AUBURN — Auburn football coach Hugh Freeze hired DJ Durkin in January to be his second defensive coordinator on the Plains.

Durkin, who was a co-DC at Ole Miss from 2020-21 and the DC at Texas A&M from 2022-23, will also coach linebackers with the Tigers. Durkin spoke to reporters for the first time Wednesday since landing the Auburn job, and he was asked questions regarding his tenure as Maryland's head coach.

The 46-year-old Durkin was fired from his post with the Terrapins in 2018 after the university received backlash for reinstating him following an investigation into the football program that stemmed from the death of 19-year-old Jordan McNair and a subsequent ESPN report detailing a "toxic culture" perpetuated under Durkin's watch.

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Durkin was asked why he believes he deserves a second chance at a coaching career after Maryland.

“Second chance at a coaching career, I think all along — the people that know you and have been around you, they know you," Durkin said. "I think those opportunities are provided by people that have done their homework and know who I am as a person and what I stand for as a coach. That’s it. That would be someone else’s question to answer. Not mine."

Durkin was also asked how he's changed since his time at Maryland.

“I think there’s evolution always, I think in life, in coaching," he said. "I’m different this year than I was from last year. You always learn. You look back, reflect and say, ‘OK. What are things I could’ve done differently (or) done better.’ That’s part of improvement. We always do it with our players, obviously, as coaches. Let’s do it for ourselves, too. Evaluate how we can do things better and differently. I think if you’re not growing and learning as a person, then what are you doing?”

The Aggies allowed 295 yards and 21.3 points per game last season. That ranked No. 1 and No. 3 in the SEC, respectively.

“Obviously coaching is a small fraternity, you know a lot of people who’ve worked here," Durkin said when asked why he wanted to come to Auburn. "I could not find one person that said anything but it was their favorite place to live. It was really a family-based decision for me. I think how coach Freeze runs his program, what’s important to him and how family is very included, that’s how this decision was made.”

Richard Silva is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at rsilva@gannett.com or X, formerly known as Twitter, @rich_silva18.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: DJ Durkin on why he joined Auburn football, how he's changed