Former Auburn WR Coach Marcus Davis Finds New Home in SEC

Former Auburn wide receivers coach Marcus Davis will face off against the Tigers next season with his new team.

Former Auburn wide receivers coach Marcus Davis will face off against the Tigers next season with his new team. | Jake Crandall / USA TODAY NETWORK

As Alex Golesh finalizes his coaching staff with the Auburn Tigers, one Hugh Freeze assistant has reportedly found a new home in the SEC. Wide receivers coach Marcus Davis will head to the Florida Gators, per On3’s Justin Hokanson on X.

Davis spent three full seasons in the role at Auburn. As part of Florida's staff, Davis will return to the Plains on Sept. 19 as the Gators face the Tigers to open SEC play in 2026.

Marcus Davis tells me that he is taking the WR coach position at Florida: https://t.co/IiZCUR3q5x

He tells me there are no bad vibes with Auburn, “that’s home,” but he is looking forward to the opportunity at Florida.

— Justin Hokanson (@_JHokanson) December 14, 2025

Davis has been with Auburn since Dec. 2022, and has proved to be a skilled recruiter at his position. Davis spent his playing days at Auburn, and was on both the 2010 National Championship Team and the 2013 team that made a National Championship Game appearance. 

In his time on The Plains as a coach, Davis was responsible for the commitment of two of the highest-rated receivers in Auburn history in Cam Coleman and Perry Thompson. Both players were part of the Tigers’ outstanding 2024 recruiting class at the position, which also included Malcolm Simmons and Bryce Cain. 

Though the Auburn offense struggled over the last few seasons through the air, it was rarely due to the lack of receiving skill on the team. Even in a torrid 2024 season on offense, Penn State transfer KeAndre Lambert-Smith experienced a true breakout season under Davis’ coaching that saw him earn a fifth-round selection in the 2025 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Chargers.

However, the recent weeks before Davis’ departure saw the room undergo a significant exodus. Perry Thompson was the first to enter the portal, announcing his decision on Dec. 5. Thompson would soon be followed by fellow true sophomore and late-season breakout star Malcolm Simmons, who ended the season with consecutive 140-yard games.

Also entering the portal was former Wake Forest transfer receiver Horatio Fields, who didn’t see much playing time in 2024 due to injury. The losses weren’t just to the portal, either. Auburn suffered a late flip from 2026 4-star receiver target Jase Mathews, who chose to sign with Ole Miss on Dec. 7. 

The role of wide receivers coach will be filled by former Auburn running back and national champion Kodi Burns, who will also serve as associate head coach and co-offensive coordinator for the Tigers. It will be the third coaching stint on The Plains for Burns, who also has three years of NFL coaching experience.

Priority number one for Burns will be keeping the two superstars still in the receiving room in Cam Coleman and Eric Singleton Jr. There has been much speculation about whether either will enter the portal, especially in the case of Coleman. 

The main threat would seem to be either player following David to Florida. However, the saving grace for Auburn might be the Gators’ two freshmen superstars at the position, Dallas Wilson and Vernell Brown III, who could potentially be a deterrent for highly-rated transfers at the position.

Regardless of transfer decisions, there is a lot of talent to replace in the room and growth that needs to happen before the 2026 season. Head coach Alex Golesh and Burns should both attack the position in the portal window this offseason.