Arizona has officially added a well-traveled assistant coach with a bit of experience within the Pac-12. Greg Burns was named the defensive backs coach, officially, by Arizona and head coach Kevin Sumlin on Monday, although Burns has already been working with the staff in Tucson.
“We are obviously in a very unique time, and the importance of surrounding ourselves with men such as Greg is crucial in the development of our student-athletes on and off the field,” Sumlin said in a released statement. “We are fortunate to have Greg with our secondary during this time,” Sumlin said. “He brings more than 20 years of experience coaching in the secondary with a successful track record in recruiting and development. His Pac-12 experience, professionalism and passion for the game will be a great addition to our staff. He is more than qualified to help lead our student-athletes during this unique time.”
According to a release from Arizona, Burns began working at Arizona on March 9.
This is the fourth stop at a Pac-12 program for Burns since 2014. Burns was a defensive backs coach for California from 2014 through 2016. Burns later became a part of the Oregon State coaching staff in 2018, followed by one season with the USC Trojans before being a casualty of offseason coaching changes.
Burns has been an assistant coach working with defensive backs and cornerbacks since 1997, beginning with Idaho State. Other stops in Burns’ coaching journey have included Louisville, Kansas State, Arizona State, Purdue, and UMass. Burns had a p[revious stop at USC from 2002 through 2005. He also coached one season in the NFL with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2006.
