PREP FOOTBALL: Former AU assistant Dunn hired at Auburn High

As of 6:43 last night, Auburn Junior High school had a new ISS teacher.

He might just coach a little varsity football, too.

The Auburn City Board of Education approved the hiring of former Auburn Univeristy defensive tackles coach Don Dunn.

Dunn has also been offered — and accepted — the opportunity to coach Auburn High’s defensive line.

“I’ve always admired the Auburn City school system,” said Dunn, whose son, Jonathan, was in the system from second grade through his high school graduation. “We love living in Auburn, my son just got through his first year at Auburn University. It’s just a positive thing all the way around.”

The feeling is mutual.

“Not only is he an outstanding football coach, but he’s a quality individual,” said superintendent Dr. James Terry Jenkins. “He’ll be a real asset to our community. We’re just glad he’s going to be part of our school system.”

Dunn said Tigers head coach Tim Carter approached him with the possibility of an opening about a month ago, when it became apparent linebackers coach Clifford Story was leaving Auburn for the head job at Lanett.

Dunn had kept himself busy by working at Glazier football clinics from January through March and had been shadowing Country’s Barbecue owner Larry Wilson since then to try and learn a little about the restaurant business.

But a chance to get back on the field was just too good to pass up.

“I’m a competitor, and any phase of football is football,” Dunn said. “I’ve been at every level — from the biggest stages to the smallest. I’m looking forward to it.”

Dunn began his career in the high school ranks at David Crockett and Houston high schools in Tennessee from 1976 to 1979.

From there, he moved to Lees-McRae Junior College, Tennessee, Montana State, Pacific, Nevada and Mississippi before being hired at Auburn in 1999.

“He understands what it takes to play at a high level,” Carter said. “Knowing where he’s come from, those kids will really appreciate his advice.”

With Dunn’s hiring, former offensive line coach Hugh Nall will be the only assistant from Tommy Tuberville’s staff last year that will not be pacing the sidelines at some level this fall.

“Coach Carter and I worked real hard to make this thing work out,” outgoing Auburn High athletic director Chuck Furlow said. “It’s a win-win situation. It’s a win for coach Dunn because he’s back on a football field, where he wants to be. It’s a win for Auburn High School because he’ll be coaching our kids.”

Furlow is Dunn’s next-door neighbor and said the two are “best friends.”

And he said the new coach should have no trouble getting back into the swing of things at the high school level.

“I look forward to getting him in here and acclimated to our coaches,” Furlow said. “He’s not going to have a problem adjusting to the high school kids, because who do (college coaches) recruit?”

Dunn said he wants to start bright and early Monday — at a scheduled 6 a.m. team workout.

“I’m going to get a lot more out of this from the kids than they’ll get out of me,” Dunn said.

dmorrison@oanow.com | 737-2568