Auburn has fired head coach Hugh Freeze following a disappointing 10-3 loss to Kentucky, the university announced Sunday. The decision ends Freeze’s tenure after three seasons, during which he compiled a 15-19 overall record.
Defensive coordinator DJ Durkin has been named interim head coach and will lead the Tigers for the remainder of the season. His first challenge will be a road game against No. 16 Vanderbilt.
Durkin takes command of a team struggling significantly on offense, managing only 241 total yards against Kentucky. The team also faces uncertainty at quarterback, with both Jackson Arnold and Ashton Daniels seeing playing time. As Auburn begins a national search for its third full-time head coach since 2020, Durkin’s performance in the final weeks could serve as an audition for the permanent role.
This marks Durkin’s second stint as an interim head coach, having previously filled the role at Florida in 2014 after Will Muschamp’s dismissal. Freeze hired Durkin as Auburn’s defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for the 2024 season after he held the same positions at Texas A&M under Jimbo Fisher.
Durkin’s head coaching history includes a controversial two-year period at Maryland from 2016 to 2017. He was placed on administrative leave in August 2018 following the death of offensive lineman Jordan McNair, who collapsed from heatstroke during a team workout in May of that year. An investigation revealed that athletic trainers failed to follow proper procedures in treating McNair. Despite the university’s Board of Regents recommending his reinstatement, Durkin was fired one day later after players walked out of a team meeting he led.
Before his time at Maryland, Durkin served as defensive coordinator at Michigan and Florida. He also has NFL experience as a consultant for the Atlanta Falcons in 2019. Since then, he has held coordinator roles at Ole Miss and Texas A&M before joining Auburn.
DJ Durkin’s Coaching Career:
- 2001–2002: Bowling Green (Graduate Assistant)
- 2003–2004: Notre Dame (Graduate Assistant)
- 2005–2006: Bowling Green (Special Teams, Defensive Ends, Linebackers)
- 2007–2009: Stanford (Special Teams Coordinator, Defensive Ends)
- 2010–2014: Florida (Coordinator, Position Coach)
- 2014: Florida (Interim Head Coach)
- 2015: Michigan (Defensive Coordinator, Linebackers)
- 2016–2017: Maryland (Head Coach)
- 2019: Atlanta Falcons (Consultant)
- 2020–2021: Ole Miss (Co-Defensive Coordinator, Linebackers)
- 2022–2023: Texas A&M (Defensive Coordinator, Linebackers)
- 2024–Present: Auburn (Defensive Coordinator, Linebackers)
- 2025: Auburn (Interim Head Coach)
DJ Durkin’s Head Coaching Record:
- 2014 (Florida): 1-0
- 2016 (Maryland): 6-7
- 2017 (Maryland): 4-8
