| Current position | |
|---|---|
| Title | Head coach |
| Team | Kent State |
| Conference | MAC |
| Record | 1–23 |
| Annual salary | $545,000 |
| 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) |
| 2014-2015 | Wyoming (WR) |
| 2016 | Western Michigan (RB) |
| 2017–2018 | Minnesota (RB) |
| 2019–2022 | Minnesota (AHC/RB) |
| 2023–present | Kent State |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 1–23 |
Kenni Burns (born November 24, 1983) is an American college football coach and former player. He is the head football coach for Kent State University, a position he has held since 2023. He is the former running backs coach and assistant head coach for Minnesota Golden Gophers football. [1]
Burns was a three-year letter winner at Indiana. As a student he played running back from 2003 to 2006.
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]
On December 14, 2022, Burns was named the head coach for the Kent State Golden Flashes. [4] 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. [5] Kent State extended Burns through 2028 following the 2023 season. [6]
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. [7]
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. [8]
| 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) | |||||
| 2024 | Kent State | 0–12 | 0–8 | 12th | |||||
| Kent State: | 1–23 | 0–16 | |||||||
| Total: | 1–23 | ||||||||