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DJ Durkin receives extension as Auburn DC with significant raise
By Mark Kern
Published:
DJ Durkin helped the Auburn defense improve significantly during the 2024 season, and he was rewarded on Monday with a significant raise that will make him 1 of the highest paid defensive coordinators in college football.
Durkin earned $1.2 million during last season, and was set to make $1.4 million in the 2025 season. However, he will now make $2.5 million in 2025 at Auburn, and that makes him the 2nd-highest paid assistant in the country behind new Penn State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles. His previous contract was supposed to run through the 2026 season, but the school also added another year to his new contract.
A report came out that a big reason why Durkin received such a massive extension is because national champion Ohio State was coming in to try and hire him as its replacement for Knowles.
Auburn was much better on the defensive side of the ball last year, as the Tigers ranked 28th in yards allowed last year and 31st in points allowed. He had previous stops as a defensive coordinator at Texas A&M and Ole Miss before becoming the DC at Auburn.
Durkin will have some new coaches on his staff, as the Tigers lost a couple of assistants on that side of the ball. TJ Rushing was brought in to be the safeties coach, while Roc Bellantoni will be the new outside linebackers coach.
