AUBURN — Let’s dispense with the niceties and the usual big‐name coaching carousels: this moment presents a savvy, low‐risk path forward for the Auburn Tigers—one that ignores the hype of splashy hires and opts instead for someone already in place, proven in one half of the game, and ready to run it for a short prove-it deal. In short: hire interim head coach DJ Durkin, the former defensive coordinator, give him a one- or two-year incentive-loaded contract, stabilize the program, and hit the portal hard for a quarterback and elite offensive coordinator.
Why? Because the defense Durkin runs is humming. Yes, the Tigers sit at 4-5 this season under outgoing head coach Hugh Freeze—but the defense has held opponents to numbers most schools can only dream about. According to advanced stats, Auburn ranks among the nation’s best in points allowed per drive, it dominates rushing defense, and it stands near the top in third-down defense. In fact, one metric puts Auburn eighth or better nationally in preventing explosive drives. (And yes, we’re talking about the 2025 season.)
The case in defense
Durkin’s defense hasn’t just been good—it’s been incredibly efficient. According to Sports-Reference, Auburn’s 2025 defense allows 19.9 points per game, which ranks 26th nationally among FBS programs. They allow an average of 4.7 yards per play, which positions them roughly 36th nationally. Another advanced metric has Auburn ranked 11th in the nation in points allowed per quality drive, meaning opponents get into scoring range, but the Tigers often prevent them from cashing in.
On rushing defense, Auburn allows just around 83.6 rushing yards per game and averages 2.5 yards per rush—both obscene in today’s spread era. These numbers place Auburn’s front seven among the best run-stopping units in the country. In third-down defense and red-zone efficiency, Auburn is similarly elite: opponents convert at a markedly lower rate than expected and score touchdowns in the red zone less frequently than most.
So yes, the Tigers are still rated inside the top-35 nationally in most computer and Vegas models despite five losses. Why? Because the defense is exceptional.
Here’s the argument for hiring him now on a “prove it” deal:
Oh and best of all, Durkin gets a home Iron Bowl as interim coach in a few weeks to go win the job himself!
- Stability Over Gamble: Auburn currently ranks near the bottom of head-coach opening pecking order at the Power 4 level. The hot names—Lane Kiffin, Drinkwitz, Brent Key—are either staying put, not a fit, or unreachable. So Auburn doesn’t have to strike a home run hire now; it can play smart. Give Durkin the keys for a season or two, evaluate results, and if it fails, dive back into the market with more information. Minimal downside, maximum return. He’s not going to need a $10+ Million a year salary or an absurd buyout. Hire Durkin to an incentive-based, short-term deal, where results truly matter. You have nothing to lose at this point!
- Leverage the Defense Immediately: The defense is already elite. Instead of ripping the whole thing apart with a new coaching regime, install someone who operates that side seamlessly, protect the roster structure, and buy time to fix offense. In the portal-age, offense can be bought with transfers—quarterback, offensive coordinator, perhaps one savvy coordinator hire—but defensive culture takes years to build. Auburn has it now thanks to Durkin.
- Incentive Structure Makes Sense: Give Durkin, say, a two-year contract with a modest base salary and heavy bonuses: bowl qualification, beating Alabama, conference title, reaching the playoff (unlikely but aspirational), rivals, etc. If he hits those, you’ve paid for performance; if he doesn’t, you’ve spent minimal and still have the chance to re-enter the coaching market in a year or two, based on how this thing goes. Chances are, Auburn will rise to the top of the availability list, as well.
- Recruiting and Portal Momentum: With Durkin locked in, Auburn can make a hard push to keep key portal targets—namely wideouts like Cam Coleman on the team—and quarterback transfer targets can be sold on the story: “Our defense will win you games; we just need you to put it over the top with Coleman.” Smart recruits buy into stability, culture, and clarity. A hire like this signals, “We don’t panic. We build.” That resonates.
- It’s Realistic: Auburn won’t leapfrog LSU or Florida overnight. But if results go well under Durkin, the Tigers can position themselves right behind the blue-bloods in the SEC. If it fails, they have ruinously few losses to look back on; the roster will be mostly intact; the structure will be in place. Then you go hire the flashy guy when the flame is bigger, the position is hotter, and the competition lower.
In short: DJ Durkin is the rational move. Not the sexy move, but the smart one. He’s already on staff, already proven defensively, and already has cultural buy-in. Auburn’s problem is offense and elite QBs; they don’t need a head-coach magician to fix that—they need a head coach who keeps the one thing working, so they can spend energy and resources on fixing the other half.
So yes, if all goes well in November—the interim period—offer Durkin the job for 2026 and beyond on the incentive plan. Lock in your coach, protect your defense, upgrade your offense, stabilize the program—and get back to relevance. Drinkwitz isn’t coming. Kiffin won’t lightly abandon his track. Dillingham and Key stay where they are. So the door is open. Walk through it. Hire Durkin, keep the culture, rebuild the offense—and do it without chasing fireworks.
The Tigers deserve a coach who knows what they are—and can make them what they need to be. That’s DJ Durkin.
You’ve failed miserably on your last two “splash” hires, why not try something different? Unless of course you can somehow convince the names mentioned above to take the Auburn job. Crazier things have certainly happened before.
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