Why Retaining D.J. Durkin was a Top Priority for Auburn HC Alex Golesh

Alex Golesh will need to put together a strong staff to succeed at Auburn, but his most important move may have been retaining D.J. Durkin.

Auburn Tigers defensive coordinator DJ Durkin will remain on Alex Golesh's staff. | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

AUBURN, Ala.-- The biggest offseason win for the Auburn Tigers thus far has been retaining defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin. During the 2025 season, Durkin’s defense was one of the best in college football, holding nearly every opponent they faced under its scoring average. 

New Auburn football head coach Alex Golesh knew that retaining Durkin, who also happened to be a candidate for the job was a top priority. That retainment is already proving its worth in Golesh's eyes.

“I think being around him now every day for over a week has reinforced for me what I thought all along going into it,” Golesh said. “And as I was going through this process, whether I’m supposed to say this or not, but D.J., in my mind, as I was going to go through and put a staff together, D.J. was the defensive coordinator I wanted to hire.”

Auburn Tigers interim head coach D.J. Durkin led one of the best defenses in the country last season. | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Last season, Durkin’s defense was one of only three teams to hold opponents to under 24 points the entire season up until the Tigers faced the Vanderbilt Commodores, where the Tigers gave up 45 points to the Diego Pavia-led Commodores. It was also Durkin's first game as the interim head coach, where he balanced head-coaching duties while calling plays defensively.

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By retaining Durkin, some of the Auburn roster could also be retained. After Hugh Freeze's firing, the entire Auburn team rallied around Durkin, Igniting a flame that was dormant within the Tigers.

It's something Golesh is already seeing early in his tenure.

“The neat thing about D.J., it's not just the defensive side," Golesh stated. “For the time that he was the interim head coach, and even before that, these offensive guys that had the chance to play for him absolutely loved it. Obviously, I wasn't here, but hearing those guys talk about Coach Durkin, they certainly, as a whole, felt like this is a dude we can play for.”

Auburn Tigers football head coach Alex Golesh is quickly putting together his first coaching staff. | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Star linebacker Xavier Atkins is one key player who publicly announced that he was going to stay with Auburn should Durkin be retained. Atkins was even pushing for Durkin to become head coach during the season. 

Retaining Durkin is something that Auburn needed. With the offensive mind of Golesh and the defensive mind of Durkin, Auburn could be building a solid foundation to finally get over the hump and become contenders again. 

Golesh has slowly put together his staff, and the pieces are starting to come together for the Tigers. With the transfer portal opening on Jan. 2, the Tigers, already seeing multiple players leave the program, will now look to build its roster and retain its key players, whilst also bringing in players that will fill the voids left with outgoing players.