Everything DJ Durkin Said After Auburn Lost to Alabama

No. 10 Alabama defeated Auburn 27-20 in the Iron Bowl to conclude the regular season. Alabama goes on to the SEC Championship and the Tigers fail to make a bowl with the result.

Interim head coach DJ Durkin spent time with the media after the loss and talked about what went wrong for Auburn.

Opening Statement

"Yeah, obviously just, disappointing, disappointing. I feel like our guys prepared really well for this game. We had a chance to win the game and, you know, you can't turn the ball over in games like this and expect to win, and we didn't create turnovers on defense. So, you know, there were some critical penalties in the game that hurt us and obviously the turnovers hurt us.

"You know, you look at it, you say, um, we out gained 'em 411 to 280. And held him 122 yards passing. If you told me going to the game, that's what was gonna happen. I, I'd tell you we won the game. But again, turnovers are, are the most telling stat, that pertain to wins and losses. Obviously we started in a hole in this game.

"I don't think we, we started very well. We had a drive on defense early in the game. We were, we just, we were really discombobulated, when they scored a touchdown, they made it, made it 17-0. And other than that, I thought, I thought we played really well defensively. I thought offense, you know, we started slow, but we, we picked it up, like I said, and, and really did a good job moving the ball the rest of the game and out gained them.

"And, but again, it was just, it was, it was critical turnovers that, that I think, you know, I guess for the story of the game. There, there's, there's a room full of guys in there really hurting those guys put on the line for each other, and in a moment where that's, it's not an easy thing to do, and I think it says a lot about the character of, of, of the men in that room."

You mentioned you outgained them 411 to 280, but the slow start league really hampered you guys, can you talk to us about that start offensively?

"Yeah, it did. We just, you know, it was several, three ounces start the game, and our defense was on the field quite a bit, and I think the drive I was talking about.

"You know, you could tell, we were discombobulated. We, we had a substitution error. We had just, it was just not, did not look like us. I really think other than that drive, you know, it didn't happen. We played 30, I think 30 some snaps in the first quarter. It was a lot. So, you know, yeah, we just, we started slow, you know, credit to our guys and they, they, they hung together and kept going and, and we, you know, made some adjustments and, and started attacking in a different way.

"We were just sloppy with the ball. There's too many drops and there was, uh, you know, too many turnovers."

That was my question. What do you attribute, I mean that probably close to 10 drops, obviously the fumbles. I mean, that was a very sloppy game. What do you attribute that to?

"Yeah, I know, I don't know. I mean, those are, those are guys that usually make those catches and I don't know. I don't know. Those guys were fighting like crazy. I think, you know, sometimes, you strain so hard that, you know, little things that routine, things like that, you don't execute on, but I don't have a great answer."

I know you like to be aggressive on defense, but seven penalties on defense, what do you attribute those to?

"Yeah. We'll have to go back and look at those. Some of those were close plays. The PI on Sly. I don't know. I have to go back and look at 'em. our guys, they, they were, they're competing, playing aggressive. We're never going to change that or stop that. We're always going to be the one swinging and, if stuff happens, it happens, but, um. You know, there, there's a lot of great third down stops too. And, you know, I, the, the, the one on Xavier, the, the roughly the quarterback, uh, he looked low.

I thought he got blocked into him. But again I can watch that. I don't know exactly how that was."

On Alabama's second touchdown you guys had 10 guys on the field, what happened with the execution there?

"Yeah, it's, they, Keyron went down, um, with an injury. We called time out.

"He went back on the field and that play, we called the timeout. So we thought he was able to go back on the field, and they told us he couldn't, and we didn't get the, the sub in for him. So it was one of those where they pulled him off and, and he didn't say to anyone and, and they didn't say anywhere else either.

"So yeah, we had 10 on the field, you know, just crazy that, that, that drive itself. There was, there was probably more mental mistakes on that, whatever. How many plays that drive was than anything. The rest of the game on defense.

What do you tell Cam Coleman after his fumble?

"Yeah, I just told him, told him I love him. Keep his head up. Cam's a great player. Done, done a lot of great things for the, for this program. Obviously, in that moment he was fighting, trying to get yards and, and you know, it happened. We had to be better with our ball security for sure. But, um, you know, it's nothing for Cam to hang his head about man. Cam is a great, great player and even better person."

Have you had any conversation with the administration about your future?

"Yeah, I don't know. It is really about the players, right? I mean, these guys worked really hard. They put in the right amount of work to go win a game. And, and obviously we, we didn't actually well enough to do that, but it, it's about them, it's about those guys and the team and, you know, all that other stuff will sorted itself out."

What did you think about Malcom Simmons and what did you see on Alabama's fourth down conversion?

"Yeah, there was, there was two fourth downs on that drive. We, we, we had 'em stopped on for down and I mean. I don't know. It looked like we missed four tackles, maybe five on one play. I mean, just, just crazy. And then the, the fourth down would go on, you know, we had that rock cover.

"We lost, we lost our eyes on it. We, we had, we had a cover and, um, you know, credit to credit to them. The made a good play, good throw. And um, obviously it was critical. They were both on the same drive. It was just a critical drive in the game where it was like two fourth down conversions. It was penalties.

"It was, it was just one of those deals where, you know. Just break your back. Go back Malcolm. I mean, Malcolm was phenomenal. Again, Malcolm is a, a great player, um, you know, can do a lot of things. He's very versatile and, and I thought he played really well tonight and, and he's made big plays for us.

If you could just talk about how the second half started together and kind put yourself back into position.

"Yeah, I mean, I, again, coming locker room. Come to the locker room at halftime. There was no panic. There was no. It was, everyone was just kinda like, all right, matter of fact, here's what we did. Well, here's what we didn't do. Well, here's what we gotta correct. Let's go out there and do it. And I thought our guys did a great job, but we were great where we wanted to be.

"I mean, even with that long drive defensively, we're driving to go score and, and go win the game. And I fully believe that's what we were about to do. And I think our total team did. You know, it was just, uh, we, we obviously then turn the ball over and, you know, we were, we were inside the red zone when that happened and, you know, it just, it just, it crushes you."

Despite the record, at the end of the season, this team faced a lot of adversity and continue to fight for each other, for their stuff of the program. When you look back on the season as a whole, what would you say about this group of guys that you have in the locker room?

"Yeah, I mean, it's a special group of guys and I'll start with with Keldric Faulk. 'cause, I mean, he, he is our team leader and you know, you look him in the locker right now. I mean, he, you know. He looks awful, and it is no reflection on him. He's the best leader I've been around in my entire career.

"These guys held it together again when, when it was not easy to do that. And you know, I don't have great answers. 'cause it is, it is been, it is been different things at different times, but you, you see a team that fought for each other all the way till, till the very end when that would, wasn't easy and, you know, most teams wouldn't.

"And in a day and age where that's not really something that, that happens all the time. So, uh, complete credit to, to our guys and their leadership."

Coach, uh, you guys put a lot on Ashton Daniels. He went the extra step to preserve his red shirt. Can you talk about his performance tonight?

"Yeah, I thought I thought I should perform really well. I mean, he did good, both with his legs and his arm. He, he had some key conversions throwing the ball and running it.

You know, he had some good numbers, even with all the drops, you know. Like we talked about earlier, some drops in the game. So I think Ashton is, is a really good player. He's a really good leader. Um, you know, and, and I, I think his team, as you see how those guys respond and play, play around him."

Struggled to get running back production, how much did that play into the offensive slow start?

"Yeah. I think early on it was, we had to adjust and. Kind of, um, changed some things in, in how, in our plan.

"But, you know, we knew it'd be tough, tough running on 'em. I mean, they do a good job and, you know, some of the quarterback run game, the plus one run game was something we knew we had to go to, and I thought, again, Ashton did a good job of that. And, um, you know, he was a slow start. But all in all, I thought, I thought he came back.

And again, you know,, with the numbers we put up, it, it was, it really came down to a matter of taking care of the football. You know, it was the turnovers, and the, the drops in some critical moments. Thank you."