The Chargers promoted Hal Hunter to offensive coordinator/offensive line and named former Colorado State Head Coach Steve Fairchild as senior offensive assistant/special assignments Tuesday, the latest of several changes to the coaching staff.

“Hal has been an important part of our offense since I’ve been here,” Head Coach Norv Turner said. “He has a complete understanding of what we want to do in the run and the pass.”

Hunter spent the last six seasons as offensive line coach in San Diego after a lengthy college coaching career. Well-respected by the players and coaching staff for developing young linemen and helping high-level veterans continue to find ways to improve, Hunter received effusive praise from the likes of Nick Hardwick and Kris Dielman at the end of the season.

San Diego started 11 different offensive linemen this season due to a spate of injuries, but once the Chargers claimed Jared Gaither off waivers, Hunter helped stabilize the unit, which made the offensive outburst in the final five games possible. (San Diego scored at least 34 points four times in December and January).

The Chargers also are the only NFL team to throw for 4,500 yards and rush for 1,800 in each of the last two seasons, production Hunter has helped create.

Hunter made an immediate impact as the Chargers ranked second in the NFL in rushing in 2006, his first season on the staff. San Diego has averaged 1,907 rushing yards in Hunter’s six seasons and scored 115 touchdowns on the ground. The Chargers also have scored at least 400 points in an NFL-record eight straight seasons, including all six with Hunter on the staff.

A college linebacker for Northwestern, a neck injury ended his career prematurely in 1978.

Fairchild is returning back to the city where his football career began as an All-American quarterback for San Diego Mesa Community College. Fairchild also spent four seasons as an assistant at San Diego State.

He’s spent the majority of his career outside of San Diego in Fort Collins, Colo., where he finished his playing career, was an assistant coach from 1993-2000 and became Colorado State’s head coach from 2008-11.

Fairchild’s NFL experience includes a stint as the Buffalo Bills’ running backs coach (2001-02), the St. Louis Rams’ assistant offensive coordinator (2003-05) and the Bills’ offensive coordinator (2006-07).

Fairchild also brought in Philip Rivers for “an intensive session with offensive coaches to brainstorm different concepts” at CSU this spring, according to the Denver Post. Fairchild’s offensive coordinator at CSU, Pat Meyer, was the strength and conditioning coach at North Carolina State when Rivers was in college.

Hunter replaces Clarence Shelmon, who is not planning on coaching in the NFL in 2012. The Carolina Panthers announced Steve Wilks as their new secondary coach earlier this week, leaving a vacancy on the Chargers’ staff.