ASU Football names Burns Graduate Assistant Coach

JONESBORO, AR - Arkansas State head football coach Gus Malzahn announced Wednesday that Fort Smith, Ark., native and former Auburn standout quarterback and wide receiver Kodi Burns has been named a graduate assistant coach for the Red Wolves.

Burns, who played under Malzahn at Auburn in 2009 and 2010, will work on the offensive side of the ball in his newly appointed role at A-State. Burns was originally recruited as a quarterback at Auburn, but moved to wide receiver later in his career and helped lead the Tigers to the 2010 national championship.

Burns ended his four-year career at Auburn with 16 receptions for 227 yards, including a 35-yard touchdown catch in the 2010 BCS national championship game that saw the Tigers record a 22-19 victory over Oregon. He was a triple threat for the Auburn offense, also recording 799 rushing yards and 1,312 passing yards from 2007-10.

Burns earned his bachelor’s degree in May 2011 from Auburn. He was ranked as the No. 8 dual-threat quarterback prospect in the country and the No. 3 overall recruit in Arkansas by Rivals.com coming out of Northside High School. An all-state selection by the Arkansas High School Athletic Association, Burns threw for 1,903 yards and 23 touchdowns as a senior, while also rushing for 835 yards and 13 touchdowns.

He is the younger brother of Khayyam Burns, a four-year letterman at Arkansas State from 2004-07 who was a three-time All-Sun Belt Conference selection at his safety position for the Red Wolves.