Following the establishment of Hugh Freeze’s Auburn football staff for the 2025 season, a new change has occurred. Freeze expressed enthusiasm about the addition of Chad Lunsford, who has found success as both a special teams coach and a college head coach, stating, “His experience and expertise will enhance our special teams. We are thrilled to welcome Chad and his family back to Auburn.”
Lunsford’s hiring coincides with the departure of Tanner Burns, who served as Freeze’s special teams coordinator for the last two seasons. Although the program has yet to make a formal announcement, reports indicate that Burns has joined Texas State’s coaching staff under GJ Kinne for the 2025 season. Burns has updated his profile on X, formerly known as Twitter, to indicate his new role as Texas State’s associate head coach and special teams coordinator, along with responsibilities as a defensive assistant.
Burns’ exit follows a disappointing season for Auburn’s special teams, particularly marked by persistent issues with place-kicking as All-SEC kicker Alex McPherson was sidelined for much of the year due to illness. Towns McGough, an Auburn High School product and MaxPreps All-American, stepped in for McPherson but struggled with consistency. He was later succeeded by Ian Vachon, a walk-on who previously kicked at the now-closed Birmingham Southern.
“I, along with my family, are incredibly excited to return to Auburn,” Lunsford said. “We are grateful to Coach Freeze and the Auburn family for this opportunity. It is an honor to be part of Auburn University, the football program, and the community. We can’t wait to reconnect with old friends and meet new ones back on the Plains.”
Auburn will mark Lunsford’s eighth position as an on-field assistant during his 29-year coaching career, which has predominantly involved college football since he began as a student assistant at Georgia Military College in 1996.
Lunsford spent four seasons at the Bulldogs before moving to Appalachian State for two years, then Georgia Southern for another two years, followed by a year at Griffin High School, two additional seasons at Georgia Military, and four years as Auburn’s director of scouting before returning to Southern for an extensive eight-year tenure. During that time, he worked with linebackers, running backs, tight ends, special teams, and wide receivers, in addition to overseeing recruiting. In 2017, he became the interim head coach before being named the full-time head coach in 2018.
Lunsford held the head coach position at Georgia Southern for three seasons, achieving a record of 25-14 and participating in three bowl games. After starting the 2021 season 1-3, he was let go. He subsequently joined Florida Atlantic in 2022 and spent three seasons there, concluding with a reinstatement as interim head coach following Tom Herman’s dismissal in 2024.
