Tyler Zielenske was named App State's special teams coordinator in January 2026.
  
Zielenske served as Samford’s special teams coordinator and recruiting coordinator during the 2025 season after being the special teams coordinator for a strong unit at Murray State in 2024. He worked alongside Dowell Loggains in 2023 as a special teams analyst at South Carolina, assisting Pete Lembo and helping the Gamecocks rank in the top 25 nationally in several categories, including blocked punts (No. 3 with two), total blocks (No. 3 with four) and punt return defense (No. 17 with 3.73 yards per return).
 
Before joining Samford’s staff for the 2025 season, his Murray State teams in 2024 led the Missouri Valley Football Conference in blocked kicks (four) while ranking ninth nationally in blocked punts (two) and 15th in net punting (40.03 average). James London was a third-team All-American and a first-team All-MVFC performer that season, and punter Tom O’Hara was named a Freshman All-American.
 
Zielenske was a Sun Belt special teams coordinator at Texas State in 2022 after being a special teams and running backs graduate assistant in 2021 at Pittsburgh, which won the ACC title that season. He also has been a special teams quality control coach at Memphis (2020) and a graduate assistant in the Sun Belt at South Alabama (2017-19).
 
Zielenske, a native of Oxford, Ga., kicked field goals, executed kickoffs and punted while appearing in 43 games for Mercer from 2012-16. His collegiate career included going 10 for 12 on field goals as a redshirt freshman, dropping 17 punts inside the 20 as a redshirt senior and delivering 30 touchbacks on kickoffs.
 
He graduated from Mercer in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and has a master’s degree from South Alabama in educational leadership and administration.
 
Zielenske and his wife, Katelyn, have one son, Boe, and one daughter, Tatum. 
 
BUFFALO HEAD COACH PETE LEMBO (FORMERLY OF SOUTH CAROLINA) ON TYLER ZIELENSKE:
“Tyler has a great work ethic and strong attention to detail. He connects well with players, and his experience as a former specialist himself is particularly helpful as he does an excellent job developing that unique position group.” 
 
ZIELENSKE AT A GLANCE
Coaching Experience
2017-19: South Alabama (Graduate assistant)
2020: Memphis (Special teams quality control)
2021: Pittsburgh (Special teams and running backs graduate assistant)
2022: Texas State (Special teams coordinator)
2023: South Carolina (Special teams analyst)
2024: Murray State (Special teams coordinator)
2025: Samford (Special teams and recruiting coordinator)
 
Playing Experience
2012-16: Mercer (kicker/kickoffs/punter)
 
Alma Mater: Mercer, 2016
Hometown: Oxford, Ga.
Wife: Katelyn
Son: Boe
Daughter: Tatum