Auburn sec coach has signed a one-year contract extension and received a pay raise, according to documents obtained by AL.com through a public records request.
His original deal, signed in 2024, was set to expire after the 2026 season but now extends through 2027. His base salary has increased to $2.5 million, more than double the $1.2 million he earned in 2024 and a significant jump from the $1.4 million he was slated to make in 2025 under his previous contract terms.
The new agreement includes an annual $200,000 raise, positioning his salary at $2.7 million in 2026 and $2.9 million in 2027.
This contract places Durkin among the highest-paid coordinators in college football, trailing only Penn State’s new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, who earns $3.1 million annually.
Last season, Durkin guided Auburn to one of the nation’s top defenses, ranking 28th in points allowed per game and 31st in total yards allowed. Before joining Auburn, he served as the defensive coordinator at Ole Miss and Texas A&M. Durkin also had a brief head coaching stint at Maryland from 2016 to 2017, which ended in controversy following the death of offensive lineman Jordan McNair.