Kevin Steele, a veteran coach with tremendous success at both the college and NFL level, joined the Auburn coaching staff before the 2016 season as defensive coordinator. 

In 2017, SEC West champion Auburn ranked 14th in total defense and 12th in scoring defense, allowing just 4.67 yards per play, eighth best nationally; Steele was a Broyles Award finalist. 

The Tigers ranked seventh nationally in scoring defense, 11th in red zone defense and 28th in total defense his first season, an improvement of 43 spots over the previous season, and held eight consecutive opponents without a rushing TD, the longest season streak at Auburn since 1957. Montravius Adams (Green Bay), Carl Lawson (Cincinnati), Rudy Ford (Arizona) and Joshua Holsey (Washington) were 2017 NFL draft picks. 

A familiar face in the SEC, in 2015, Steele served as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for the LSU Tigers. He went to Baton Rouge from Alabama, where he spent the 2014 season coaching the Crimson Tide linebackers and special assistant to the head coach. In 2013, he served as Alabama’s director of player personnel. A proven recruiter who helped Alabama sign the nation’s No. 1 class, Steele has held defensive coordinator positions in the SEC and ACC as well as serving as the head coach at Baylor for four years.

Steele served as defensive coordinator at Alabama in 2007 and then held the same position at Clemson for three years from 2009-2011. While at Clemson, the Tigers won the 2011 ACC title, their first since 1991. Steele’s 2010 Clemson defense led the ACC and ranked No. 13 nationally in points allowed, surrendering 18.8 points per game.

Before he joined the Alabama staff in 2007, Steele coached with Bobby Bowden at Florida State for four years (2003-06), serving as the executive head coach for the Seminoles. He was named the Rivals.com National Recruiter of the Year in 2005 at Florida State after helping the Seminoles sign the top class in the country.

Steele joined Florida State after serving as the head coach at Baylor University from 1999-2002, spending four seasons as a head coach in the Big 12 Conference.

Steele coached linebackers for the Carolina Panthers in the NFL from 1995-98. Under head coach Dom Capers, the Panthers reached the NFC Championship game in their second season (1996). After four years with Carolina, Steele was hired as head coach at Baylor in 1999.

From 1989-94, Steele coached the linebackers under Nebraska legend Tom Osborne. During his six years in Lincoln, the Cornhuskers went 60-11, appeared in six bowl games, won four conference championships and captured the 1994 national championship with a 13-0 record.

He has also held assistant coaching jobs at Tennessee (1987-88), Oklahoma State (1984-86) and New Mexico State (1983).

The Dillon, S.C., native is a 1981 graduate of the University of Tennessee. He spent his freshman season at Furman before transferring to Tennessee, where he was a member of Johnny Majors’ squads. He was a student assistant coach in 1980 and then a graduate assistant the following year (1981) before being promoted to outside linebackers coach in 1982.

Steele and his wife, Linda, have a son, Gordon, and a daughter, Caroline (an Auburn graduate); and a granddaughter, Sawyer Kate. Gordon is on the football coaching staff at Alabama. Steele’s brother Jeff serves as associate athletics director for facilities and operations at Auburn.