Auburn coaching search: New candidate emerges as clear leader on prediction markets
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The Auburn coaching search took an unexpected turn this weekend.
Tulane coach Jon Sumrall had been linked to the Auburn job over the past few weeks, but new reports surfaced on Saturday suggesting that Sumrall is no longer in the mix to be the next coach on the Plains. If that proves to be true, Auburn will have to look elsewhere to find its successor for Hugh Freeze.
Auburn coaching candidates
With Sumrall out of the mix, the new leader according to prediction markets like Kalshi is interim head coach DJ Durkin. Kalshi is a legal prediction market that allows fans to make predictions on everything from coaching searches to the outcome of political elections.
In this case, Kalshi’s marketplace includes an offering on Auburn’s coaching search. Durkin took over as the favorite for Sumrall on Friday. As of publication on Saturday afternoon, Durkin to be Auburn’s next head coach was trading at 45 cents per contract. Correct predictions on Kalshi are paid out at a rate of $1 per contract.
South Florida head coach Alex Golesh is also one of the top-3 favorites to land the Auburn job on Kalshi. However, Golesh has been linked to Arkansas this week.
Here’s a live look at Kalshi‘s market for the Auburn job:
Durkin has been a head coach before. He led Maryland from 2016-18 but was fired following an investigation into “toxic culture” at his program after the death of a player due to heat exhaustion during a summer workout. Durkin has been an on-field assistant coach at Ole Miss, Texas A&M and Auburn since being fired by Maryland.
Auburn’s performance in the Iron Bowl on Saturday night could very well have an impact on whether or not Durkin gets the head coaching job on a full-time basis.
Other potential candidates on Kalshi for the Auburn job include Golesh and Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham. There is no known timetable for Auburn to make a final decision, but one is expected in the coming days. The Early Signing Period for high school recruits begins on Wednesday.
Spenser is a news editor for Saturday Down South and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.
