When Maryland hired DJ Durkin last December, athletic director Kevin Anderson highlighted Durkin's resume as one of the most impressive things about him. Durkin had learned from the likes of Jim Harbaugh and Urban Meyer, among others, and Maryland is relying on that pedigree to lead to on-field success.This week, Durkin has shared the same stage as his mentors while facing the Big Ten Conference's press corps for the first time at the league's media days. The questions he's faced have often mentioned those mentors, too. How will your experiences under Harbaugh and Meyer mold your coaching philosophy?There have been plenty ideas and experiences to draw from, Durkin said. But with his team, Durkin has been working hard to stamp the Maryland program as his own. That imprint has started to show."This is DJ Durkin. This is Coach Durkin," offensive lineman Michael Dunn said. "This is not Coach Harbaugh's disciple or Coach Meyer's. You're really able to tell with the way he does it. … He's not the type of guy who's just trying to go through his career as Coach Harbaugh's guy or Coach Meyer's guy."There's no doubt that working for Harbaugh and Meyer — not to mention Tyrone Willingham, Will Muschamp and others — has shaped how Durkin is running the Maryland program. He called the Ohio State coach "a major influence," and Dunn said that while watching Harbaugh at the media days, he could see similarities in mannerisms between Durkin and the Michigan coach.But Maryland isn't Michigan, and it's not Ohio State. Durkin, 38, has worked to install an element of realness to the program, and that's what he sees people react to."People respond to a genuine excitement, passion [and] personality for the things you're doing," Durkin said. "I think they can see through phonies."Earlier in his career, Durkin said he received a piece of advice that he's reflected on while at Maryland: "You either need to be better or different than those you got to play against."Last season showed a significant gap between Maryland and its Big Ten foes, and with the level that Ohio State, Michigan and Michigan State are currently playing at, along with Penn State's success on the recruiting trail building a talented core, that gap could be hard to close. The Terps were 1-7 in conference play, and the average margin in those seven defeats was greater than two touchdowns.So that puts Durkin at the drawing board. He's not recruiting to a blueblood program with a storied history like Harbaugh and Meyer are. He has to do things his way."Figure it out," Durkin said. "What are you better than your opponents at? OK, good. Play to those strengths. If you're not better, then be different."Linebacker Jermaine Carter Jr. said he knew Durkin was "the guy" the first day he met with the team back in December. Since then, Carter has seen Durkin's range of being the fiery coach on the field to the relaxed figure Carter can talk to casually off the field."He takes what he's learned from those guys, but he brings his own unique style to the table because he's an intense guy, a competitive guy," Carter said."I definitely think he's his own man," cornerback Will Likely said. "He's very energetic, passionate about what he do. He's just wanting the best out of you. As a player, you can't ask for more than that."The comparisons to his mentors will continue for Durkin as his head coaching career begins in College Park. And while he knows his program might not be better than others yet, he can be different."That's who I am as a coach," Durkin said. "I'm just me."daniel.gallen@carrollcountytimes.comtwitter.com/danieljtgallen