AUBURN, Ala. – To Auburn assistant coach Chad Lunsford, they’re not just special teams, they’re special forces, a tribute to the U.S. military’s top troops.
“Our mission when we hit that field is we’ve got to take care of that goal on that one play,” Lunsford said. “It’s very important that we’re disciplined. We’ve got to be tough, not only physically but mentally, and I know we have to attack.”
Tasked with leading units that frequently can be the difference between winning and losing, especially in close games, Lunsford returned to the Plains in January for his second Auburn stint after three seasons at Florida Atlantic,
“We’re going to have the ability to change the field position for everybody and we can make game-changing plays,” he said.
“What I really love about it is it directly affects offense and defense. It’s a total part of the team game. I like to say one shot, one kill. We’ve got one play, and we’ve got to go kill it.”
Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze hired Lunsford in January while further strengthening the Tigers’ roster.
“I kept trying to say yes before he even offered it,” Lunsford said of their discussion. “It was a dream really.”
“Welcome back Chad Lunsford, who we're excited about running our special teams,” Freeze said in July at SEC Media Days. “He did a really nice job all spring of getting us installed into the stuff that he's going to do.
“I love our team speed better than in the past, and that makes special teams a lot better when you have faster guys on the team. From top to bottom, I think we're a little faster and a little longer and have some more depth that will help on those teams.”