Kenni Burns

{{Short description|American football player and coach (born 1983)}}

{{Infobox college coach

| name = Kenni Burns

| image =

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| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1983|11|24}}

| birth_place = Springfield, Illinois, U.S.

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| alma_mater = Indiana

| player_years1 = 2003–2006

| player_team1 = Indiana

| player_positions = Running back

| coach_years1 = 2007

| coach_team1 = Millersville (RB)

| coach_years2 = 2008–2009

| coach_team2 = Southern Illinois (TE)

| coach_years3 = 2010–2013

| coach_team3 = North Dakota State (WR)

| coach_years4 = 2014-2015

| coach_team4 = Wyoming (WR)

| coach_years5 = 2016

| coach_team5 = Western Michigan (RB)

| coach_years6 = 2017–2018

| coach_team6 = Minnesota (RB)

| coach_years7 = 2019–2022

| coach_team7 = Minnesota (AHC/RB)

| coach_years8 = 2023–2024

| coach_team8 = Kent State

| overall_record = 1–23

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}}

Kenni Burns (born November 24, 1983) is an American college football coach and former player. He was most recently the head football coach for Kent State University, serving for two seasons from 2023 to 2024. He is the former running backs coach and assistant head coach for Minnesota Golden Gophers football.{{Cite web |title=Kenni Burns - Football Coach |url=https://gophersports.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/kenni-burns/2657 |access-date=2022-12-14 |website=University of Minnesota Athletics |language=en}}

Playing career

Burns was a three-year letter winner at Indiana. As a student there he played running back from 2003 to 2006.

Coaching career

= Minnesota =

Burns followed P. J. Fleck from Western Michigan to Minnesota 2017, as the running back coach.{{Cite web |title=Kenni Burns - Football Coach |url=https://wmubroncos.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/kenni-burns/772 |access-date=2022-12-14 |website=Western Michigan University Athletics |language=en}} 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.{{Cite web |title=Kenni Burns, Running Backs Coach (FB), Minnesota Golden Gophers |url=https://247sports.com/coach/Kenni-Burns-3886/ |access-date=2022-12-14 |website=247Sports |language=en-US}}

=Kent State=

On December 14, 2022, Burns was named the head coach for the Kent State Golden Flashes.{{Cite web |title=Kent State Names Kenni Burns as 23rd Head Football Coach in Program History |url=https://kentstatesports.com/news/2022/12/14/kent-state-names-kenni-burns-as-23rd-head-football-coach-in-program-history.aspx |access-date=2022-12-15 |website=Kent State Golden Flashes |language=en}} His initial contract was for five years, starting at $525,000/year with minor increases in 2025 and 2027, amounting to $2.7 million in total.{{Cite news |last=Pluto |first=Terry |date=2022-12-29 |title=Looking deep into the 5-year, $2.7 million contract for new Kent State football coach Kenni Burns |url=https://www.cleveland.com/sports/college/2022/12/looking-deep-into-new-5-year-27-million-contract-for-kent-state-football-coach-kenni-burns-terry-pluto.html |access-date=2025-03-27 |work=The Plain Dealer |language=en}} Kent State extended Burns through 2028 following the 2023 season.{{Cite news |date=2024-02-23 |title=Burns Inks One-Year Contract Extension |url=https://kentstatesports.com/news/2024/2/23/football-burns-inks-one-year-contract-extension.aspx#:~:text=Richmond%2520has%2520announced%2520a%2520one,zero'%252C%2520%2522Richmond%2520said |access-date=2025-03-27 |work=Kent State University |language=en}}

Kent State placed Burns on administrative leave on March 27, 2025. At the time, his overall record was 1–23. Offensive coordinator Mark Carney took over day-to-day operations.{{Cite news |last=Vannini |first=Chris |date=2025-03-27 |title=Kent State places coach Kenni Burns on administrative leave |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6236944/2025/03/27/kenni-burns-administrative-leave-kent-state/ |access-date=2025-03-27 |work=The Athletic |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}} Kent State fired Burns on April 11 and confirmed Carney as the interim head coach.{{Cite news |last=Thomas |first=George M. |date=April 11, 2025 |title=Kent State fires football head coach Kenni Burns after putting him on leave |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2025/04/11/kenni-burns-fired-kent-state/83046043007/ |access-date=2025-04-12 |work=USA Today |language=en-US}}

Personal life

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.{{Cite news |date=2022-12-14 |title=Kent State officially names new head football coach |url=https://www.wkbn.com/sports/report-kent-state-set-to-hire-new-football-coach/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230130004704/https://www.wkbn.com/sports/report-kent-state-set-to-hire-new-football-coach/ |archive-date=January 30, 2023 |access-date=2025-03-27 |work=WKBN-TV |language=en-US |url-status=live }}