BALTIMORE _ The University of Maryland athletic department is bringing in an "external group" to review its procedures after the death of a 19-year-old football player.
Jordan McNair, a redshirt freshman entering his second year on Maryland's football team, died Wednesday, two weeks after collapsing during an organized team workout in College Park.
Maryland acting athletic director Damon Evans declined during a news conference Thursday to say who will be performing the review. But he told reporters that the university "will have a team provide us the necessary feedback, so we can move forward."
"The right thing to do when a situation like this arises is to do a review to make sure proper protocols were followed," he said. "We will conduct that review and we will learn from that review."
The university did not disclose McNair's cause of death.
Evans said McNair was participating in a supervised workout with teammates that began around 4:15 p.m. May 29 on the practice fields visible from Maryland Stadium. He said certified athletic trainers were present throughout the workout, which began with dynamic stretching and consisted of a "baseline conditioning activity": 10 repetitions of 110-yard runs, with temperatures around 80 degrees.
"Upon completion of the workouts, our trainers noted that Jordan was having some difficulty recovering," said Evans, who added later that he did not know exactly how long the workout lasted. "They began supporting active recovery and providing the necessary care."
At 6 p.m., McNair was airlifted to University of Maryland Shock Trauma.
A health department spokeswoman said Thursday that the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is not involved with the investigation, and will not conduct an autopsy to determine cause and manner of death.
McNair's death has left the university community in mourning. They have recalled his gap-toothed smile, strong work ethic and goofy personality. They said he was sweet and easygoing _ except on the field, when the 325-pound offensive lineman became a "beast."
Maryland football coach DJ Durkin choked up during the Thursday news conference as he tried to describe McNair. After thanking Evans for his remarks, Durkin did not speak for almost 20 seconds. He stared at the table at which he sat, fidgeting with his microphone.
"My heart is broken for the reason that we're all sitting here, having this press conference," he finally said. Almost another half-minute of silence passed. "You look for reasons. It's not reasonable that a 19-year-old should pass away. It's not reasonable that a family, parents _ his parents, Marty (McNair) and Tonya (Wilson), should never have to go through this."
Durkin said that for as large as the 6-foot-4, 325-pound McNair was, his heart was even bigger.
"He had a great way about him, a quiet smile," Durkin said. "It was hard to get a word out of him. It was also hard having a conversation with him without bringing a smile to your own face."
McNair, a former Randallstown, Md., resident, was a graduate of McDonogh School in Owing Mills, MD., where he was named a two-time All-Metro offensive guard. McNair's size, range and athleticism set him apart from other athletes his age. He was the highest-ranked Baltimore-area high school player in the Class of 2017, rated No. 287 nationally in the 247Sports.com Composite rankings.
He chose Maryland over about 20 other scholarship offers.
McNair was majoring in kinesiology at College Park.
A private memorial service is scheduled for Thursday afternoon for faculty and students at the McDonogh chapel, said Nina Sinnott, director of communications for the Owings Mills school.
"It's a feeling of losing one of your own," Evans said. "He is a part of our family."
