Texas A&M has hired away Auburn track coach Leroy Burrell in a surprise move. Here are three things to know
The search for Auburn's next head coach should begin in-house.
Texas A&M has hired away former Auburn track and field head coach Leroy Burrell, the school announced Sunday in a bit of a surprise for the college track community.
Burrell’s tenure at Auburn ends after four seasons. He led the Auburn men’s team to a runner-up finish at the NCAA Outdoor Championship in 2024.
He replaces legendary former Texas A&M coach Pat Henry, who won eight outdoor national championships for Texas A&M in 22 seasons there, and who announced his retirement on June 17.
Burrell first came to Auburn in 2022 after spending 23 seasons as head coach of Houston, his alma mater. He won Olympic gold in 1992 as part of Team USA’s 4x100-meter relay team in Barcelona.
This year, the Auburn men didn’t finish as high in the team standings at the outdoor championships, but still enjoyed historic success: Ja’Kobe Tharp won the national title in the 110-meter hurdles and broke the world record in a shocking feat in the process, and Kayinsola Ajayi won the national title in the 100-meter dash. Israel Okon earned silver in the 200-meter dash.
As surprising as Burrell’s jump is, here are three demystifying facts Auburn fans should know about this move, and about this moment for Auburn track and field: