Auburn officially announced new defensive coordinator D.J. Durk in a press release Wednesday afternoon after head coach Hugh Freeze confirmed the previously announced news during a press conference at the Senior Bowl.”I am grateful for the opportunity to join Coach Freeze’s staff and be a part of the Auburn family,” Durkin said in a press release. “Auburn has a well-deserved reputation for being a tough, physical defense. We will work hard to continue that tradition and make Auburn proud. I can’t wait to get started.”Durkin was named “defensive coordinator” in the release after Charles Kelly was previously hired as co-defensive coordinator. Auburn’s website continues to list Kelly as co-defensive coordinator, but it has not been updated to include Durkin’s bio as of a release sent to reporters at 4:09 p.m. on wednesday”People that I really like have been so interested in the job,” Freeze said Wednesday at his Senior Bowl press conference. “And man, I just loved interviewing (Durkin). I love the time I spent with him and his wife, Sarah. They’re great people and people who I think bring so much experience and value to construction and defense. So I’m very excited to have D.J.”Durkin was the defensive coordinator at Ole Miss and Texas A&M before coming to Auburn.He served as Maryland’s head coach during the 2016 and 2017 seasons. He was fired in 2018 after the death of offensive lineman Jordan McNair and led after a series exploring the culture of the program.”DJ has been a successful defensive coordinator in several Southeastern Conferences,” Freeze said in a press release. “Always. I’ve been impressed with his schemes and game plans, including the two times I’ve faced his teams in recent years. Texas A&M’s defense was fast, physical and well coached. We are excited to have DJ join our staff here in Auburn..