Auburn will expand the role of special teams coordinator Tanner Burns, according to a report from Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports. Burns will now also coach the nickel position in addition to his special teams responsibilities. This promotion comes after two seasons at Auburn, where he previously served solely as the special teams coordinator.
Burns joined Auburn’s staff in 2023. Before his arrival, he worked under head coach Hugh Freeze at Liberty, where he coached special teams and outside linebackers. His tenure at Auburn has seen a mixed bag of results for the special teams unit. While the team struggled with field goal accuracy in 2024, converting only 12 of 22 attempts, and faced challenges with penalties on returns, they showed improvement in punt coverage, allowing only 3.1 yards per return – a significant improvement from the 2023 season. This marked improvement in one key area likely contributed to the decision to expand his coaching responsibilities.