Kodi Burns

Title:
Wide Receivers

Southeastern Conference veteran Kodi Burns enters his seventh season as an assistant coach in the league and first year on Rocky Top as wide receivers coach on Josh Heupel’s staff.

THE BURNS FILE

PERSONAL INFORMATION

Born: Dec. 24, 1988
Hometown: Fort Smith, Arkansas
Education: Auburn, 2011 (bachelor’s in exercise science)

COACHING HISTORY

2012: Arkansas State, Graduate Assistant
2013: Auburn, Graduate Assistant
2014: Samford, Running Backs
2015: Middle Tennessee, Wide Receivers
2016: Arizona State, Running Backs
2016-18: Auburn, Co-Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers
2019-20: Auburn, Co-Offensive Coordinator/Passing Game Coordinator/Wide Receivers
2021-present: Tennessee, Wide Receivers

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS (1)

2010 - Auburn (player)

CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS (3)

2013 SEC – Auburn (Graduate Assistant)
2012 Sun Belt – Arkansas State (Graduate Assistant)
2010 SEC – Auburn (player)

BOWL GAME APPEARANCES AS A COACH (8)

2021 Citrus Bowl – Auburn
2020 Outback Bowl - Auburn
2018 Music City Bowl – Auburn
2018 Peach Bowl – Auburn
2017 Sugar Bowl – Auburn
2015 Bahamas Bowl – Middle Tennessee
2014 BCS National Championship Game – Auburn
2013 GoDaddy.com Bowl – Arkansas State

BOWL GAME APPEARANCES AS A PLAYER (3)

2011 BCS National Championship Game - Auburn
2010 Outback Bowl - Auburn
2007 Chick-fil-A Bowl - Auburn

Burns won a national title as a player and an SEC Championship as both a player and coach at his alma mater of Auburn. He also owns national championship game appearances as both a player and coach. He arrives in Knoxville after spending the last five seasons as the Tigers’ co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach from 2016-18 and taking on the role of passing game coordinator from 2019-20.

During his tenure, a total of nine Auburn offensive players were selected in the NFL Draft, including a pair of wide receivers in 2021. Anthony Schwartz was a third round selection by the Cleveland Browns, while Seth Williams went in the sixth round to the Denver Broncos. It marked the first time since 2006 that multiple Tiger wide receivers were taken in a single draft. In addition, Darius Slayton was a 2019 selection by the New York Giants under Burns’ watch. Slayton has been a go-to wide receiver for the Giants in his first two seasons, including a team-high 751 yards in 2020.

Burns’ final season at Auburn saw the Tigers earn a berth in the Citrus Bowl as Schwartz and Williams shined. The two ranked seventh and 11^th in total receiving yards in the SEC, respectively, while combining for seven touchdowns through the air.

Under Burns’ watch as passing game coordinator in 2019, quarterback Bo Nix set four Auburn freshman records, and Will Hastings signed as a free agent with New England Patriots following the season. Auburn set all-time records for bowl game scoring and total offense in a 63-14 win over Purdue in the 2018 Music City Bowl. Meanwhile, Ryan Davis finished his career as Auburn’s all-time receptions leader (178) and freshman Williams led the SEC and ranked 10th nationally in yards per reception (20.54). Davis signed with the Patriots following the season.

In 2017, Auburn became just the eighth team in SEC history to rush and pass for 3,000 yards in a season, while setting a school record with 327 points in conference play. Burns played a key role on a squad that captured the SEC West championship with a 7-1 conference record and finished No. 10 in the Associated Press poll following a Peach Bowl berth. Burns mentored Davis, who set an Auburn record with 84 receptions, ranking second in the SEC and 20th nationally in catches per game.

Burns’ first season back at Auburn in 2016 saw 13 different receivers caught a pass of at least 20 yards, while posting the fourth-highest total offensive yard mark in school history (5,730). That year, the Tigers recorded eight victories, finished No. 22 in the Coaches poll and captured a berth in the Sugar Bowl.

Prior to returning to Auburn, Burns was named running backs coach at Arizona State, and he spent the 2015 season as the wide receivers coach at Middle Tennessee. He mentored Richie James and Ed Battlies. James led Conference USA with 108 receptions and his 1,346 receiving yards were third in the conference. Battlies’ 82 receptions and 1,048 receiving yards ranked fourth and fifth, respectively, in Conference USA.

Burns served as the running backs coach at Samford in 2014. Under his guidance, Bulldog running back Denzel Williams tallied more than 1,000 all-purpose yards, including 918 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns, earning All-Southern Conference honors.

In 2013, Burns worked with Auburn’s offense as a graduate assistant, as the Tigers led the nation in rushing (328.3), while ranking 11th in total offense (501.3) and 12th in scoring offense (39.5). Running back Tre Mason was a Heisman Trophy finalist and the SEC Offensive Player of the Year. Auburn claimed the SEC Championship and earned a berth in the BCS National Championship Game.

Burns began his coaching career in 2012 as a graduate assistant at Arkansas State under Gus Malzahn. The Red Wolves won the Sun Belt Conference with a 10-3 record, and Burns helped an offense that included a 3,000-yard passer, a 1,000-yard receiver and a 1,000-yard rusher. Arkansas State posted a 10-win season that culminated with a victory over Kent State in the GoDaddy.com Bowl in Mobile.

From 2007-10, Burns earned four varsity letters at Auburn, excelling in a variety of roles. He was a quarterback his first two seasons at Auburn. In 2007, he became the first Tiger true freshman quarterback to start a game since Gabe Gross in 1998. He moved to wide receiver for the second half of his career, collecting nearly 2,300 total yards and 22 career touchdowns.

As a senior wideout in 2010, he guided Auburn to a perfect 14-0 season and the national title, scoring the opening touchdown on a 35-yard pass reception in a BCS National Championship Game win over Oregon.

A native of Fort Smith, Arkansas, Burns earned his bachelor’s degree from Auburn in exercise science in 2011.