Auburn AD Names Shortlisted HC Candidate Before Blaming Hugh Freeze Firing on $1.6M Mistake

After close to three seasons of mediocrity, losing to Kentucky sealed the deal on Hugh Freeze’s fate. After the game, the head coach called for patience, but on Sunday, he perhaps knew what was coming. The Tigers became the latest SEC team to fire its head coach after Florida and LSU. AD John Cohen chose defensive coordinator DJ Durkin for the interim HC role. But is he in the reckoning for a permanent position?

According to a recent report, Durkin is gunning for the HC spot. When asked whether the DC is in his list of coaches he’s looking at, Cohen gave a clear answer. “Absolutely,” he said.  “He’ll be part of a pool that we’ll consider,” On3 Sports’ Justin Hokanson shared on X.

John Cohen says “absolutely” DC and interim HC DJ Durkin will get consideration for the job. “He’ll be part of a pool that we’ll consider.”

— Justin Hokanson (@_JHokanson) November 3, 2025

One of the reasons for Freeze’s firing was the offensive challenges. The Tigers rank second-to-last in the SEC in total offense, averaging 329.6 yards per game and 22.3 points per game. Over the course of the season, QB Jackson Arnold has registered 13 touchdowns and 29 sacks. The team fared rather well on the other side of the ball. Even against Kentucky, while Auburn managed just 3 points, the defense held the Wildcats to just 10.

Even in other games, the defense was never an issue. At one point against Georgia, the Tigers had a chance to go up 17-0. The Bulldogs mounted a comeback, but in almost every game, the offense didn’t hold up its end of the bargain. Even when the defense stalled drives, the possession was lost in a matter of plays.

AD Cohen acknowledged as much. “If we had an average offense, there’s no telling what our record would be, and maybe he wouldn’t be standing up here right now.”

The post Auburn AD Names Shortlisted HC Candidate Before Blaming Hugh Freeze Firing on $1.6M Mistake appeared first on EssentiallySports.