Report: Auburn defensive coordinator DJ Durkin signs contract extension with Tigers

Auburn has significantly invested in its football program and that investment will continue in the form of a new contract for defensive coordinator DJ Durkin.

Durkin reportedly inked a new contract extension that was obtained via an open records request by the Montgomery Advertiser.

The publication reports that DJ Durkin’s initial deal has been extended by a year, taking him through the 2027 season. He will be paid a base salary of up to $2.5 million for the 2025 season.

That figure will make him the second highest-paid assistant coach in college football, according to Yahoo! Sports’ Ross Dellenger, behind only new Penn State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles.

DJ Durkin joined the Auburn program prior to the 2024 season, fresh off a two-year stint as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for Jimbo Fisher at Texas A&M. He has had numerous stops around the SEC.

The talented defensive coordinator spent the 2020 and 2021 seasons working as a co-defensive coordinator at Ole Miss. He also worked at Florida in various capacities from 2010-14 under Urban Meyer and then Will Muschamp.

Durkin’s also got previous experience as a head coach, serving at Maryland from 2016-18. Needless to say, Auburn felt like keeping him around was imperative and was willing to pony up to make it happen.

DJ Durkin opens up on challenge of the SEC

Before he coached a down at Auburn in 2024, DJ Durkin knew what he was up against in terms of the challenge of facing some of the game’s best on a week-in, week-out basis.

He described that challenge in great detail.

“I think this conference is the best football in the country, and so it attracts the best players,” Durkin said. “I feel in recruiting, for the most part, you’re recruiting the top level players and I think it’s the same for coaches. You’re going to get the top level coaches that want to, you know, everyone that’s a competitor, whatever field you’re involved in. You want to compete at the highest level. We have that.

“Yeah, there is talented coordinators and week in and week out, those challenges are different as to what you face. But, but obviously all these guys are very good at what they do and they present issues for us. And I think, again, the way the game’s going, the communication of, I think, presents some issues on the defense as well. Those are all things that we continue to work through. But it’s a great challenge. It’s something we embrace every week.”

Auburn and DJ Durkin will begin the 2025 season against Baylor on Aug. 30.