Chandler Burks joined the staff in April of 2019 as defensive quality control. The team won the Southern Conference Championship for the third straight season and competed in the NCAA FCS Playoffs for the fourth consecutive year. Overall the defense was ranked 20th in the nation in total defense, while being first in the Southern Conference in total defense and rushing defense.
He completed a stellar career as a quarterback at Kennesaw State in 2018. Burks finished his final season with 1,043 passing yards and 10 touchdowns. The Walter Payton Award finalist ran for 905 yards and a single-season FCS quarterback record of 29 rushing touchdowns.
For his career, Burks ran for 3,431 yards and 56 touchdowns and became the first quarterback in Big South Conference history to run and throw for 1,000 yards in the same season. The 56 touchdowns are an all-time Big South record for any position, and Burks finished as the conference’s all-time leader in scoring. He also helped Kennesaw State to a 37-12 record through four seasons.
A sports management major from Dallas, Georgia, he became the first player in league history to be voted both the Big South’s Offensive Player of the Year and Scholar-Athlete of the Year in the same season. He also was the FCS ADA Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
