D.J. Durkin’s Latest Comments Add Wrinkle to Auburn Coaching Search

The Auburn Tigers are in the midst of their third coaching search in the last five years, but the program is in a unique situation as they sit at 4-6 with two games remaining this season.

Defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin took over interim head coaching duties after Hugh Freeze was fired nine days ago, and his name has been widely discussed among Auburn fans and administration as a possible candidate for the job.

Despite the Tigers’ 45-38 loss to Vanderbilt last weekend, according to junior defensive end Keldric Faulk, he "brought life” to the locker room and ignited a competitive spirit that hadn’t been felt in quite some time. Auburn showed fight and resilience, but that doesn’t necessarily matter when it comes up short in a close game against a ranked opponent once again.

However, a portion of the fanbase has continued to express its support for Durkin to become the next head coach, even after the loss. Athletics director John Cohen said in Durkin’s press conference two weeks ago that he is a legitimate candidate, but the likelihood of that actually happening remains unknown.

Nonetheless, Durkin is treating his interim duties like normal, and he seems to be confident that he isn’t leaving Auburn anytime soon.

“Very involved,” Durkin said on Monday when asked about his involvement in recruiting and roster retention. “I have a full-time investment in this program and this place, and I plan on being here for the long term. So those are ongoing discussions all the time.”

Recruiting and the retention of Auburn’s elite roster on both sides of the football have been major concerns for the Tigers as they hope to avoid another rebuild. Although Freeze wasn’t able to win games, the one area in which he did find success was talent acquisition, through both the high school ranks and the transfer portal.

Durkin pointed to his players’ reaction after the coaching change and believes the love that they have for both him and Auburn was evident in their performance.

“The biggest thing to me is you can look at how our players responded and played together. I think that tells a lot about how they feel about one another and feel about this program. There’s a lot of clutter and distractions put in their minds – it’s the world we’ve created in college football. So to keep these guys focused and together is certainly a task, but I enjoy it and take it on.”

“Again, we have the right type of leadership and players on the team, and they feel a sense of accountability in one another, and I think it showed how they played on Saturday.”

DJ Durkin’s response when asked how involved he is in working to retain Auburn’s roster:

“Very involved. I have a full-time investment in this program and this place and plan on being here for the long-term…” pic.twitter.com/SCQqUeZ5B7
— The Barn (@TheBarn_Auburn) November 10, 2025

While Durkin is undoubtedly a “player’s coach,” as many current Tigers and recruits have echoed their love for Durkin on social media and to recruiting outlets, Cohen is going to examine all facets of the coaching search to make the best possible hire for this program.

The loss in Nashville on Saturday probably hurt Durkin’s chances of becoming the full-time head coach, as he likely would’ve had to have beaten Vanderbilt, Mercer, and Alabama to be heavily considered for the job. It could be tough for Cohen to be fully sold on Durkin after yet another close loss, which has haunted Auburn the entire season.

However, if Durkin beats Mercer handily and somehow finds a way to win the Iron Bowl, could that be enough to push him into serious contention?

Maybe. But that may not be the most likely scenario.

If the Tigers win out, they would also make a bowl game, but Cohen has said multiple times that he wants to make a hire as quickly as possible after the Iron Bowl. Thus, a bowl victory likely wouldn’t matter if Auburn were to win out and gain an extra postseason game.

Overall, the coaching search becomes extremely muddy when one digs into the weeds of it due to the wide array of options on the market. But one thing is for certain.

It would be in Auburn’s best interest to keep Durkin at Auburn. Whether that’s defensive coordinator under an offensive-minded head coach or as the head coach, Durkin brings too many positives for him not to be on the Plains for many years to come.