Jake Crandall-USA TODAY NETWORK
Auburn defensive coordinator DJ Durkin doubled his annual salary this offseason after receiving a substantial raise from the university. The coach signed a new contract in February to stay on with Hugh Freeze for another year.
Last season was Durkin’s first with the Tigers. He’d previously coached at conference rival Texas A&M. In his lone campaign on the Plains, his unit finished near the middle of the pack in most statistical categories.
In the 16-team SEC, Auburn ranked ninth in yards per game, eighth in scoring defense, and tied for 15th in takeaways. Still, the group greatly outperformed a turnover-prone offense that finished 12th in points per game.
A number of high-profile defensive coordinator jobs opened up this offseason at stops like Ohio State, USC, and Clemson. In order to keep their guy, the Tigers opened up the checkbook.
DJ Durkin earned $1.2 million in 2024. He was set to be paid $1.4 million in 2025. He’ll now be paid $2.5 million with his new contract. That’s a raise of nearly 100%! USA Today broke down some of the ins and outs of the new deal.
Durkin’s new contract adds a year to his initial deal… It also boosts his base salary more than seven figures, up to $2.5 million for 2025 after being paid $1.2 million for the 2024 season…
Should Durkin’s contract be terminated without cause, he’ll be owed the remainder of his yet-to-be-paid salary… Should Durkin’s contract be terminated and he finds a new job within the timeframe of his newly signed contract, any payments received from a new employer would mitigate his buyout from Auburn.
If Durkin terminates his own contract, presumably for a new coaching opportunity, he’d owe Auburn $1 million if that occurred before Dec. 20, 2025. It’d go down to $250,000 if terminated after Dec. 20, 2025 but before Dec. 20, 2026. A termination prior to the final game of the 2027 season would mean Durkin owes Auburn $125,000.
Had the raise occurred last season, DJ Durkin would’ve matched LSU’s Blake Baker as college football’s highest-paid assistant. Penn State’s decision to pry Jim Knowles away from Ohio State changed that.
The Nittany Lions will pay Knowles more than $3 million across three seasons. That move might’ve had a direct impact on Durkin’s bump.
It’s been rumored that the Buckeyes targeted the Auburn defensive coordinator in order to fill the vacancy. The Tigers stepped in with an offer he couldn’t refuse. It now seems the Ohio State search has turned to former Bill Belichick assistant Matt Patricia.
Reason for DJ Durkin’s raise and extension?
Per sources, it was because Ohio State came in with an offer trying to pry him away from Auburn. Hugh Freeze wasn’t going to let that happen.
— Brian Stultz (@brianjstultz) February 10, 2025
Durkin cashed in on the interest. Auburn didn’t want to lose him after just one season. He’s now banked a seven-figure pay increase despite middling production on the field in Year 1. We’ll soon see if he’s worth the raise when the Tigers take the field in 2025.