For the second time in the last four Iron Bowl’s, the Alabama Crimson Tide will face an Auburn Tigers team led by an interim head coach.
This season, that acting head coach is DJ Durkin, the Tigers defensive coordinator who was named the interim head coach at Auburn a few weeks back following the firing of Hugh Freeze. The Crimson Tide previously faced an interim head coach back in 2022 as well, an Auburn team that was led by Cadillac Williams after the firing of Bryan Harsin.
Durkin has served as the Tigers defensive coordinator for each of the past two seasons under Freeze, with Auburn’s defense allowing a combined 21.3 and 20.1 points per game to opponents, respectively. Both defenses rank Top 30 nationally in points per game allowed, with Auburn this season sitting at No. 26 nationally in year two under Durkin.
This will also be Durkin’s third game as Auburn’s interim head coach, with the Tigers previously going 1-1 where the loss came at Vanderbilt, 45-38. Durkin’s first win as Auburn interim head coach came this past Saturday against the Mercer Bears at home, 62-17.
Following is everything Durkin said about Alabama, as well as the Iron Bowl, during his press conference Monday afternoon.
DJ Durkin on the Iron Bowl
“It’s the greatest rivalry in college football,” Durkin said. “It’s a game that means a lot to a lot of people down here and certainly to our team and our coaching staff. We had a good practice this morning. We’re already on to that and our preparations have started. We’re looking forward to the challenge and the task.”
DJ Durkin on Alabama
“They’re a really good football team,” Durkin said. “They’re well coached in all three phases. They have playmakers at all spots. I think their numbers, their stats, and their record all speak to that. They definitely perform at a high level. They’ve played some tough games, and played well in those games. We know it’s a great challenge, and we are looking forward to it.”
DJ Durkin on Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson
“I think he’s played at a really high level,” Durkin said. “We’re here at the end of the season, so you get a chance to watch the whole menu of all the games, and I think he does a really good job. He commands that offense. They give you multiple looks with shifts and motions, and you can tell his eyes are in the right place. He knows where to go with the ball. Rarely is he kind of off cue of what the defense is doing and where to go with it, at least. He can make all the throws. I mean, you see them. They push the ball down the field. They have a lot of vertical route concepts, and he can get it where it needs to be. He’s got good playmakers to throw to, and I think he understands that. It’s definitely a challenge. It’ll be our toughest challenge I think of the year.”
DJ Durkin on Alabama’s offense
“They probably count a lot of their run game as perimeter screens and quick passes to those receivers,” Durkin said. “I think they’re creative about getting the ball to their playmakers, and get it to them fast and letting them run with it. I think that’s an extension of the run game. I know it doesn’t show up in stats as run game, but that’s a big part of it. I think they have very talented backs. I think their offensive line is really good. They’re athletic. They do a good job of moving on their stretch and get on the perimeter. So, you’ve got to make sure that you can both stop the run and defend the pass against them. I don’t think it’s where they’re just a one dimensional team.”
DJ Durkin on Alabama’s defense
“The first thing is that they’re active on the ball,” Durkin said. “They make plays on the ball. They do a good job of takeaways and a good job of playing the ball down the field. Their pass defense is excellent. I think up front, they’re physical, and they do a good job of getting to the quarterback and affecting the quarterback with four. They’re very active about it. We’ve got to do a great job protecting the football, making good decisions with the ball, and sustaining drives that way.”
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This article originally appeared on Roll Tide Wire: Auburn’s DJ Durkin comments on Alabama football entering Iron Bowl
