Auburn defensive coordinator DJ Durkin has received a one-year contract extension, along with a pay raise, according to a copy of the contract obtained by AL.com through a public records request.

Durkin’s initial contract signed in 2024 was set to run through the 2026 season, but now will include the 2027 season. The second-year defensive coordinator’s base salary also rose to $2.5 million, more than doubling from the $1.2 million he made in 2024 and raising significantly from the $1.4 million he was set to make in 2025 under the structure of his previous contract.

His new contract also includes a $200,000 bump each season, meaning he is on track to make $2.7 million for the 2026 season and $2.9 million in 2027.

The new deal puts him among the highest-paid coordinators in college football, with new Penn State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles ranking first at $3.1 million per year.

Durkin led Auburn to one of the top defenses in the country last season, finishing 28th in the country in points allowed per game and 31st in yards allowed per game. He previously spent time as defensive coordinator at Ole Miss and Texas A&M, before coming to the plains.

Durkin also had a brief stint as a head coach at Maryland during the 2016 and 2017 seasons, but it ended in controversy following the death of Maryland offensive lineman Jordan McNair.

McNair collapsed during a workout, was hospitalized with heat stroke and died two weeks later. After initially being suspended following McNair’s death, Durkin was reinstated, only to be relieved after public outcry one day later.

Auburn added two new on-field coaches to its defensive staff this offseason in safeties coach TJ Rushing and outside linebackers coach Roc Bellantoni. Rushing replaced former safeties coach and co-defensive coordinator Charles Kelly, who is now the head coach at Jacksonville State. Bellantoni replaced Josh Aldridge, who was hired to be the defensive coordinator at East Carolina.

Peter Rauterkus covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @peter_rauterkus or email him at [email protected]m