Alex Golesh didn't have to go far to find the man he wants running his defense as Auburn's new head football coach.
On Tuesday afternoon, Golesh announced that DJ Durkin, who had served as the defensive coordinator for the Tigers the past two seasons, will remain on his staff.
“Choosing to keep DJ on our staff was an easy call," the head coach said in a statement. "Our relationship goes back more than 20 years to our roots in Ohio, we have worked with some of the same men, and we’ve competed against each other in this great league. We are fortunate to retain one of the top defensive minds in college football here on The Plains. He's an elite leader, incredible father and husband and will be phenomenal leader on the defensive side of the ball. We have great respect for each other. Time to go to work.”
Durkin, who served as Auburn's interim head coach for the last three games of the 2025 season following the firing of Hugh Freeze, is popular with his players and will likely be able to keep what could be an even better defense in 2026 intact with the news. He has been helping Golesh in recruiting as the Early Signing Period begins on Wednesday.
Auburn's defense has been stout under Durkin
The Tigers finished 31st in the FBS this season, allowing 329.2 yards per game, and allowed just two opponents to score more than 24 points in a game.
"Coach Golesh and I have known each other long time and I’ve got a lot of respect for him, his teams and the way they work," Durkin said. "I’m excited about what he’s going to bring to Auburn and grateful for the chance to work alongside him. I love this group of players, and it mattered to me to keep pushing forward with what they have already started. The support my family and I have felt from the Auburn community has been unbelievable. This is home for us. I’m thankful for the Auburn Family and everything they’ve shown us over the last month, and I can’t wait to get to work.”