After an embarrassing loss at home to the Kentucky Wildcats, the Auburn Tigers announced they would be parting ways with head coach Hugh Freeze in his third year on the Plains. Freeze's tenure with Auburn was marked by extreme highs and lows, the highs mostly coming from recruiting and the lows mostly coming from the on-field product.
Despite assembling a talented team in his third season, Freeze could not get the offense to be productive at all, seesawing between quarterbacks and harping on how "close" the team has been all year.
With Freeze out the door, it was announced that defensive coordinator DJ Durkin would stand in as interim head coach, which should come as no surprise based on how well his half of the team has performed this season. Players spoke to the media on Tuesday and are fully backing Durkin.
"Coach Durkin is probably the best coach we have on our staff," pass rusher Keyron Crawford said, per Auburn Undercover. "Always enthusiastic, always bringing the energy, always have the effort that you want as a head coach or as a defensive coordinator. He's just a great person in general."
The players were informed of Durkin's interim status at a team meeting on Sunday following Freeze's firing.
"It was a lot of excitement," defensive end Keldric Faulk said of Sunday's meeting. "We love Durkin. Everybody thinks a lot of Durkin. He's a great guy, great motivator and a great teacher."
But it's not only the defensive players who are happy to support their interim head coach.
"He's very, very passionate with what he does," wide receiver Perry Thompson said. "He's very aggressive, and he wants us to come out swinging and just step on their throats on every play or whichever opponent we play."
The Tigers, led by interim head coach DJ Durkin, will return to action this Saturday on the road against Vanderbilt.