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Auburn interim coach DJ Durkin runs drills before the game against Vanderbilt at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025.

‘Everyone’s Trying to Drag Them Away’: DJ Durkin Sounds Off on Portal Tampering Concerns Following Defeat at Vanderbilt

Originally posted on Gridiron Heroics
By Ajayi Olamilekan | Last updated Nov 9, 2025 9:56 AM ET

Auburn’s interim head coach DJ Durkin, stood before reporters Saturday night in Nashville to address what’s happening behind the scenes. The Tigers had just fallen 45-38 in overtime to Vanderbilt, their fifth one-possession loss of the season, but Durkin’s postgame message centered less on the game itself and more on the battle to keep his roster intact.

“Every coach in the country is calling this team, trying to drag them in the portal and go in other directions,” Durkin said, “And those guys, they stuck together for one another.” According to the video postgame conference clip shared on X by SEC Mike.

The defeat marked Durkin’s first game as a head coach since the 2017 season, when he led Maryland. Now leading Auburn after Hugh Freeze’s dismissal last Sunday, the defensive coordinator-turned-interim coach faces more than just on-field challenges.

Twenty-three players have already entered the transfer portal during the 2024-2025 season. His team sits at 4-6 overall and 1-6 in SEC play, the kind of records that invite outside interest in every talented player still wearing orange and blue.

Durkin’s First Test Ends in Familiar Heartbreak, But Offensive Spark Offers Hope

Auburn quarterback Ashton Daniels (12) runs the ball during the third quarter against Vanderbilt at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025.

Quarterback Ashton Daniels produced a total of 442 yards of offense against the Commodores, showing levels of explosion that Auburn fans have not experienced this season. He completed 31 of 44 passes for 353 yards and two touchdowns while adding 89 rushing yards and two scores on the ground.

Durkin, after the game did praised the offensive performance but couldn’t hide his frustration with the defense, which is his specialty.

DJ Durkin following the loss at Vandy:

“Every coach in the country is calling this team trying to drag them into the portal, drag them in other directions.

“They stuck together for one another.”

“We are going to win these games.”pic.twitter.com/2M7RgKZfdo

— SEC Mike (@MichaelWBratton) November 9, 2025

“I just want to say that I’m really proud of Coach Nix’s offense and how they prepared,” Durkin told reporters. “Defensively, we didn’t respond well. We made too many mistakes and didn’t get enough stops. That was the difference in the game.”

Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia countered with 489 total yards of his own, including a 4-yard touchdown pass to Cole Spence in overtime that made a significant difference.

The Commodores signal-caller completed 25 of 33 passes for 377 yards and three touchdowns, then added 112 rushing yards and a score.

“We tried to keep him in the pocket and limit where his scrambles are,” Durkin said. “We didn’t do that at times. That cost us. We needed to make more stops than we did.”

Despite the loss, Durkin maintained his belief that Auburn remains a championship-caliber program in the making.

“This is Auburn,” Durkin said. “We didn’t come here to get close or make the game close or fight to the end. We came here to win championships and that’s what we’re gonna do.”

The interim coach also addressed Auburn fans directly, acknowledging their continued support despite a difficult season. “Our fans are amazing,” Durkin said. “They show up and that’s unique. That’s what makes this place great, and that’s why we love Auburn.”

Auburn will be back home Nov 22 to face Mercer before closing the regular season against fourth-ranked Alabama on Nov 29. The Tigers fell to 4-6 and will miss a bowl game for the second consecutive season unless they can knock off Alabama in the Iron Bowl.

Durkin’s immediate task is keeping his roster together long enough to see if Auburn can salvage something from a season that’s gone sideways.

This article first appeared on Gridiron Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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