Kentucky Taps Justin Burke as Tight Ends Coach

Justin Burke, formerly the UTSA offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, has been named the tight ends coach for the University of Kentucky football team, it was announced by head coach Will Stein on Monday.

Burke returns to his hometown after six seasons on the UTSA staff, where he steadily ascended through the program’s ranks. He began his tenure in 2020 as an offensive analyst before earning a promotion to associate head coach, special teams coordinator and tight ends coach in 2022. In 2023, he was elevated to offensive coordinator and added quarterbacks coach to his responsibilities ahead of the 2024 season.

During Burke’s time in San Antonio, the Roadrunners enjoyed the most successful six-year run in program history with a 52-26 overall record, 35-12 regular-season league mark, two conference championships, six bowl appearances with three straight bowl wins (2023, 2024 and 2025).

“I’m fired up to have Justin Burke as our tight ends coach,” Stein said. “I’ve known Justin a long time and have seen firsthand the kind of coach and person he is. I’ve always admired how he builds genuine relationships with his players and brings energy to everything he does. Justin is an outstanding teacher of the game and a relentless recruiter. Our tight ends are going to thrive under his guidance, and we’re excited to welcome him and his family back to his hometown of Lexington.”

In 2025, the Roadrunners went 7-6, capping off the season with a win over Florida International in the First Responder Bowl. It marked the team’s sixth consecutive winning season. Burke’s offense emerged as one of the top scoring offenses in the FBS, averaging 35.4 points per game which ranked third in the American Conference and 14th nationally. The Roadrunners averaged 418.8 yards per game (28^th nationally), including 247.6 passing yards and 171.2 rushing yards.

“I’m very excited to be at Kentucky and to join Will Stein’s staff,” Burke said. “Will and I have shared a long journey together at multiple stops, and the opportunity to help him build Kentucky football back into a championship-level program is truly special.

“My wife, Kaitlin, and I are also thrilled to be back in our hometown. I have so much pride in this place, and returning to the program where I grew up watching Kentucky greats like Tim Couch and Craig Yeast is surreal. On top of that, I’m eager to get to work with an outstanding tight end room. There’s real talent in that group, and I can’t wait to get started.”

In 2024, Burke oversaw an offense that produced 5,882 total yards, the third-best season total in school history, and an average of 451.2 yards per game, which ranked 12th in the FBS. The Roadrunners scored 431 points (33.2 ppg) and their air attack racked up 3,683 yards, 283.5 yards per game (11th, FBS) and 27 touchdowns. UTSA broke the school record for total offense in a game with 681 in the 48-27 triumph over North Texas and also set a new standard for first downs with 34 in the 45-7 win against Houston Christian.

Under Burke’s tutelage, tight end Oscar Cardenas collected All-American Second Team Athletic Conference honors and offensive guard Cory Godinet was named All-Conference Honorable Mention. Additionally, quarterback Owen McCown turned in four 300+ yard passing games, including a school-record 434 against Tulsa. The offense registered five total 100-yard receiving outputs and running back Robert Henry Jr. also topped the 100+ yard mark twice on the ground in back-to-back wins over North Texas (168) and Temple (178).

In his first full season as offensive coordinator in 2023, Burke helped guide the Roadrunners to a 9-4 overall record, a 7-1 mark for a third-place finish in their American Athletic Conference debut campaign and the program’s first bowl win on a 35-17 triumph over Marshall in the 2023 Frisco Bowl.

UTSA racked up 5,481 yards of offense — 3,248 passing and 2,233 rushing — and averaged 421.6 yards and 31.9 points per game. The Roadrunners set then-school records with 643 total yards and 32 first downs in the 49-21 rout of South Florida. Burke’s tight ends combined to catch 44 passes for 411 yards, paced by third-team all-conference tight end Oscar Cardenas’ 32 receptions for 280 yards and two touchdowns.

Individually, a half dozen offensive players landed on the all-conference teams, including first-team selections Frank Harris (quarterback) and Joshua Cephus (wide receiver). Harris also made the semifinalist list for the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award and the Davey O’Brien QB Class of 2023.

Burke helped lead UTSA to an 11-3 record and the C-USA regular season and championship game titles in his first season as special teams coordinator and tight ends coach in 2022. The Roadrunners were ranked in the top 25 of all three major polls and capped the campaign with their third consecutive bowl game appearance, a matchup against Troy in the Cure Bowl in Orlando, Florida.

During his season as special teams coordinator and tight ends coach, Burke mentored four all-conference performers. Lucas Dean and Jared Sackett earned second-team all-league accolades at punter and place-kicker, respectively, while long snapper Caleb Cantrell and Cardenas were honorable mention.

Burke spent the 2020 and 2021 seasons as an offensive analyst for UTSA. In his first year on the staff in 2020, the Roadrunners registered a 7-5 overall record, finished second in C-USA’s West Division with a 5-2 mark and earned a spot in the First Responder Bowl. Burke was promoted to senior analyst for the offense prior to his second season at UTSA. The Roadrunners finished with a 12-2 record to set school records for most wins and best winning percentage in a season, were nationally ranked (as high as No. 15) for the first time in school history and captured their first league title by winning the C-USA Championship with a 49-41 triumph over WKU. UTSA ended the season with its second straight and third overall bowl appearance against San Diego State in the Frisco Bowl.

Prior to his arrival in San Antonio, Burke was the special teams coordinator and tight ends coach at USF for three seasons (2017-19). During his tenure, the Bulls won 21 games and made a pair of bowl appearances.

In his first season at USF in 2017, the Bulls capped a 10-2 campaign with a 38-34 win against Texas Tech in the 2017 Birmingham Bowl. Burke led a special teams unit that saw kicker Emilio Nadelman earn first team all-conference honors and set the program’s single-season scoring record with 115 points. Nadelman made a school-record 21 field goals and established a USF single-game mark by scoring 19 points against Temple, including going 5 for 5 on field goals. He led the American Athletic Conference and ranked 19th nationally by making a USF single-season record 84.0 percent of his field goals. Punter Jonathan Hernandez ranked second in the league with a 43.4 yards-per-punt average.

In his second season with the Bulls in 2018, Burke helped lead tight end Mitch Wilcox to first-team all-conference honors and USF season records for a tight end of 43 receptions for 540 yards, including a single-game record eight catches for 109 yards at Illinois.

In 2019, Wilcox again earned all-league accolades and went on to play in the East-West Shrine Bowl before landing in the NFL with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Burke served as a quality control special assistant working with tight ends at Texas in 2016. He also worked as an offensive special assistant the two years prior at Texas (2014-15), where he worked alongside current UTSA head coach Jeff Traylor.

Prior to his time at Texas, Burke was an offensive quality control assistant (2013) and offensive graduate assistant (2011-2012) at his alma mater, Louisville. During his time on the staff, the Cardinals won a pair of Big East Conference titles (2011, 2012) and had the nation’s fourth-best winning percentage (23-3; 88.5%) over the 2012 and 2013 seasons. He worked with quarterbacks, wide receivers and tight ends, and helped mentor 2012 Big East Offensive Player of the Year Teddy Bridgewater and first-team All-AAC wide receiver Devante Parker.

Burke played quarterback at Louisville (2008-10) and North Carolina State (2006-08). He was a two-year letterman and started eight games at Louisville. A three-time All-Big East Academic Team honoree and a 2006 All-ACC Academic Team honoree, he was part of the North Carolina State honors program and earned Dean’s List recognition several times at North Carolina State and Louisville.

Burke earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting in 2009 and his master’s degree in business administration in 2011, both from Louisville.

The Lexington, Kentucky native was a standout quarterback for head coach Bob Sphire at Lexington Catholic from 2002-05. He was named the Gatorade Player of the Year in Kentucky in 2005 and was a finalist for the Gatorade National Football Player of the Year after throwing for a state record 62 touchdowns and 3,789 total yards. His impressive prep career ended with a 34-5 record as a starter after completing 538-of-879 (.612) passes for 8,770 yards for the Knights.

He and wife, Kaitlin, also of Lexington, Ky., have two children, Knox and Ava.

Justin Burkes’ Coaching Career

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