Auburn Co-OC Kodi Burns Issues Challenge to Top Tiger Receiver: ‘Be a Guy’

The Auburn Tigers are, admittedly, quite devoid of star power at the receiver position, especially compared to last season, but new Tigers co-offensive coordinator Kodi Burns is still quite confident in the group he and new Tigers head coach Alex Golesh brought over from USF.

One key piece of this group, which includes five different notable 2025 USF wide receivers, is Jeremiah Koger, the Bulls’ second-leading receiver last season, only behind Keshaun Singleton. Koger hauled in 38 passes for nearly 600 yards and tied for a team-high in touchdowns with eight, and Burns is ready to see him make the transition to the SEC.

“Jeremiah’s a fantastic player,” Burns said. “I challenge him because he is talented. He’s done it already, at a different school, and proven himself as the type of player he is. My challenge to him is he’s gotta grow. From spring until summer, up until now, he’s gotta continue to grow and get better.”

Koger, unlike the senior Singleton, is a junior, so he will have two years of eligibility to offer the Tigers at a minimum, provided he does not enter into the NFL Draft at the conclusion of this season, though it would certainly take an incredible season for Koger to reasonably have a shot in the draft at this young age.

In an effort to help that fantasy be a reality, as well as for Koger to have a top-level season in general, Burns issued yet another challenge to Koger, whom he has worked with for a few seasons now.

“He’s 6’4”, big frame, can run, really good ball skills, and the challenge for him is not to just be one of the guys, like, be a guy,” Burns said. “So I challenge on a day-to-day basis, and he’s responded really well. I’m telling you, Byrum really likes where he’s at now.”

As mentioned, the Tigers are now without the star power of players like Eric Singleton, Cam Coleman or even players like Malcolm Simmons and Perry Thompson, so target distribution will reign supreme in their game this year. However, Burns clearly still wants one receiver to stand out as much as possible over the next few seasons, and he has pegged Koger as his developmental target.

Koger has already proven that he is a strong, capable receiver, but if he can truly come into his own this season and ‘be a guy,’ as Burns puts it, the Tigers may find that they are not, in fact, lacking star power in their 2026 campaign.

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