Kenni Burns
| Current position | |
|---|---|
| Title | Head coach |
| Team | Kent State |
| Conference | MAC |
| Record | 1–11 |
| Biographical details | |
| Born | November 24, 1983 Springfield, Illinois, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Indiana |
| Playing career | |
| 2003–2006 | Indiana |
| Position(s) | Running back |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 2007 | Millersville (RB) |
| 2008–2009 | Southern Illinois (TE) |
| 2010–2013 | North Dakota State (WR) |
| 2014 | Wyoming (WR) |
| 2016 | Western Michigan (RB) |
| 2017–2018 | Minnesota (RB) |
| 2019–2022 | Minnesota (AHC/RB) |
| 2023–present | Kent State |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 1–11 |
Kenni Burns (born November 24, 1983) is an American college football coach and former player. He is the head coach for the Kent State Golden Flashes football team and the former running backs coach and assistant head coach for Minnesota Golden Gophers football.[1]
Playing career[edit]
Burns was a three-year letter winner at Indiana. As a student he played running back from 2003 to 2006.
Coaching career[edit]
Minnesota[edit]
Burns followed P. J. Fleck from Western Michigan to Minnesota 2017, as the running back coach.[2] In 2019, he was granted the additional title as assistant head coach. During his tenure, Burns coached Rodney Smith and all-American back Mohamed Ibrahim.[3]
Kent State[edit]
On December 14, 2022, Burns was named the head coach for the Kent State Golden Flashes.[4] His head coaching debut against the University Of Central Florida in the 2023-24 season is considered one of the worst in FBS history leading the Golden Flashes to a 6-56 defeat. His first season as head coach, he would lead Kent State to a 1-11 record, the worst in FBS college football in the 2023-24 season. The only win of the season would be a win against the FCS Central Connecticut Blue Devils, the lowest ranked team in the FCS NEC at the time. Burns is currently on a multi-year 3+ million dollar coaching contract with Kent State Athletics which goes through the 2028 college football season.
Personal life[edit]
Burns is from Springfield, Illinois. He graduated from Sacred Heart-Griffin High School in 2003 and attended Indiana University Bloomington where he graduated with a degree in general studies in 2006.
Burns and his wife, Ciara, have two children.
Head coaching record[edit]
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kent State Golden Flashes (Mid-American Conference) (2023–present) | |||||||||
| 2023 | Kent State | 1–11 | 0–8 | 6th (East) | |||||
| Kent State: | 1–11 | 0–8 | |||||||
| Total: | 1–11 | ||||||||
References[edit]
- ^ "Kenni Burns - Football Coach". University of Minnesota Athletics. Retrieved December 14, 2022.
- ^ "Kenni Burns - Football Coach". Western Michigan University Athletics. Retrieved December 14, 2022.
- ^ "Kenni Burns, Running Backs Coach (FB), Minnesota Golden Gophers". 247Sports. Retrieved December 14, 2022.
- ^ "Kent State Names Kenni Burns as 23rd Head Football Coach in Program History". Kent State Golden Flashes. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
External links[edit]
- 1983 births
- Living people
- American football running backs
- Indiana Hoosiers football players
- Kent State Golden Flashes football coaches
- Millersville Marauders football coaches
- Minnesota Golden Gophers football coaches
- North Dakota State Bison football coaches
- Southern Illinois Salukis football coaches
- Western Michigan Broncos football coaches
- Players of American football from Springfield, Illinois
- Coaches of American football from Illinois
- African-American coaches of American football
- 21st-century African-American sportspeople