With over $50 million in dead money already on the books, Alex Golesh’s first task is not coaching players. It’s about balancing the books and getting the finances straight. He saved a couple of bucks, and keeping Durkin became a win-win situation. Golesh certainly calmed the furious voices at Auburn.

“Choosing to keep DJ on our staff was an easy call,” Golesh released a statement about keeping Durkin, as reported by SEC Mike. “Our relationship goes back more than 20 years to our roots in Ohio. We have worked with some of the same men, competed against each other.”

Only 72 hours after Durkin captained the Tigers in the Iron Bowl, Auburn made it official. Golesh had already let fans know during his intro conference that he was working overtime to keep Durkin on board. Now that it’s signed and sealed, Golesh is ready to implement his system with one of the top defensive masterminds in college football.

What does Durkin bring to the table that helped him earn Golesh’s trust? Before Auburn scooped him up in 2024, Durkin was busy building his résumé, consulting for the Atlanta Falcons, bolstering defenses at the Ole Miss Rebels, and Texas A&M Aggies.

He even took the big chair at the Maryland Terrapins. During his two-year run with the Terps, he snagged a bowl trip and went 10-15, proving he knew how to keep a program afloat in the deep end. Along with hiring a talented assistant coach, Golesh could save a significant amount of money for the program.

Freeze’s exit hits the bank hard. Golesh’s program owes him $15.8 million guaranteed from that 2022 contract. Pair that with the Gus Malzahn and Bryan Harsin payouts, and the Tigers are now on the hook for over $50 million in buyouts. 

By keeping Durkin in-house, Auburn essentially saved itself a substantial amount of money. No need to cough up the leftover contract money that would’ve dropped if they’d fired him clean. And honestly, snagging a big-name defensive coordinator from another program would have meant paying somebody else’s buyout, too.

When Durkin re-upped on February 5, Auburn leveled him up. His deal now runs an extra year, and his bank account is getting a seven-figure upgrade: from $1.2 million in 2024 to $2.5 million in 2025. 

“I’m excited about what he’s [Golesh] going to bring to Auburn and grateful for the chance to work alongside him,” Durkin dropped a statement filled with gratitude. “I love this group of players, and it mattered to me to keep pushing forward with what they have already started.”

Golesh kept Durkin locked, but maybe that was not enough. He is now planning to poach his staff from the South Florida Bulls. 

Alex Golesh’s blueprint for the Auburn Tigers

According to CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz, Golesh is preparing to bring key members of his South Florida staff to Auburn and bring his top coaches to Auburn. The haul includes offensive coordinator Joel Gordon, offensive line guru Tyler Hudanick, cornerbacks coach DeMarcus Van Dyke, and weight-room commander George Courides.

Without that South Florida crew, Golesh wouldn’t have stirred up the magic he did down in Tampa. Before he pulled up, South Florida had scraped together just four wins in three years. Then, Golesh seizes the wheel, and the Bulls stack 23 wins in three seasons. His final year? 

A 9-3 run with an offense that finished No. 2 in total offense and No. 4 in scoring. He turned a sputtering program into a highlight reel. Besides stacking up the coaches, the player roster got shaken up with Golesh’s commitment. 

ESPN’s Eli Lederman reports that Golesh’s move helped trigger 4-star QB Peyton Falzone to decommit. This heartbreak came after four-star safety Bralan Womack flipped to Mississippi State. However, the Golesh charm did pay off in terms of recruitment.

DJ Broughton Jr., once pledged to South Florida, has hopped on the Auburn train, claiming the title of Golesh’s first official commit. Meanwhile, for months, he had made DeShawn Spencer his top recruiting priority among the entire offense. Spencer was even secretly committed to South Florida long before that Duke announcement was ever a thought.

The Bulls had an announcement ready, but Spencer rethought things and eventually chose Duke. Still, Golesh kept coming. Spencer visited Auburn, and Golesh took the head coaching job hours later. He immediately went back for the player he’d always wanted most. This time? Spencer said yes.

That’s the Alex Golesh blueprint–hold on to the right coaches, pulling his South Florida crew with him, and charming recruits into switching sides.