Tanner Burns expected to be Auburn's off-field special teams coach

AUBURN — Liberty special teams and co-linebackers coach Tanner Burns is expected to be Auburn’s off-field special teams coach, On3 Sports’ Matt Zenitz confirms.

Auburn Live reported Burns name as one to watch for the position earlier on Wednesday afternoon.

Freeze said on Wednesday that Auburn will hire a special teams coach, but the coach will be an “off-the-field coach,” and then on-the-field coaches (Ben) Aigamaua and (Josh) Aldridge would communicate and coach the special teams during games.

“I have a special teams guy, I just don’t want to get cross ways with HR. I’m not sure if that’s permissible yet. We have him, he’s agreed to come, and he’s going to coordinate it from off the field, unless they pass the rule that others can be on.”

Tanner Burns’ bio from Liberty

Tanner Burns made the most of his coaching debut in 2019, helping the Flames during their first full season at the FBS level to a bowl game win as Liberty’s Special Teams Coordinator.

Following the Flames winning their second consecutive bowl game in 2020, Burns took on additional coaching responsibilities when he started working with Liberty’s outside linebackers.

Prior to coming to Liberty, Burns was familiar with the coaching role, having served as the quality control staff member for special teams at Arkansas for the last five seasons (2014-18).

Burns coached punter Toby Baker, a Ray Guy Award nominee in 2015 and 2016 and a Burlsworth Trophy semifinalist in 2016. Baker averaged 43.0 yards per punt across 27 games for the Razorbacks, boomed 27 punts of at least 50 yards and 45 of his attempts landed inside the 20-yard line.

In 2018, Connor Limpert was named to the Phil Steele Postseason SEC All-Conference third team after he knocked down 19-of-24 field goal attempts and was a perfect 29-of-29 on extra point attempts.

The Razorbacks also led the SEC in net punting average at 41.8 yards in 2016 and ranked No. 29 in the country in kickoff returns in 2018 (23.04 yards per return).

After graduating from Ole Miss in 2012 with a general studies major with minors in history, sociology and parks and rec management, Burns spent the 2013 as a special teams intern with the Oakland Raiders. As a team, Oakland ranked second in the AFC and tied for third in the NFL with an average of 47.8 yards per punt.

Tanner Burns – Recapping Three Seasons on the Mountain

• Burns’ special teams units have helped Liberty win three-straight bowl games (2019 and 2020 FBC Mortgage Cure Bowl and the 2021 LendingTree Bowl).
• Liberty is one of five FBS teams in the country who have won a bowl game each of the last three seasons, joining Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky and Louisiana.
• Liberty is the second FBS transitioning team in NCAA history to win three-consecutive bowl games during its first three full seasons at the FBS level.
• Liberty finished the 2020 season with a 10-1 record and ranked No. 17 in the final Associated Press poll, its highest end-of-the-year national ranking in program history.
• Liberty was one of three FBS teams in the country to rank in the top 20 in both total offense (No. 15) and total defense (No. 11) in 2020, joining BYU and Clemson.
• Liberty was one of eight FBS teams in the country to rank in the top 25 in both total offense (No. 24) and total defense (No. 25) in 2021.
• Liberty finished the 2021 season ranked No. 6 in the country in passing yards allowed (180.3 per game), No. 11 in Red Zone defense (72.5 percent), total defense (320.2 yards allowed per game), No. 14 in tackles for a loss (7.1 per game), No. 24 in scoring defense (21.5 points allowed per game) and No. 28 in sacks (2.85 per game).
• Return specialists and wide receiver Demario Douglas was named to the 2021 Paul Hornung Award Watch (most versatile player in college football).
• Douglas also earned Phil Steele FBS Independent All-Conference honors for the second year in a row as a second-team return specialist.
• Kicker Alex Barbir nailed a 51-yard field goal at the end of regulation to secure a 38-35 win over Virginia Tech, the Flames’ second win in 2020 over an ACC program.
• Elijah James blocked a 42-yard field goal attempt by No. 9/11 Coastal Carolina in overtime, allowing Liberty to claim its second Cure Bowl win with a thrilling 38-35 upset win over the Chanticleers.
• Liberty finished the 2020 season ranked No. 23 in the country in punt returns (11.07 yards per return).
• Three of Liberty’s 16 players named to the 2020 Phil Steele FBS Independent All-Conference team were special teams players: Barbir, kick returner Shedro Louis and punt returner Demario Douglas.
• Douglas was named to the 2020 Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) Freshman All-America Team after finishing the year ranked No. 9 in the country in punt return average (11.1 yards per return).
• Under Burns’ guidance, Louis and kicker Alex Probert were two of the 11 Liberty players named to the 2019 Phil Steele FBS Independent All-Conference teams.
• Liberty finished the 2019 season ranked No. 19 in the country in kickoff returns (24.25 yards per return) and No. 40 in kickoff return defense (19.48 yards allowed per return).
• Louis individually ranked No. 12 in the country in kickoff returns for a touchdown (1), No. 13 in kickoff returns (27.6 yards per return) and No. 20 in combined kick returns (657 yards)
• Probert finished his career with the Flames ranked third in program history in kicker scoring (278 career points), field goals (46) and extra points (140).

Burns at a Glance
Coaching Experience:
      2019-present – Liberty (ST Coord., Outside LB)
2014-18 – Arkansas (Quality Control for Special Teams)
2013 – Oakland Raiders (NFL Intern – Special Teams)
Education: Bachelor’s degree in general studies (Ole Miss, ’12)
Wife: Becca
Children: Blakely and Kinsley
Hometown: San Jose, Calif.