DJ Durkin got a seven-figure raise, over $1.2 million, to remain Auburn football defensive coordinator. The deal keeps him on the Plains until 2028.
"DJ Durkin has agreed to a new contract to stay on as Hugh Freeze and Auburn football's defensive coordinator, which was obtained by the Montgomery Advertiser and USA TODAY Network via an open records request Monday," the Montgomery Advertiser's Adam Cole relayed.
"The deal both extends Durkin's initial contract and makes him one of the highest-paid assistants in college football.
"Durkin's new contract, signed Feb. 5, adds a year to his initial deal, which had him on the Plains from 2024 to 2026. It also boosts his base salary more than seven figures, up to $2.5 million for 2025 after being paid $1.2 million for the 2024 season."
Hugh Freeze is getting his players paid. That's the most obvious takeaway from Durkin's deal. Ultimately, beyond the length of the deal, Durkin got a higher buyout. That's the true value on his end. And what makes it such a strong endorsement on AU's end.
Durkin didn't have a dominant defense in 2024 but he's getting paid like a man who's about to get the Tigers into top-10 territory across different categories. Only Jim Knowles, who just oversaw a dominant Ohio State defensive effort that led to a national championship, will be paid more.
As Cole notes, this would've been the biggest contract in the country for an assistant last season. Freeze selling the brain trust on millions for a coach who fielded a good, but not great, unit is awe-inspiring.
Auburn coming up with funding for Freeze's assistants, NIL funding for a top-16 expensive 2025 recruiting class, and Bruce Pearl's basketball program, which continues to stay on top by paying upperclassmen to return amidst ever-evolving eligibility rulings that tend to give players more chances to earn, is a testament to how well the Tigers are evolving with the changing times.