Auburn officially announces the hiring of defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin.
Auburn formally announced the hiring of new defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin in a press release Wednesday afternoon, following a press conference at the Senior Bowl where head coach Hugh Freeze verified the previously rumoured news.
“I’m thankful for the opportunity to join Coach Freeze’s staff and be a part of the Auburn Family,” Durkin stated in the news release. “Auburn has a well-deserved reputation for tenacious, muscular defence. We will strive exceedingly hard to carry on that heritage and make Auburn proud. I can’t wait to get started!”
Durkin is listed as the “defensive coordinator” in the statement, following Charles Kelly’s prior appointment as co-defensive coordinator. Auburn’s website still names Kelly as co-defensive coordinator, but it has not been updated to include Durkin’s bio as of the 4:09 p.m. Wednesday press release.
“There was so much interest in (the job) from people I really like,” Freeze stated during his Senior Bowl press conference on Wednesday. “And, man, I enjoyed Durkin’s interview. I enjoyed the time we spent with him and his wife, Sarah. They are wonderful folks who I believe will offer a wealth of experience and value to our building and defence. So I’m quite happy to have D.J.
Prior to joining Auburn, Durkin served as defensive coordinator at Ole Miss and Texas A&M.
He was the head coach at Maryland for the 2016 and 2017 seasons. He was fired in 2018 following a series of investigations into the murder of offensive lineman Jordan McNair and the program’s culture throughout his tenure.
“DJ has been a successful defensive coordinator at multiple stops in the Southeastern Conference,” Freeze stated in a press statement. “I’ve always been impressed with his strategies and game plans, even the two occasions I’ve played against his teams in recent years. Texas A&M’s defence was quick, physical, and well-coached. We are delighted to have DJ join our staff here at Auburn.”
