Jimbo Fisher talks talents and skills of Aggies first year defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin.

While at SEC Media Days this week, Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher talked about first year defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin. While this is not his first year leading a college defense or even an SEC defense, it is his first season in College Station.

Fisher hired Durkin away from SEC-West foe Ole Miss after two seasons leading the Rebels defensive unit. The move came after Mike Elko became the head coach of Duke. Durkin has now been through a full spring and a majority of a summer leading the Texas A&M defense.

As it stands right now, Durkin is exactly what Fisher thought and hoped he would be.

“D.J. goes back to my days when I was at Florida. He was at Florida, a coordinator there, assistant coach there. They had some great D. They had great players, but they had a great defense. Their scheme was very hard to go against, it was very sound, multiple, did different things. As their players’ talents changed, they changed what we did. He was very difficult to go against at different times,” Fisher said.

One of the most impressive things that stands out to Fisher in regards to Durkin is his ability to change and adapt to the hand he is dealt.

“He’s evolved to doing different things. He’s always been a four-down guy, but he went to a three-down package at Ole Miss because of the personnel they have, which shows you how good a coach he is, what he does, being able adapt to his personnel.”

Fisher was asked how Durkin has been able to make the biggest impact and what he has brought to the Texas A&M team.

“I think his diversity, his knowledge, wisdom, been around a long time. He did a great job for us in the spring,” Fisher said.

While Durkin did well in the spring, the upcoming fall camp and season will be where the biggest test comes.

Texas A&M will open the 2022 season Sep. 3 against Same Houston State University.

According to betting odds, Texas A&M currently sits at an over/under of 8.5 wins, which is tied for third in the SEC, second in the west. But, if the Aggies want to beat those odds and compete for an SEC championship, they are going to need DJ Durkin to put together one of the best years of his career. However, by all accounts, Texas A&M has talent on the roster to do it.