Auburn Defense Under Fire | Birmingham News

Birmingham AL News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Aug 19, 2026 · 1m

Auburn’s defense, once a national force holding opponents to just 20 points per game, is showing early cracks in preseason camp — with head coach Alex Golesh bluntly calling their tackling “okay at best.” Under new defensive coordinator DJ Durkin — who’s entering his third year and previously coached under Nick Saban — the unit faces higher stakes and tougher coaching, including “tough love” from position coach Coleman Hutzler. Players like sophomore Jared Smith admit it’s hard but necessary for growth. The defense was caught off guard by the offense during their first scrimmage, even giving…