Will DJ Durkin Still Call Auburn's Defense After Being Named Interim HC?

Defensive coordinator DJ Durkin was named Auburn's interim after the Tigers fired head coach Hugh Freeze.

Auburn Tigers named DJ Durkin as the interim head coach after firing Hugh Freeze. | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

AUBURN, Ala.- Auburn Tigers interim head coach DJ Durkin took to the media for the first time since being named to the position and discussed what his role will consist of wearing both the hat of the defensive coordinator and the interim head coach this Saturday as Auburn travels to Nashville to take on the Vanderbilt Commodores. 

The primary defensive play-caller, Durkin confirmed he would keep the role despite being elevated to interim head coach for the final three games of the season.

"We won’t change how we’re doing that. I think we have a good flow of how to do things on defense," he explained. "I love our staff. I love our group, and I don’t want to uproot any changes on that. So, we’re keeping that as normal as possible. Things like this press conference usually don’t come up for me on Mondays. So, we’re up there game planning. There’s obviously a few things that alter kind of what our schedule is, but we do have a good routine and how we do things, and we’re going to keep that the same.”

Auburn Tigers defensive coordinator DJ Durkin was named the interim after Hugh Freeze was fired. | John Reed-Imagn Images

When Durkin was just the defensive coordinator for Auburn, he was the lone playcaller for the defense, a difference from Hugh Freeze's play-caller by committee organization with the offense.

The Auburn defense is one of three FBS teams in the country to not have an opponent score more than 24 points this season, with the other teams being Ohio State and Indiana. The Auburn defense has held opponents under their scoring averages in every single game this season. 

In line with remaining as the defensive play-caller, Durkin is not planning on making any major on-field staff changes while being the interim.

"The important thing to me in my comments to the staff was that I don’t want to be changing a bunch of things, uprooting and guys start changing jobs," he explained. "I think it’s important we focus on our jobs. For me, that’s wearing two hats, but I don’t want to be changing a bunch of other people to doing that."

Durkin also added that assistant linebackers coach Jake Jiannoni will continue to be heavily relied upon with helping Durkin in his defensive coaching duties.

"He’s been doing that all year long. As the coordinator, there’s times where I need some help with the position as well. He’ll continue to do that. He does a tremendous job. He's a tremendous young football coach. In terms of naming someone or something different, we’re not doing that.”

Auburn Tigers defensive coordinator DJ Durkin celebrates a sack with his defense. | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Durkin did have a message to his team, in terms of the offense and defense not working hand and hand to put Auburn in the win column more often. 

“It's offense and defense. We're a team. We're a team that's first and foremost. So this is our thing. We all take ownership of what goes on that field, no matter what phase it is, including special teams. It's all together. And so like for me, it's a group of guys that you can tell they're playing for one another. And how do you tell that by the amount of energy and effort they play with? And that's it. I want our guys to go compete. I wanted to play with confidence and not have a care in the world. That's it.”

With Durkin continuing his duties on the defensive side of the ball, Auburn's defense is expected to keep performing at a high level while looking to upset the 15th-ranked Vanderbilt Commodores, which average 37.6 points per game at this point in the season.