Auburn interim head coach DJ Durkin remains the only candidate athletic director John Cohen has publicly acknowledged in the school’s ongoing head-coaching search.
Cohen made that statement the day after Hugh Freeze was fired, and two weeks later, Durkin is still in the mix. However, he’s not alone — CBS Sports reported Monday that Tulane’s Jon Sumrall, Missouri’s Eli Drinkwitz, and Vanderbilt’s Clark Lea have also emerged as frequently mentioned candidates.
Durkin is in his second year as Auburn’s defensive coordinator, and Cohen has made it clear he wants Durkin on staff no matter what. In an interview with AL.com, Cohen called him “elite” at his job and “one of the most respected defensive coordinators in the country.” He also said the topic of keeping Durkin has been discussed with every candidate, and the feedback has been entirely positive — some even noted they’d previously tried to hire Durkin themselves.
When evaluating Durkin as a head-coaching candidate, Cohen said he’s weighing both Durkin’s interim stint and his full coaching résumé. He added that the remaining games will reveal more, though judging a coach on only three games is difficult. Cohen said he’ll be watching how the team plays — whether they play loose, tight, and how they respond in key moments.
Durkin was asked during his Monday press conference whether he had formally interviewed for the job but avoided specifics, saying every day feels like an interview. Cohen didn’t elaborate on their conversations either, other than saying he’s focused on supporting Durkin in his interim role.
Cohen still intends to name Auburn’s next head coach within 24 hours after the Iron Bowl on Nov. 29. Asked whether the search could extend past the conference championships or College Football Playoff to wait for a currently active coach, Cohen said he doubts Auburn would go beyond the early signing period, held Dec. 3–5.