He also blamed the media, asking where they came up with these kinds of stories.

It was yet another case of the accused blaming the messenger.

The longer the investigation takes at Ohio State, the better I would say is Meyer’s chance of saving his job.

Meyer’s bosses at Ohio State should be more worried about their job security because their beloved head football coach probably wouldn’t hesitate to throw them under the bus to save his job, if he hasn't already.

Whatever the case, there is no denying that Meyer knew about the allegations against Smith in 2015 because Meyer said he knew in his statement, while also saying in so many words that his bosses knew.

And yet, the wife-beater was allowed to stay on the Ohio State staff until the media, or more specifically, Brett McMurphy, finally became aware of the facts and started reporting on it this summer.

I can’t recall a time when two Big Ten head football coaches were put on leave less than one month before the start of the season.

I posted on Twitter on Saturday that the more I watch other head coaches fail miserably in their jobs to lead and mold young men, the more I realize that Iowa is fortunate to have Kirk Ferentz as its head football coach because integrity always should matter.

Somebody on Twitter then pointed out that Iowa has four players suspended for the season opener, two for alcohol-related offenses and two for violating team policy, as if to say that maybe Ferentz isn’t as noble as I suggested.

But the fact that four players are suspended supports what I said on Twitter about Ferentz because he is making his players be accountable at the risk of losing a game.

Ferentz also made the suspended players available for interviews on media day this past Friday, and that was also part of being accountable.

Somebody also reminded me on Twitter shortly after this column was published about the 13 Iowa players who were hospitalized in 2011 and diagnosed with a rare muscle disoder called rhabdomyolysis. It came after a grueling offseason workout that left the players with extreme soreness and discolored urine.

All the players made a full recovery and nobody was punished or disciplined for doing anything wrong.

It was something unfortunate that just happened in a sport where the participants often are pushed to the edge. The Iowa coaches learned from it and quit doing that specific workout.

But there was nothing sinister or deceitful in their actions. 

Ferentz certainly isn’t above being criticized or scrutinized because nobody is perfect. I don’t want to go overboard in praising him for simply doing his job with class, honesty and integrity because every head coach should adhere to those standards.

Every head coach is trusted to be a leader and to know the difference between right and wrong, even if it’s inconvenient or counter-productive to do so.

The Big Ten Conference has a serious image problem right now, and it’s hard not to blame some of the head coaches at certain schools for hurting the image.

Kirk Ferentz should be the rule, not the exception..