Cole Cubelic and Greg McElroy reacted to Hugh Freeze’s latest coaching staff moves, including reportedly hiring DJ Durkin as defensive coordinator. They noted the backlash about the hire, but McElroy shared that Durkin was in the mix to be on Nick Saban’s staff at Alabama had the coach not retired.

Cubelic first noted that Durkin at Texas A&M had an elite defensive line, which feasted on a lot of different offenses.

“But the talent was something that I don’t think you had to really scheme up, based on what they had, the depth and the overall ability of that defensive line,” Cubelic said. “We’ve had our complaints about him schematically. One of the nicest guys you’ll sit down and talk to.”

Known around the SEC, and a coach who knows the SEC, Cubelic said Durkin is known as a good recruiter and someone who has plenty of experience.

“DJ Durkin’s really well liked, and really well respected as a football coach,” McElroy said. “The problem that I have with it is I don’t know what style of defense is his. I feel like he’s been runaway bride. Every single time she was dating somebody, she changed her favorite eggs. I don’t know what he is.”

McElroy then recalled Durkin’s previous SEC stops at Ole Miss, Florida and Texas A&M, and the circumstances around the head coaches, like Lane Kiffin and Will Muschamp.

“I don’t know what his defensive identity is,” McElroy said. “That’s what I’m most curious about. It’s not that I don’t think it’s a good hire, it’s I don’t know what style of defense he’s going to employ.”

Cubelic recalled how Durkin came up with an odd-front alignment philosophy, but then he flipped to an even front. Then Kiffin stepped in and said he wanted to run the 3-3-5.

“I think we know how that worked out, it’s not a defense that’s going to work in this league,” Cubelic said. “There’s too much power, there’s too much oomph, you’re just not going to be able to get away with it.”

Then at A&M, Cubelic figured Durkin would play a 4-down linemen setup because of the talent, but instead the Aggies used more 3-down linemen than they ever thought he would.

“I think the acumen is great, I think the experience is great,” Cubelic said. “But I have had some issues with how he’s called it the last couple of years.”