Kennesaw State University Athletics

After four years as the quarterbacks coach at Kennesaw State, Chandler Burks was promoted to co-offensive coordinator Feb. 6, 2024. Burks was named interim head coach on Nov. 10, 2024.

Last season, he tutored Jonathan Murphy into a new offense with the program's transition from a flexbone-based option attack. In just the third game of the season, Murphy set the KSU single-game record for passing yards (309), completions (17) and pass attempts (31).

Every KSU passing or quarterback rushing record was either set by Burks, a teammate of his who benefitted from his leadership, or played under his guidance.

In the 2022 campaign, Burks guided KSU quarterback Xavier Shepherd to single-game program records in rushing attempts (35), passing attempts (29), completions (15) and passing yards (224). The signal-caller also threw the longest pass of his career with a 72-yard strike in the season opener at Samford. Shepherd was named the ASUN Conference Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and was named a preseason All-American by STATS Perform, Athlon Sports, Lindy's Sports and Phil Steele.

During the 2021 fall season, Burks helped develop Shepherd into a STATS Perform FCS First Team All-American, HERO Sports First Team All-American and Associated Press Third Team All-American. He also took home the Big South Offensive Player of the Year Award and was selected to the All-Big South Conference First Team.

Shepherd took over as a starter in week two of the 2021 season. Burks helped guide the KSU signal-caller to lead the FCS in rushing touchdowns (23) and set a new school record for passing touchdowns in both a single season (15) and a single game (4).

After an illustrious career at Kennesaw State, Burks spent the 2019 season as part of the defensive quality control staff at Wofford College. Burks helped guide the Terriers to a 2019 Southern Conference Championship and a berth in the FCS Playoffs. The Wofford defense led the SoCon in total defense (335.3), first down defense (198), team passing efficiency defense (121.65), among many other categories.
 
As Kennesaw State’s first signee, Burks helped build the foundation of the Kennesaw State program during his five years on campus (2013-18). He finished his career with 2,813 rushing yards and 56 rushing touchdowns. During his three-plus seasons as the signal caller for the Owls, he threw for 3,638 yards and 33 touchdowns, which tops the Kennesaw State record book. As the most decorated player in program history, he played in 42 career contests and had an astounding 31-6 record as the starting quarterback.
 
The FCS' leader in rushing touchdowns with 29 scores in 2018, Burks engineered an offense that ranked second in the FCS in rushing yards per game (352) and fourth in scoring offense (43.5). His 29 TD's on the ground set an FCS single season record by a quarterback.
 
He went on to be named the 2018 FCS National Performer of the Year at the College Football Performance Awards and finished runner-up for the Walter Payton Award as the top offense player at the FCS level.
 
As the back-to-back Big South Offensive Player of the Year, Burks goes down as the only player in conference history to also win the Big South Scholar-Athlete of the Year award in the same season, doing so in 2017 and 2018.
 
Burks was an offensive juggernaut for the Owls, starting in 37 consecutive games at quarterback for the Owls and leading KSU to a 17-2 record at Fifth Third Bank Stadium and back-to-back FCS Playoff quarterfinal appearances.

Burks and his wife, Teddi, were married on June 16, 2023. They reside in Smyrna, Ga.