Auburn Football Hires Former SEC Defensive Coordinator
The Auburn Tigers have found their next defensive coordinator.
Ron Roberts, who held the position for one season on the Plains, was hired away by Florida early in January to become the Gators' executive head coach for defense, co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.
That left Auburn looking for a new defensive coordinator. They hired Charles Kelly, a former Alabama staffer and Colorado DC, to become co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach. They've now found the second piece to the DC puzzle in DJ Durkin.
Durkin has an extensive track record as an SEC staffer and coordinator. He coached linebackers and special teams at Florida from 2010-12, was promoted to defensive coordinator for the Gators from 2013-14, became Michigan's DC and linebackers coach for the 2015 season before being named head coach of the Maryland Terrapins. Durkin finished with an 11-15 record over the course of three seasons from 2016-18.
In 2019 he was hired as a consultant for the Atlanta Falcons before becoming co-defensive coordinator for Ole Miss from 2020-21. In 2022, Durkin was hired as defensive coordinator for Texas A&M, where he spent 2022 and 2023. Durkin also has coaching experience at Bowling Green (GA, 2001-02), Notre Dame (GA, 2003-04), Bowling Green again (DE/LB/ST, 2005-06), and Stanford (DE/ST, 2007-09).
Now that Auburn has Durkin, their entire defensive staff is seemingly complete:
Charles Kelly and Durkin will be defensive coordinators. Jeremy Garrett will coach defensive line, Josh Aldridge will coach linebackers, Wesley McGriff will coach cornerbacks and Charles Kelly will likely coach safeties.
