Auburn is hiring coach D.J. Durkin to be the program’s next defensive coordinator, first reported by ESPN’s Chris Low. Durkin has been a defensive coordinator in the SEC for three different schools prior to being hired by Auburn. He operated as DC/linebackers coach in 2023-24 and DC/safeties coach in 2022-23 at Texas A&M.
During his two seasons as defensive coordinator in College Station, the Aggies ranked in the top 20 in total defense in both seasons. In 2023, the Aggies ranked 19th in total defense, ranking 20th against the pass and 18th against the run, while sacking the quarterback the fourth-most times in the country. In 2022, they had the fifth-ranked defense in the country, sitting at eighth in yards allowed per play and 12th against the run.
Prior to his stint at A&M, he was the co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Ole Miss form 2020-21. In 2020, the Rebels had the worst defense in the SEC, and ranked 118th in the country in total defense. In 2021, they improved to 51st in the county while climbing to 8th in the SEC.
Durkin's other stint in the SEC came at Florida from 2013-14, when Florida ranked 15th in points allowed per game in 2013 while ranking 19th in 2014.
Durkin has also served as the defensive coordinator for Michigan in 2015 and was the head coach of Maryland from 2016-18. In his time at Maryland, a player tragically passed during a team conditioning test. That along with a reported toxic culture led to Durkin being fired after only two seasons.
Durkin aims to bring a solid and steady presence to the defensive side of the ball, where Auburn hopes to improve going into second year of the Hugh Freeze era.
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Luke McClure is a junior from Huntsville, Alabama, majoring in sports production. He joined The Plainsman in fall 2023.
Twitter: @lukemcclure0
