Auburn’s coaching change hit early turbulence as DJ Durkin’s status on Alex Golesh’s staff remains unclear. “The defensive side, I’m working through it,” said Golesh, hinting that Durkin may not be retained as the DC. Soon after, Auburn’s freshman LB expressed his frustrations with the newly hired HC through a cryptic public message.

Moments after Alex Golesh’s introductory speech on December 1, Jakaleb Faulk took it to Instagram, venting out his anger at trying to change DJ Durkin as Auburn’s defensive coordinator.

Jakaleb on his Instagram Story wrote three sharp lines, “#dontlikeit”, “Trynna fix sum tht ain’t broke 🤦🏾‍♂️”, “Trynna change sum tht don’t need to be changed 👎”.

Though cryptic, it’s interpreted as a direct response to the new head coach. His comments became a buzz only after Golesh failed to give a firm answer about DJ Durkin’s status to remain on Auburn’s coaching staff.

“We’ve got a plan. We’re working through the steps to execute the plan,” said Golesh about Durkin. “My hope is that in the next 24 to 48 hours, that gets finalized and we have some clarity with which direction we’re going, but we’re working through it.”

For the last two seasons, Durkin has been a steady figure in Auburn’s program and was elevated as the interim HC following Hugh Freeze’s firing. In fact, before AD John Cohen ultimately chose Golesh, Durkin appeared to be under real consideration for the full-time head coaching job.

While Durkin stepped into the role of interim head coach, he noted the program had undergone a cultural reset. Parents approved of him, and players took practice seriously. However, despite the offense lining up some solid plays, the team still conceded points. Yet, there is a visible improvement in defense.

The rapid shift from being in the head coaching discussion to potentially losing his job just weeks later underscores the concerns inside the locker room. While the status still looks unclear, a decision on Durkin’s status on Auburn’s coaching staff is expected to be taken within the next 48 hours.

Retaining DJ Durkin crucial for Alex Golesh’s Auburn success

As Alex Golesh and Auburn are working to decide on the DC’s future, Durkin’s defensive contribution cannot be ignored. Despite Auburn’s offense struggling under Hugh Freeze, Durkin’s defense restricted the opponent’s offense, making elite-level plays through most of the regular season.

Before Durkin took over as the interim HC, Auburn was one of only three FBS teams that had not allowed more than 24 points in a single contest. Under Durkin’s leadership as interim coach, the team allowed an average of only 20.1 points per game in its final games. 

It was the lowest points-allowed average of his career since 2015. When he was in Michigan, he allowed only 16.4 points per game for the season and helped the team finish 6th nationally.

Under Durkin, the Tigers were ranked third in the SEC’s rushing defense in the regular season. They averaged 102.6 yards, where 4 of 7 conference games came against the top 4 rushing teams in the SEC.

On the other hand, Durkin is a promising figure in the Auburn locker room who can help carry the momentum into the next season. Especially with a defense featuring Xavier Atkins, Keyron Crawford, Eric Winters, and including the freshman Jakaleb Faulk, retaining DJ Durkin is crucial for maintaining the defensive athletes and keeping the defense watertight.

For an offensive-minded coach like Alex Golesh, a defensive wall like DJ Durkin could help Auburn return to SEC contention.