DJ Durkin Retained as Auburn’s Defensive Coordinator

Auburn's new head coach, Alex Golesh, will retain DJ Durkin as the Tigers' defensive coordinator, the University announced on Tuesday.

Get our free mobile app

Durkin, who has been Auburn's defensive coordinator for the past two years, served as the interim head coach for three games after the Tigers' former head coach, Hugh Freeze, was fired following a rough 10-3 loss to Kentucky on November 1st. During that three-game stretch, Durkin had a record of 1-2. His only victory came against FCS opponent Mercer, which they won convincingly, 62-17. The losses included a 45-38 overtime defeat to No. 14 Vanderbilt and a heartbreaking 27-20 loss to No. 10 Alabama in the Iron Bowl.

The Tigers' defensive coordinator has been the team's sole bright spot during the past two seasons under Coach Freeze. Under his leadership, Durkin has developed a solid defense for Auburn. This season, the defense finished ranked No. 31 overall, allowing an average of only 329.2 yards per game. They ranked 32nd in scoring defense, allowing just 20.7 points per game, and 12th in rushing defense, giving up fewer than 100 rushing yards per game for the first time since 2003.

Golesh stated that retaining Durkin on staff was an “easy call” due to their long-standing relationship, both coaches hailing from Ohio. He praised his new defensive coordinator, who has an impressive track record coaching defenses in the SEC, having last coached at Texas A&M and Ole Miss before arriving at Auburn in 2024.

“Our relationship goes back more than 20 years to our roots in Ohio; we have worked with some of the same men, and we’ve competed against each other in this great league.” Golesh said, “We are fortunate to retain one of the top defensive minds in college football here on The Plains.”

Durkin expressed his excitement about joining Golesh's coaching staff and remaining in Auburn, which he considers home. He emphasized that the opportunity to continue developing the players he recruited played a significant role in his decision to return to Auburn.

“Coach Golesh and I have known each other a long time, and I’ve got a lot of respect for him, his teams, and the way they work,” said Durkin. “I’m excited about what he’s going to bring to Auburn and grateful for the chance to work alongside him."

"I love this group of players, and it mattered to me to keep pushing forward with what they have already started." Durkin added, "The support my family and I have felt from the Auburn community has been unbelievable. This is home for us. I’m thankful for the Auburn Family and everything they’ve shown us over the last month, and I can’t wait to get to work.”

Durkin’s contract details are unknown, but it is worth mentioning that in 2025, he was the fifth-highest-paid coordinator in college football, holding a $2.5 million salary.

Follow @Micahnichols0 on X (formerly known as Twitter) and tune into Tide100.9 for all your SEC football, baseball, and basketball coverage.