Amidst the turmoil surrounding Auburn Tigers’ head coach Hugh Freeze, the defense has quietly remained resilient, staying in the top-25 nationally despite being relatively young. First-year defensive coordinator DJ Durkin has quickly made his mark, fostering growth in a unit that, while talented, had to shift away from high school mentality and adopt a more team-first mindset.
Durkin’s approach focuses on instilling a sense of collective responsibility among his players, emphasizing the importance of executing their roles and avoiding individualistic play. While this may not be a groundbreaking concept, it relies heavily on strong leadership and effective man-management.
“There’s a learning curve,” Durkin explained. “It’s not just about buy-in; it’s about understanding how critical it is to execute your job and not just freelance. These guys are elite athletes who come from high school programs where they could often get by on raw talent. Here, it’s about understanding that we’re part of something bigger, and it’s not just about one-on-one football. Our guys are getting better each week, and I think we’re playing our best football now.”
Durkin’s ability to mold Auburn’s young defensive talent into a cohesive unit has been impressive, especially in light of the evolving college football landscape. As the Tigers approach their second bye week, Durkin is focused on returning to basics.
“We’re still a young defense, so it’s all about technique and fundamentals,” he stressed. “This is what we use open dates for—getting back to tackling, block defeat, eye discipline, stance. Those small details add up to success.”
While Auburn’s overall record doesn’t reflect the team’s full potential, much of the blame lies with an offense that ranks 124th in turnovers. Despite this, Durkin’s defense has steadily improved, with the players taking pride in their responsibility even when the offense struggles.
“We’re executing at a high level,” Durkin said. “As the season progresses, we’ve gotten better. We’ve faced teams that run the ball well, and our guys have bought in to stopping that. They’ve done a great job of executing what we’ve asked of them.”
While immediate results may not fully reflect the defensive progress, Durkin is confident that these incremental improvements will lead to bigger strides down the road. “This group has a substance to them,” he said. “They care about their teammates, and it shows in how they play.”
