Zohn Burden

• Talented and versatile coach enters his fifth season at Virginia Tech, his fourth coaching running backs.  

• Originally joined Tech as wide receivers coach in 2015. 

• Selected to participate in NFL’s Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship with the Washington Redskins during camp in July 2017 and with the Los Angeles Chargers in July 2018.

• Born and raised in the heart of the 757, Burden hails from an area that has served as a hotbed of talent for the Hokies for generations. Also owns experience coaching at Fork Union Military Academy, a school that has produced a distinguished pedigree of NFL performers. 

• Oversaw the rushing quartet of RBs Steven Peoples, Deshawn McClease, Jalen Holsten and Terius Wheatley in 2018, a foursome that combined for 332 carries for 1,626 yards (4.9 avg.) with 11 rushing TDs. 

• Groomed RB Sam Rogers into a multiple-purpose offensive threat who was drafted by the L.A. Rams in 2017. 

• A record-setting collegiate receiver in his own right at VMI, helped develop WR Isaiah Ford into Tech’s first pass catcher to ever produce a 1,000-yard season in 2015 when he set a single-season school record with 1,164 yards, including a 12-catch, 227-yard effort in the Independence Bowl.

• Also played a role in the development of WR Cam Phillips, who caught 49 passes for 582 yards with a pair of TDs under his tutelage in 2015. 

• Joined the Hokies after a three-year stint as the passing game coordinator and coaching wide receivers for Old Dominion (2012-14). 

• Prior to Virginia Tech, Burden spent three seasons at Old Dominion (2012-14) in Norfolk, Virginia, where he groomed 1,000-yard wideouts such as Antonio Vaughan, Zach Pascal, Larry Pinkard and Nick Mayers. 

• Old Dominion was one of 13 FBS schools in 2014 to have three players with 40 or more catches and one of 16 schools to have four players with 30 or more receptions. 

• Vaughan produced his best collegiate season with 63 catches for a league-high 1,019 yards under Burden’s guidance in 2014 as his 12 touchdowns tied for fourth among FCS programs. 

• With Burden serving as passing game coordinator in 2013, Old Dominion ranked fourth in the FCS in scoring offense (42.3 ppg), fourth in passing offense (359.4 ypg) and seventh in total offense (519.0 ypg) as Pinkard led the squad with 68 catches for 1,020 yards. 

• Helped lead the most prolific FCS offense in 2012 as the Monarchs led the nation in scoring (45.2 ppg),  total offense (548.2 ypg), passing offense (393.8 ypg) and TD passes (44). Mayers tied for second among FCS performers with a school-record 16 TD catches. He also set single-season school records with 79 catches for 1,233 yards earning All-America honors from College Sports Madness and Beyond Sports Network. 

• Developed WR Tre Gray into a record-setting receiver at Richmond in 2011. He earned third team All-America honors from the AP after leading the Colonial Athletic Association and setting Richmond single-season records with 95 receptions for 1,187 yards.   

• Served as an integral part of one of the most successful start-up programs in recent history as Old Dominion returned to the field in 2009 after a 68-year absence. 

• Joined the ODU staff as defensive backs coach in 2007, helping to build a roster from scratch as the Monarchs got on the field in 2009 and produced a 9-2 mark, the best record for a first-year program in the modern era of college football. 

• Embarked on his coaching career in 2006 at Fork Union Military Academy where he coached wide receivers and defensive backs while also serving as the passing game coordinator and recruiting liaison.

Prominent Pupils 

WR Isaiah Ford   D7-Miami – 2017
Owns the VT career record with 24 TD catches, while ranking second in receptions (210) and rec. yards (2,967). 

WR Tre Gray
AP All-America Third Team  

WR Nick Mayers
All-Colonial Athletic Association First Team 

WR Zach Pascal
All-Conference USA Honorable Mention 

WR Cam Phillips FA-2018  – Buffalo
Holds Tech career marks for receptions (236) and rec. yards (3,027) and ranks fifth in VT annals with 17 TDs. 

RB Sam Rogers         D7-L.A. Rams – 2017
All-purpose back spent 2017 on Rams’ practice squad.

WR Antonio Vaughan
All-Conference USA First Team

Playing Highlights

• Three-time All-Big South wide receiver at VMI from 2002-05, finished his career with 162 receptions for 2,101 yards (13.0 avg.) with 12 touchdowns for the Keydets.
• His 162 catches rank second in school history behind only Mark Stock (165) while his yardage tally is third in VMI history.
• Owns a share of a school record with a reception in 34 consecutive games.
• Racked up 58 catches for 742 yards and three TDs as a senior in 2005, tying as the second-best season reception total at the school. Also had 57 catches as a junior in 2004.
• Registered two games with 10 catches during his career, a mark that ties as the second-best single-game tally in VMI history, while his five 100-yard contests are the second-highest total in the VMI record book.