Curtis Luper was hired by Gene Chizik to be Auburn's running backs coach Friday. He became the third member of Chizik's staff, joining James Willis and offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn.

Luper has been at Oklahoma State for four years as a running backs coach and assistant head coach. The Cowboys were seventh nationally in rushing yards this season, averaging 256.0 yards per game.

Luper and Chizik were on the same staff at Stephen F. Austin from 1995-97.

"The opportunity to reconnect with my mentor in Coach Chizik and have the chance coach at a program known as ‘Running Back U.’ was something that I could not pass up,” Luper said in a release from Auburn. “My coaching philosophy and foundation was established with Coach Chizik 13 years ago at Stephen F. Austin, where we took our initial jobs, and arm in arm helped the program to the national semifinals.

“I’m excited to be reunited with Coach Chizik and join Gus Malzahn, who is nationally known as one of the innovators offensively. Those aspects combined with the chance to coach at a tradition-rich program like Auburn, is a dream come true.”

A former player for Oklahoma State and later Stephen F. Austin, Luper began his coaching career at SFA as a graduate assistant in 1995, moving to running backs in 1997. Chizik coached at SFA from 1992-97 on the defensive side of the ball.

"Curtis Luper is a tremendous coach, who I’ve had the pleasure of watching blossom from a player to the successful individual that he is today,” Chizik said. “I had a great amount of respect for him as a player and while mentoring him in the beginning of his coaching career. Curtis has done an outstanding job coaching running backs and I am excited to coach with him again."

Luper has also coached at McKinney (Texas) High (1998), Texas A&M Commerce (1999-2001) and New Mexico (2002-04).