Auburn Hires Familiar Face as Next Special Teams Coordinator

The Auburn Tigers announced they have hired Chad Lunsford as their next special teams coordinator. Longtime Auburn fans should be familiar with the name.

Auburn has hired Chad Lunsford as special teams coordinator.

Welcome home, @chadlunsford 🦅
🔗 https://t.co/Qz1bXFHelf pic.twitter.com/yJYDfmk6Ve
— Auburn Football (@AuburnFootball) January 24, 2025

Lunsford spent five seasons at Auburn from 2009 to 2013 as director of player personnel and director of scouting.

“Chad has not only been a successful special teams coach, but has also been a college head coach and brings a lot to the table,” Head coach Hugh Freeze said. “His experience and expertise will bolster our special teams. We are happy to welcome Chad and his family back to Auburn.”

Before returning to Auburn, Lunsford was an associate head coach at Florida Atlantic where he was the special teams coordinator and coached tight ends for three seasons. He joined FAU in February of 2022 and was elevated to associate head coach in January of 2023. This past season he served as interim head coach during the final two games of the season.

The Owls took major strides on special teams under Lansford.

In 202, Kicker Morgan Suarez was ranked among the nation's leaders in field goal percentage, field goals per game, and points responsible for, while punter Riley Thompson ended his season providing every punt for an average of 45.4 yards, ranking second among all CUSA punters and No. 12 nationally for that average. As units, the Owls were No. 14 in kickoff return defense and No. 21 in net punting.

In 2023, the Owls were ranked No. 4 nationally in punt returns, a 28-spot leap while the kick return unit moved up 36 spots. Punt returner LaJohntay Wester's finished second nationally in punt return touchdowns and was a FWAA First Team All-American and Wester's AAC Special Team Player of the Year and First Team AAC selection.

Prior to that, he was at Georgia Southern for nine seasons, including three-plus seasons as head coach from 2018 to 2021. He was the interim head coach for the latter half of 2018, was the head coach for three full seasons and then was dismissed after four games in 2021.

“My family and I are super excited to be coming back to Auburn,” Lunsford said. “We are very thankful to Coach Freeze and the Auburn family for this opportunity. We understand what an honor it is to be a part of Auburn University, the Auburn football program, and the Auburn community. We look forward to seeing old friends and making new friends back on the Plains. Auburn is a special place for us, and we are ready to get to work.”

Lunsford will take over the role from Tanner Burns, who joined Texas State as associate head coach, special teams coordinator and a defensive assistant.