Jim Knowles’ blockbuster contract at Penn State set a high-water mark for assistant coach salaries, and now Auburn defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin is subsequent to see his wage go up considerably. In line with a brand new contract signed Feb. 5 (per the Montgomery Advertiser), Durkin will earn $2.5 million in base wage in 2025, greater than double his 2024 wage of $1.2 million. There’s additionally a $200,000 escalator, bringing the worth of the three-year deal to only underneath $8 million in base pay. 

That vital bump in pay would have tied him for many amongst assistants final yr. LSU defensive coordinator Blake Baker was the highest-paid coordinator at $2.5 million for 2024, based on USA Right this moment’s assistant coach wage database. Knowles’ contract at Penn State averages $3.1 million over three years with greater than $4 million potential because of spectacular bonuses. 

Durkin, a longtime assistant with an SEC footprint, joined Auburn’s employees final season after serving in the same function for Texas A&M in the course of the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Outcomes have been OK. Amongst SEC groups, Auburn ranked eighth in factors per sport and sixth in yards per play allowed, however protection wasn’t sometimes the issue within the tight, sometimes lower-scoring video games it misplaced final season as a part of a 5-7 effort. And with high-profile defensive coordinator jobs open throughout this cycle, Durkin has benefited. 

Jim Knowles contract: New Penn State defensive coordinator can eclipse $4 million with profitable bonuses

Dennis Dodd

There may be hope transferring into Yr 3 underneath Hugh Freeze with Jackson Arnold coming over from Oklahoma as a part of a QB room overhaul. Nonetheless, Freeze is dealing with a crucial yr. He is but to ship a successful season and the offense has fallen brief. With out enchancment, it will be Durkin’s unit that can once more be requested to hold the additional slack as this system eyes SEC and playoff objectives.