Since 2012, Auburn has burned through four full-time head coaches and three interim HCs. And now with Hugh Freeze out, they’re once again hunting for the right man to steady the Plains. AD John Cohen said he’s searching for a coach with an edge, a leader who can punch back when punched first. What’s interesting is that the right man might already be on campus.

According to Mike Gittens, Auburn might’ve found the perfect audition without leaving its own building. On the November 20 episode of The War Rapport, he didn’t hold back. “Some think the best man available is already on campus right now and that’s DJ Durkin,” he said. “He is interviewing in real time for the job.” All eyes are on DJ Durkin, the interim who is coaching like John Cohen is grading him from the sideline. The analyst added that winning the Iron Bowl could also “spell changes in Tuscaloosa,” insisting Alabama’s Kalen DeBoer might jump to Penn State. In other words, the SEC rumor pot is boiling and Durkin is right in the middle of it. So how does the man himself see this?

“I view every day here on the job as an interview,” DJ Durkin said, giving the most honest interim-coach quote. “I think you’re getting a good glimpse of what I would be as a head coach here, so I just treat it that way.” 

He added that conversations with the administration are “almost daily,” though he insists his sole focus is preparing this team to win now. He’s campaigning, just not saying the quiet part out loud. And that’s becoming more obvious by the day.

DJ Durkin’s two-week crash course has included roster management chaos, a heartbreaking 45-38 overtime loss to Vanderbilt, and more player-tampering than an ACC booster chat room. 

“Our guys have practiced really well at a high level,” he said on Monday. “I think that actions speak louder than words… If you’re bought in to what’s going on and you’re still with the team and two feet in, you’re going to show them how you practice and prepare. I feel like our guys have done a great job of that.” 

A steady hand in chaos tends to catch a hiring committee’s attention. But did he learn from that Vandy loss? DJ Durkin admitted he spread himself thin juggling DC and HC duties. But after the bye week recalibration, he believes things will run a lot smoother. Two games remain starting with a dangerous Mercer squad. 

“We’re looking forward to being at home against a very good opponent. Mercer does a tremendous job,” he said. “We understand what’s coming down the road, but it has nothing to do with this weekend.” 

One eye on Mercer, one eye on the biggest job interview of his life. Which brings us to the next piece of this puzzle.

The $3 million wild card in the wings

While DJ Durkin is staging his live-action audition in front of John Cohen, Auburn’s search board has an insurance policy. Jon Sumrall, the $3 million man at Tulane. He isn’t just another Group of Five coach who caught lightning for one season. He’s built a reputation as a program flipper, a culture installer, and a recruiter who can go toe-to-toe with Power Five staff despite far fewer resources. His first two years with the Green Wave have been a clinic in quick-turn success. 

An 8-2 mark this season, a No. 24 CFP ranking, and an overall 17-7 record that signals sustainability. For an Auburn program craving stability after more staff turnover than a call center, he represents a clean, proven blueprint. But it’s not going to be easy for Jon Sumrall to enter The Plains. 

“I think they’re setting this up for DJ Durkin to get this job,” Mike Gittens said. “Unless something catastrophic happens these next couple games, I think John Cohen wants to hire him. I think he’s already interviewed for the job, quite honestly… One thing I’ve learned about John is when he wants to do something, he’s going to do it. And he doesn’t care what anybody thinks about this. I think he said as much when he said, ‘I am the committee.’” 

The AD is not waiting till early signing period. He wants a coach within 24 hours of the Iron Bowl. Which means the next 10 days may decide Auburn’s next decade. But insiders insist the only way Jon Sumrall even enters the final stage of this search is if Durkin implode-level fails. 

Because right now, the vibe is clear. The $3 million HC is the wild card, but DJ Durkin is the hand John Cohen wants to play unless catastrophe strikes. Whether he survives this gauntlet or Auburn reaches for Sumrall, the Tigers are closing in on their next chapter.