Coach Kinne Football Camps Special Teams Coaching Staff

Tanner Burns comes to Texas State from Auburn, and will serve as Associate Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator/Defensive Assistant. During his time with the Tigers, he served as special teams coordinator, helping Auburn to a national ranking of ninth in punt return defense in 2024. Burns spent two seasons with the Tigers having made the move from Liberty with head coach Hugh Freeze.

Starting in 2019, Burns helped successfully guide Liberty in its transition from FCS to FBS with three straight Bowl game victories and Bowl eligibility in each of his four seasons. Burns, originally hired as special teams coach, added outside linebackers to his title following the 2020 season.

The 2020 season saw Liberty finish with a 10-1 record and a No. 17 ranking in the AP Poll, its highest year-end ranking in program history. That season, the Flames finished 23rd in the country in punt returns and freshman Demario Douglas was named an FWAA Freshman All-American after ranking ninth in the country in punt return average. In 2021, Liberty finished 11th in the country in total defense and sixth in passing yards allowed/game. In 2022, the Flames' defense ranked first nationally in tackles for loss (9.3) and third in sacks (3.46).

Burns spent the 2014-18 seasons at Arkansas where he helped mentor Ray Guy Award nominee and 2016 Burlsworth Trophy semifinalist punter Toby Baker as special teams quality control analyst. The Razorbacks led the SEC in net punting average in 2016 at 41.8. In his first season, Burns helped lead a turnaround of the special teams unit, which included a No. 5 national ranking in kickoff return average (25.71) and an SEC-best for punt coverage (3.06 yards/return).

The 2013 season saw Burns serve as a coaching intern with the Oakland Raiders, where he worked with the Raiders' special teams, assisting with quality control, scouting reports and game plans. Oakland ranked second in the AFC and tied for third in the NFL with an average of 47.8 yards per punt.

Burns spent the final season of his collegiate career at Ole Miss where he was elected a team captain and played safety and contributed on special teams. He transferred from San Jose State having earned 2009 All-WAC Honorable Mention honors.