Auburn football’s defensive , has been granted a one-year contract extension along with a salary increase, as revealed by a copy of the contract obtained by AL.com through a public records request.
Durkin’s original contract, signed in 2024, was scheduled to run through the 2026 season but will now extend into 2027. His base salary has also been raised to $2.5 million, more than double the $1.2 million he earned in 2024 and well above the $1.4 million he was set to earn in 2025 under the terms of his previous deal. The new contract includes a $200,000 annual raise, which will increase his salary to $2.7 million for the 2026 season and $2.9 million for 2027.
With this extension, Durkin joins the ranks of the highest-paid coordinators in college football. For comparison, Penn State’s new defensive coordinator, Jim Knowles, earns $3.1 million per year.
Durkin’s defensive leadership helped Auburn achieve one of the nation’s top defenses last season, finishing 28th in points allowed per game and 31st in yards allowed per game. Before Auburn, he held defensive coordinator roles at Ole Miss and Texas A&M. Durkin also had a brief tenure as the head coach at Maryland from 2016 to 2017, but his tenure ended in controversy following the death of Maryland offensive lineman Jordan McNair.
