AUBURN, Alabama--Auburn's head football coach, Gus Malzahn, announced on Wednesday that Kevin Steele has agreed to a new three-year deal to continue his work as the team's defensive coordinator.

“Kevin has done a fantastic job with our defense the last four years making it one of the best in the country,” Malzahn said. “This will provide great stability and leadership for our defense in the future. I’m appreciative of Kevin’s hard work.” No other details on the deal were announced on Wednesday.

Kevin Steele is shown an at Auburn practice.

Malzahn and Steele traveled to Mobile on Monday to support former Tigers Marlon Davidson and Prince Tega Wanogho, Jr., who were selected for the Senior Bowl that will be played on Saturday. Another Tiger, cornerback Javaris Davis, has been added to the all-star game's roster.

Steele, who began coaching as a student assistant at Tennessee in 1980, has been defensive coordinator at Auburn since 2016. Prior to that he was defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at LSU. He played college football at Furman and later at Tennessee, where he graduated in 1981

In addition to Tennessee where made a second stop to coach defensive backs from 1989-94, coaching stops have included New Mexico State, Oklahoma State, Nebraska, the NFL's Carolina Panthers, Baylor (head coach in 1999-2002), Florida State, Alabama (twice) and Clemson.

In 2018 the Tigers ranked No. 2 nationally in red zone defense. They were 14th nationally in scoring defense and 16th in sacks. Auburn allowed only nine rushing TDs to rank fifth nationally in that category.

He was a 2017 finalist for the Broyles Award that goes to college football's top assistant coach when the Tigers ranked 12th nationally in scoring defense and 14th in total defense.

In 2016 the defense made major improvement in Steele’s first year on the AU staff. The Tigers held eight consecutive opponents without a rushing touchdown in 2016, the longest streak in an Auburn season since the 1957 national champions did it, and the longest overall since 2003-04.

During Steele’s tenure as coordinator the last four years, Auburn’s defense has ranked in the Top 20 nationally in scoring defense. Auburn is one of five FBS programs to hold opponents under 20 points per game in each of the last four seasons. The 2019 Tigers held 2019 SEC and national champion LSU to a season-low 23 points.

Steele, who attended high school in Dillon, S.C., played quarterback at Furman before transferring to Tennessee where he played linebacker for Coach Johnny Majors. He also started his coaching career with the Vols. Auburn is his fourth SEC coaching stop and is also his fourth time to be a collegiate defensive coordinator.

During his six years at Nebraska the Cornhuskers posted a 60-11 record, won four league titles and a national championship with a 13-0 record in 1994. In 1995 while at FSU he won an award as the nation’s top recruiter for that signing class.

While with the Panthers the team reached the NFC Championship Game. He coached four years as an NFL assistant before being hired as head coach at Baylor, where he posted a 9-36 record in four seasons.

At Clemson he coached on the 2011 team that won the ACC title for the first time in 20 years. His 2010 defense ranked No. 1 in the ACC. In 2015 at LSU his defense ranked fifth in the SEC.

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