Auburn Fends Off Ohio State, Inks DJ Durkin to Big Contract Extension

Auburn Tigers defensive coordinator DJ Durkin hasn't let losing football tarnish his growing reputation in elite college football circles.

Brian Stultz reported current national champion Ohio State Buckeyes were circling the Tigers veteran assistant coach to fill their own vacancy.

Auburn - who reportedly increased Durkin's contractual package to the tune of $2.5 million for the 2025 season, and have kept him around until 2027 in the new deal.

Only Jim Knowles of Penn State, who left the Buckeyes for Happy Valley, now takes home a heftier paycheck than Durkin as far as college assistant coaches go.

More proof that in the NIL era, not only are the players taking home big coin, but some offset language within Durkin's new deal also allows a potential parting of the ways to be more financially mitigated.

The new deal includes offset language. If Auburn were to fire Durkin, any money he got in a new job would count against Auburn’s buyout. It’s a smart move from the Auburn administration knowing 2025 is a win-now season for Hugh Freeze and his staff.

Securing Durkin's future at Auburn is not only a reward for him putting together a rapidly improving defensive unit, it's fairly obvious that Freeze and the entire program values continuity.

Fleshing out the structure Durkin has already constructed will be the order of the day moving forward. After all, Durkin's unit ranked 31st in terms of yardage and 28th for points conceded; clearly there's still room for improvement as the Tigers continue to load up on elite defenders in recruiting.

As far as counting the nickels and dimes go, Durkin will happily see his yearly salary leap significantly from $1.4 million he was set to make previously

Keeping such a key piece of the Freeze coaching staff is costing Auburn a little more, but the eggs required to make omelettes are more expensive these days. It’s the cost of doing business in big-time college football.

Time will tell, but the power brokers at AU cannot be faulted for throwing their financial power squarely behind their head coach.

Hugh Freeze is all in for the 2025 season. Now he must deliver.