Auburn Tigers defensive coordinator DJ Durkin has always been opposite an offensive-minded head coach in his current seat; first Hugh Freeze, now Alex Golesh. That has made him the equivalent of a head coach of the defense. He gets paid like a head coach in most eras, and his work has done wonders in landing elite talent from the DMV region, and even beyond that in Maryland and Virginia. 4-star Annapolis EDGE commit Rion Jackson was the latest from the region that Durkin recruited.
At some point, you figure a program in that region will consider hiring Durkin as a head coach. The Maryland Terrapins may think twice after the controversy they experienced with Durkin in tow the first time he coached. A football-focused university like the Liberty Flames, who have ignored past controversies before, may be a different story. Though Jamey Chadwell is 25-13 since arriving in Lynchburg, the Flames went 4-8 last season and may not be able to sustain more losing seasons. Certainly, with James Franklin coaching the Virginia Tech Hokies, recruiting in the region is going to be more difficult. Durkin is proven in that arena.
If not Liberty, then someone up the Eastern Seaboard will find value in Durkin as a head coach. Maybe, given his past success with the Florida Gators, the Florida State Seminoles would consider him as either Mike Norvell's counterpart or his replacement. Hell, maybe Durkin could even get a nice payday to go back to Florida as the DC if there's buyer's remorse with Brad White.
However you slice it, there are options for Durkin outside of the Plains. A life without him for the first time since Ron Roberts was running the defense in 2023 could be on the horizon.
Todd Orlando set himself up to be Auburn's next defensive coordinator
It seems that Golesh and his former DC with the USF Bulls, Todd Orlando, understand how this business works. Orlando is now the South Alabama Jaguars' DC, which means he's building relationships in Alabama and Mississippi that would be transferable if he were to link back up with Golesh, Joel Gordon, and Co.
Orlando, a Pittsburgh native who played for the Wisconsin Badgers during his playing career, has coached all around the country. He was a DC/LB coach with the Houston Cougars, Texas Longhorns, and USC Trojans. That's big-time experience in major markets. Now, he's getting his experience in the Yellowhammer State.
It's not hard to connect the dots here. Since Golesh's salary doesn't come cheap, it's a long shot that Durkin will continue to be tied for the fifth-highest paid coordinator for long. He comes in only behind the Indiana Hoosiers' Bryant Haines, the Michigan Wolverines' Jason Beck, the LSU Tigers' Blake Baker, and the Ohio State Buckeyes' Matt Patricia. AU may not have the kind of season that'd make such a number make sense.
Orlando would be cheaper, though, and already seems to be preparing to be a name in the mix in East Central Alabama with his current stint at South. We'll see if Orlando and the Tigers are circling each other next offseason.
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