The Ole Miss Rebels made 3 hires for Lane Kiffin’s coaching staff on Thursday, and one of them was quite controversial.

Former Maryland coach DJ Durkin, whose tenure with the Terrapins ended in scandal, was hired to Kiffin’s staff in a yet-to-be-announced role.

Upon news of the hire being made official, AD Keith Carter addressed the decision and what went into hiring Durkin:

Durkin was once named a national recruiter of the year, which likely plays a part in the Rebels’ decision to bring him aboard.

Will this statement stop any potential criticism of the hire? We’ll find out, but for now, Thursday’s news has raised many eyebrows.