Auburn’s coaching staff is bringing back a former legend.

Carnell “Cadillac” Williams, who spent four seasons at running back for Auburn from 2001-04, will be the Tigers’ next running backs coach, a source confirmed to AL.com. FootballScoop.com was the first to report Williams’ hiring.

Williams is set to take over for Tim Horton, who spent six seasons as Auburn’s running backs coach under Gus Malzahn before being moved to an off-field role earlier this month.

“I’m ecstatic, super excited and humbled to have the opportunity to return home to Auburn and coach at a place that helped me become the man I am today,” Williams said in a release. “I’m very grateful and appreciative of Coach Malzahn, the staff and the Auburn administration for this opportunity. Words can’t explain the emotions I had when I received the offer from Coach Malzahn.

“One of the main reasons I got into coaching was to give back and serve others. I want to help players reach their ultimate goal and steer them the right way on and off the field. I’m not sure there’s a better place I can do that than at Auburn, where I’m forever indebted. I’m excited to get to work. I can’t wait to meet the players and staff, get involved in the community and help get Auburn to the championship level year in and year out that we know we are capable of.”

Williams comes to Auburn from the AAF, where he was hired last year to be the running backs coach for the Birmingham Iron during the league’s upcoming inaugural season.

“We appreciate Carnell ‘Cadillac’ Williams’ contributions to our team and the work he did with our running backs unit,” Birmingham Iron coach Tim Lewis said in a statement. “He is a fine, young coach. This is a fantastic opportunity for him, and we wish him the best going forward at Auburn.”

Prior to that, Williams was an assistant coach for two seasons at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., where he helped groom recent four-star Penn State signee Noah Cain and five-star Alabama signee Trey Sanders, the nation’s No. 1 running back prospect.

Williams’ coaching career began in 2015 at Henderson State, where he served as running backs coach at Malzahn’s alma mater. He then spent a year at Division II West Georgia in 2016, when he served as a graduate assistant. That followed a seven-year NFL career from 2005-11, first with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and then the St. Louis Rams, totaling 4,038 rushing yards, 1,002 receiving yards and 25 total touchdowns. The Bucs drafted Williams with the fifth overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, and he went on to win Rookie of the Year that season.

Now, Williams is set to return to the place where he first made a name for himself. A native of Gadsden, Williams signed with Auburn in 2001 and went on to become the program’s all-time leader in touchdowns scored while also putting together back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons in 2003 and 2004 while sharing the backfield with Ronnie Brown. Williams finished his Auburn career with 3,381 rushing yards and 45 rushing touchdowns, and he was an All-American as a senior for Auburn’s undefeated 2004 team.

“Carnell Williams is one of Auburn’s all-time greats and we’re excited to welcome him home,” Malzahn said in a release. “Cadillac is a great fit for our program. He understands and cares deeply for this university and the Auburn football program, while bringing a great knowledge of the game. He knows first-hand what it takes to be a successful running back at the highest level and has a tremendous work ethic. We’re glad to have him at Auburn and know he will be a great coach and mentor to our running backs.”

Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.