Just a little over two weeks have passed since Alex Golesh arrived on the Plains, and he’s already filled out his on-field staff.
1819 News reported on the Tigers’ offensive staff here.
With that, here is a look at Auburn’s full defensive staff:
Defensive coordinator/Linebackers: DJ Durkin
Perhaps the biggest retention of Golesh’s tenure thus far was that of DJ Durkin, who announced he would return for a third year on the Plains in 2026.
Last season, Durkin orchestrated an Auburn defense that finished the regular season ranked No. 12 nationally in rushing defense and No. 30 in total defense. The Tigers’ defense allowed their lowest yards per carry (2.86) and rushing yards per game (99.3) since 2003 while allowing the fewest yards overall (329.2 per game) since 2017.
Durkin served as interim head coach for the final three games of last season, posting a 1-2 record.
In addition to his defensive prowess, which Auburn fans are certainly aware of, Durkin is equally as accomplished on the recruiting trail. He was tabbed as Rivals’ Recruiter of the Year in 2012 and has helped ink 11 top-25 classes, including seven that ranked in the top 10 nationally. He was a part of the Tigers' 2025 signing class that signed 5-star Malik Autry and five other defenders ranked in the top 150 nationally, per 247Sports’ recruiting rankings.
Defensive line: Vontrell King-Williams
Another strong retention for Golesh was King-Williams, who joined the Tigers’ staff in 2023 as a defensive analyst.
He rose to an on-field position in 2024, coaching defensive line, and has held it ever since.
Under his guidance in 2025, Auburn’s defensive line helped the Tigers finish in the top six in the SEC in both sacks and tackles for loss. Six different defensive linemen recorded at least two tackles for loss, led by junior All-SEC performer Keldric Faulk with five. Faulk finished his three-year career with 109 tackles, 19.5 TFL and 10 sacks all during King-Williams' tenure – he declared for the 2026 NFL draft last week.
Prior to joining the Tigers’ staff, King-Williams held roles as a defensive tackles coach at Eastern Michigan, and was a graduate assistant at Liberty, and at Eastern Michigan. He began his career as a defensive line intern at UTSA.
Bucks/Edge: Coleman Hutzler
A strong hire with 20 years of experience in the coaching industry, Hutzler will serve as Bucks/Edges coach on Golesh’s inaugural staff.
With loads of SEC experience, Hutzler has worked alongside Durkin at three previous stops: Stanford (2008-2009), Florida (2010-2011, 2014) and Ole Miss (2021).
Most recently, Hutzler served a two-year stint as the defensive coordinator at Mississippi State. He had a total of three defenders rank in the top three in the league in tackles, including the top two tacklers in the league in 2024, while his 2025 unit ranked third in the SEC with 12 interceptions.
Prior to that, he served as special teams coordinator at Alabama from 2022-2023, where he worked with college football’s all-time leading scorer in kicker Will Reichard.
Other stops in the SEC for Hutzler as a full-time coach include stints as the special teams coordinator at Ole Miss in 2021, co-defensive coordinator at Texas in 2020, special teams coordinator and outside linebackers coach at South Carolina from 2016-2019 and Florida in 2014.
During Hutzler’s career, his players have accounted for more than 30 all-conference honors, more than 25 All-America accolades, four conference player of the year awards and four national player of the year nods.
Cornerbacks: Demarcus Van Dyke
Van Dyke makes his way to the Plains after spending the last two seasons under Golesh at USF as cornerbacks coach.
He held the same title at FIU in 2023 and was at his alma mater, Miami, in multiple roles from 2018-2022.
Van Dyke helped the Bulls improve their scoring average by nearly a touchdown from his first year (29.8) to the second (23.3). In 2025, the Bulls ranked seventh in the country in turnovers gained (24), and they led the AAC and ranked 13th in the country with 14 interceptions, tied for the most in a season since 2017 (20).
Van Dyke mentored USF cornerback DeShawn Rucker to a First Team All-ACC campaign in 2025 after totaling 55 tackles, including 39 solo stops, with 1.5 tackles for loss and an interception.
Before beginning his coaching career in 2019 at ASA College as a cornerbacks coach, Van Dyke was a third-round NFL Draft pick by the Oakland Raiders in 2011 out of Miami.
Co-defensive coordinator/Safeties: Tim Banks
Banks makes his way to the Plains as co-defensive coordinator/safeties coach with loads of experience, including 19 years of FBS defensive coordinator experience.
Banks served as Tennessee’s defensive coordinator from 2021-2025 and was the program’s first defensive coordinator to be named a Broyles Award Finalist – an award given annually to the top assistant coach in college football.
Under his tutelage, the Volunteers led the SEC with 479 tackles for loss and maintained a top-16 national ranking in that category all four seasons he was there. In 2024, his defense ranked sixth nationally in total defense (293.2 ypg) and seventh in scoring defense (16.1 ppg), marking the fewest points allowed since Tennessee's 1998 national championship team.
In his time with the Volunteers, Banks coached 11 NFL Draft selections, including three first-team All-SEC performers.
Prior to Tennessee, Banks spent five seasons as co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach at Penn State from 2016-2020. His Penn State defenses ranked top-25 nationally in yards per play allowed all five years and produced 19 NFL Draft picks.
Banks also made stops at Illinois (2012-2015), Cincinnati (2010-2011), and Central Michigan (2007-2009). In 2011, Cincinnati's defense led the nation in tackles for loss and ranked second in sacks, earning Banks a Broyles Award nomination.
Special teams coordinator: Jacob Bronowski
Bronowski makes his way to Auburn after two successful seasons orchestrating Pitt’s special teams – he also served as tight ends coach.
In 2025, Bronowski coached freshman kicker Trey Butkowski to an All-ACC campaign where he finished as a Lou Groza Award semifinalist. Butkowski converted 19-of-22 field goals and 41-of-42 extra-point tries. In 2024, Bronowski mentored kicker Ben Sauls to a pair of All-America team selections and a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award.
Before his two-year stop at Pitt, Bronowski spent two seasons (2022-2023) at Miami (Ohio) as special teams coordinator and defensive assistant. In 2023, Miami (Ohio) led the country with a 44.09 net punting average during the regular season, finished second nationally in blocked kicks (six) and ranked 14th in punt returns (12.46 average).
Bronowski coached Miami (Ohio) Kicker Graham Nicholson to a 2023 Lou Groza Award after posting a team-high 116 points while converting 27-of-28 of his field goal attempts. Punter Alec Bevelhimer earned Ray Guy Award semifinalist honors with a 45-yard average per punt.
Bronowski worked as a special teams analyst at Tennessee in 2021, where Velus Jones Jr. led the SEC and ranked second nationally with a 15.1-yard punt return average, earning SEC Co-Special Teams Player of the Year honors.
Bronowski began his coaching career at his alma mater, New Mexico, in 2016, where he served as a graduate assistant. He worked with future NFL specialists Jason Sanders (Miami Dolphins) and Corey Bojorquez (Cleveland Browns). He also worked as the special teams coordinator at Robert Morris from 2018-2019, where his units led the Northeast Conference in punt return defense, blocked punts and kickoff return defense.
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