After the departure of Ron Roberts, who went on to take a job a Florida after serving as Auburn’s defensive coordinator in 2023, and the resignation of defensive backs coach Zac Etheridge, who took a similar role at Houston, Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze was forced to make some staff changes on the defensive side of the ball.

And with Wednesday’s news of Freeze and the Tigers adding D.J. Durkin as Auburn’s second defensive coordinator, Freeze and the Tigers’ defensive on-field staff is set for the 2024 season.

Here’s a look at the final product:

Defensive coordinator: D.J. Durkin

Former Texas A&M defensive coordinator and Maryland head coach D.J. Durkin was officially brought aboard Freeze’s staff at Auburn on Jan. 31, joining Charles Kelly as defensive coordinator.

Durkin joins Auburn’s staff after spending the last two seasons in College Station, where he served as Texas A&M’s defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Prior to his time with Aggies, Durkin had also served assistant coaching stints at Ole Miss, Michigan and Florida.

The addition of Durkin to Auburn’s staff means the Tigers’ defensive coordinator will come with head coaching experience after Durkin spent two seasons at the helm of the Maryland football program in 2016 and 2017. Durkin’s time with the Terrapins ended in controversy following the death of Maryland offensive lineman Jordan McNair, who collapsed during a workout and later died.

Durkin is a native of Youngstown, Ohio and spent his playing career at Bowling Green.

Co-Defensive coordinator: Charles Kelly

Auburn officially announced the addition of Charles Kelly on Jan. 12 — less than two weeks after Kelly was initially linked to the job on Dec. 30.

Kelly joins the Tigers after spending last season at Colorado, where he served as the Buffaloes’ defensive coordinator. Kelly has also served coaching stints at Alabama, Tennessee and Florida State and comes with a remarkable recruiting track record.

A native of Ozark, Kelly went on to spend his playing career at Auburn, suiting up for the Tigers from 1986-89.

Linebackers coach: Josh Aldridge

Hired in late December of 2022, Josh Aldridge was a member of Freeze’s inaugural staff at Auburn, jumping down to The Plains after working with Freeze at Liberty.

In his four seasons at Liberty, Aldridge served as defensive line coach, linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator. Aldridge also served as interim head coach for Liberty in the 2022 Boca Raton Bowl as Freeze had already been hired away to Auburn.

Before Liberty, Aldridge spent time as an assistant at Lenoir-Rhyne and West Georgia.

Aldridge spent his playing career at Harding, a Division II program in Searcy, Ark., from 2008-11.

Defensive line coach: Jeremy Garrett

Introduced as the Tigers’ defensive line coach in December of 2022, Jeremy Garrett also jumped down to Auburn after working with Freeze at Liberty for one season.

Prior to joining Freeze’s staff in 2022, Garrett worked in the professional ranks, serving as an assistant defensive line coach for the Cleveland Browns. Before his jump to the NFL, Garrett got his start as defensive quality control assistant at Vanderbilt.

As a player, Garrett played at Ole Miss from 2004-07.

Secondary coach: Wesley McGriff

After briefly flirting with a job at Texas A&M, Auburn secondary coach Wesley McGriff is set to return to Auburn for his second season as the Tigers’ secondary coach under Freeze. McGriff also coached at Auburn in 2016 and from 2019-20.

Aside from Auburn, McGriff has also spent time coaching at Louisville, Florida, Ole Miss, Miami, Baylor and three seasons with the New Orleans Saints.

McGriff got his coaching start at his alma mater, Savannah State.