Gavin Burford

Bio

Gavin Burford enters the 2026 season as the Defensive Coordinator and Linebackers Coach at Mississippi Delta Community College, bringing extensive experience developing championship-level defenses and elite linebacker play.
Burford previously spent two seasons at the University of Arkansas at Monticello, serving as the Special Teams Coordinator and Linebackers Coach. During his tenure, he developed three All-Conference linebackers, significantly improving the unit’s production and overall defensive performance.
Prior to UAM, Burford served as a Defensive Line Graduate Assistant at Coastal Carolina University in 2023, contributing to a defense that ranked among the national leaders in takeaways and red-zone efficiency while helping the Chanticleers to an 8–5 record and Hawai‘i Bowl victory.

Before Coastal Carolina, Burford worked as an Assistant Defensive Line Coach at the University of West Florida in 2022, helping guide the Argonauts to a 12–2 record and Gulf South Conference Championship.
From 2020–2021, Burford served as a Linebackers Graduate Assistant at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, where he coached two All-Americans and contributed to a 15–0 NCAA Division III National Championship season.

A native of Lewisville, Texas, Burford earned his bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Abilene Christian University in 2018. He played inside linebacker at Abilene Christian from 2014–2017, before transferring to the University of West Florida, where he became the first linebacker in program history to earn First Team All-Conference honors (GSC) in 2018.