In the fall of 1993, while players geared up for the start of another season of Texas Longhorns football, returning offensive lineman and two-year letterman Jay Boulware contemplated his future in football.
In what was to be his third season at Texas, Boulware, Auburn's current special teams coach, saw his college career come to an abrupt end after being diagnosed with arrhythmia, an abnormal heart rhythm.
"I didn't really know what I was going to do next at the time," Boulware said. "Everybody else had aspirations of going to the NFL."
Faced with some tough decisions, he was given an opportunity by Longhorns head coach John Mackovic, who said he could use his help as a student assistant.
Having never given much thought to a career in coaching, Boulware took to his new calling, continuing to coach as a graduate assistant in 1996.
He helped lead the Longhorns to the first Big 12 Championship title.
"It was one of those situations where one door closes and God opens up another, and that door opened up immediately, and I fell in love with it," Boulware said.
Born in Irving, Texas, in 1972, Boulware grew up playing offensive and defensive lineman in high school, where he was later recruited to play at the University of Texas.
After his graduate assistant experience coaching tight ends at Texas, Boulware took his first coaching job at the University of Northern Illinois in 1997.
He coached tight ends and offensive linemen at Northern Illinois for three years, while also helping recruit players like Atlanta Falcons running back Michael Turner.
Boulware then went on to coach at Arizona, Stanford, Utah and Iowa State, where he would meet current Auburn head coach Gene Chizik.
While coaching runningbacks at Arizona in 2003, Boulware developed a new interest in special teams and has coached them at every job since.
"I found that my offensive line background could be very useful to special teams because there is a lot of carry-over of coaching technique," Boulware said. "I had never thought of it like that, and as I got into it, I started to understand it better."
Now in his second year as the tight ends and special teams coach at Auburn, Boulware said he is excited for the team this season, saying they aim to take the Tigers from good to great.
"We want to have the opportunity to put a better product on the field than we did in Year One," Boulware said. "Whether that translates into more wins, who knows, but we definitely want to play better and, ultimately, we come here to win championships."
Auburn place kicker Wes Byrum said at first he didn't know what to expect from Boulware, but said Boulware came in with an eager spirit and enjoys having him as a coach.
"He's the guy that keeps us balanced, keeps his thumb on us making sure we're not getting a little too loose, we pay attention and get our work done," said Byrum, adding that Boulware will also lighten the mood and bring some humor to the team.
Boulware spends his time off the field with his wife Chantey and 3-year-old daughter Jordin.
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