Auburn Tigers Name Interim After Hugh Freeze's Firing

Durkin has been the defensive coordinator at Auburn since the beginning of the 2024 season.

Despite a short tenure with the Tigers thus far, Durkin has no lack of coaching experience. He served as the head coach for the Maryland Terrapins from 2016-18, a team that similarly struggled on offense despite a strong defense.

Durkin’s also been an interim head coach before, stepping into the emergency head coach role at Florida back in 2014 after the team fired Will Muschamp, coaching Florida to a 28-20 win over East Carolina in the Biringham Bowl.

Freeze’s Tigers have struggled immensely for most of the 2025 season, but defense hasn’t been an issue. In fact, Durkin’s defense has been the bright spot on an otherwise dull season for the Auburn faithful.

Under Durkin, the Tigers have yet to allow more than 24 points this season and have multiple defensive players earning prestigious awards, including Rayshawn Pleasant and Xavier Atkins, new transfers who have been showing out under Durkin’s watch.

Atkins, under the watchful eye of Durkin, has turned into a defensive player of the year candidate in his first year with the Tigers, boasting 69 total tackles, seven sacks, an interception and two forced fumbles.

Durkin’s defense hasn’t had an easy road to stardom, either; they’ve been forced to take on teams like Georgia, Texas A&M, Oklahoma and Arkansas, all of which boasted powerful offenses that seemed to be nullified by Durkin’s game plan and execution. 

The Tigers’ defense, led by Durkin, has been bailing out the offense’s missteps all year, and now Durkin will have the chance to bail out Tiger fans from an otherwise failed season. 

He’ll have his work cut out for him, though, as to scrape into bowl eligibility, the now-Durkin-led Tigers will need to beat Mercer, as well as either No. 4 Alabama or No. 15 Vanderbilt. 

Durkin heads straight into the fire this week, as he’ll have to prep his team to take on the Vanderbilt Commodores in the team’s first post-Freeze game. It’ll kick at 3 p.m. CST and will be broadcast on SEC Network.

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