The future is bright for Kent State Football! Kenni is more than prepared to take on the role of head coach at Kent State University and I am sure he and Ciara are excited to join some of the all-time greats affiliated with the Golden Flashes' football program. When Bohl was hired at Wyoming in 2014, Burns followed him. One year earlier, the Falcons won a MAC East title and the Camellia Bowl. Kent State University is looking for a new head football coach. Sean Lewis announced hes leaving after five seasons in Kent to become a coordinator at the University of Colorado. Late Tuesday, reports surfaced that Kent State is finalizing a five-year deal with Minnesota associate head coach Kenni Burns. From the time I started working with him at North Dakota State in 2011, it was evident that he was a high-energy, driven coach that builds great relationships with his players. Mario Moccia- New Mexico State Director of Athletics: Kent State University just made a tremendous hire with Coach Kenni Burns. 6 in the 247Sports Composite. In 2020, the Golden Flashes led the nation in scoring (49.8 points per game) when Kent State played a MAC-only schedule in the COVID-19-shortened season. Trying to make sense of the Browns first eight games. "We have a lot of work and recruiting to do, and I can't wait to get started.". Burns would be a candidate for multiple MAC jobs and perhaps some in the Mountain West He is a holistic person developer, a purpose-driven recruiter, a faith-based principled leader, an adaptable game planner and pristinely organized, a Group of 5 athletic director said.. STATE COLLEGE, Pa. Penn State suddenly has a vacancy on the coaching staff after the dismissal of receivers coach Taylor Stubblefield, and the Nittany Lions made a splash in the transfer portal by adding a commitment from former Kent State wide receiver Dante Cephas on Sunday night. Sean brings an innovative style of football to Kent State with an offensive system that is proven in the MAC. He replaces Sean Lewis, who was hired by new Colorado head coach Deion Sanders as the offensive coordinator. Both the 2012 and 2013 National Champion teams had wide receivers record 1,000-yard seasons. It was the first bowl win in school history andthe fourth bowl in programhistory and first since 2012. That ascension led Lewis to becoming the youngest Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) head coach in the nation at the age of 31. Fleck has been grooming Burns to become a head coach. Support cleveland.com, P.J. Kent State Golden Flashes Coaches Seasons: 61 (1962 to 2022) Record (W-L-T): 225-446-5 Conferences: MAC Conf. John Cunningham- University of Cincinnati Director of Athletics: Kenni is a tremendous coach and an even better person. I am excited to follow his journey! He completed his degree in general studies with a concentration in political science and a minor in African American Studies. During the run, North Dakota State became the first FCS team to earn a vote in the final FBS AP Poll. The official 2022 Football Roster for the Kent State University Golden Flashes 2022 Football Roster. Capping the turnaround was a 51-41 victory in the Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl. Lewis' fidelity to tempo led to one of the best runs of football in recent generations at Kent State. "It's a dynamic system if they can get a quarterback recruited that can run it. 3) could still be ranked ahead of the Nittany Lions. The rushing offense was ranked third in the Bowl Subdivision at over 248 yards per game and was the top non-service academy rushing attack. John Cunningham- University of Cincinnati Director of Athletics: Kenni is a tremendous coach and an even better person. Burns and his wife Ciara have a daughter (Raziah) and a son (Kohen). This is a tremendous hire and the Golden Flashes are getting someone who has meant a lot to our program, who excels at connecting with his players and getting the most out of them on the field, in the classroom and in the community. Manny Diaz was quick to point out last month that this isnt fantasy football. He is one of two Kent State quarterbacks to toss at least 50 touchdown passes, finishing his career with 55. Former Kent State head coach Sean Lewis will join Deion Sanders' staff in Colorado. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. During Lewis first season with the Orange in 2016, its offense set or tied over 40 program records including most passing yards in a season (3,855). Kent State had tremendous success on the field and in the classroom under his guidance," Director of Athletics Randale L. Richmond stated. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your California Privacy Rights (User Agreement updated 1/1/21. "They'll play with pace and tempo and try and spread the field all 53 and a third," another MAC coach said. Penn State has never been. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. KENT, Ohio (WKBN) Kent State University has hired Kenni Burns as the 23rd head football coach in school history. Cavs dump the Fats Cats, back to being Junkyard Dogs Terry Plutos Scribbles. Penn State is well positioned at tight end, led by Theo Johnson and Tyler Warren, and shouldnt need the three signees to make major contributions unless an injury occurs or theres a path for a significant special teams role. Fleck at MAC member Western Michigan, July 13, 2022, ESPN story by Adam Rittenberg, ts obvious Browns should replace defensive coordinator Joe Woods. However, the reality is that Penn State is in a much better spot in terms of depth and shouldnt need immediate help like it desired last year at positions like running back and linebacker. Fleck's staff since taking the running backs job at Western Michigan in 2016. What happened after the Browns returned from the Bye Week? Kenni is more than prepared to take on the role of head coach at Kent State University and I am sure he and Ciara are excited to join some of the all-time greats affiliated with the Golden Flashes football program. Cleveland.coms Terry Pluto takes a in-depth look at Burns path to becoming the next head coach at Kent State. Burns was making $400,000 at Minnesota. He got his college coaching start at Division-II's Millersville (PA) before landing at Southern Illinois University, serving as the tight ends and fullbacks coach for the Salukis for two seasons. But he also wants to merge it with FlashFAST, the uptempo offense installed by Lewis that led to four consecutive winning seasons in the MAC. Thats a lot of transitions for coordinator Stacy Collins to work through. 1. Kent State Names Kenni Burns as 23rd Head Football Coach in Program History, Bernice King, Daughter of Civil Rights Leader, to Speak at Kent State MLK Celebration, Downtown Kent Landmark Celebrates 85 Years of Beer and Gerties Chili, Upward Bound: Sending Students Soaring for Nearly 50 Years, HEERF CARES/CRRSAA/ARP Act Reporting and Disclosure. Kent State went 5-3 in Mid-American Conference play, the five wins in conference play were the most since that magical 2012 season. Bowling Green Falcons football series history", "Kent State wants men's basketball at the front of university marketing and promotionsKent State wants men's basketball at the front of university marketing and promotions", "KSU Cops Fourth From Mount, Remains Unbeaten", "No experience necessary: KSU's Porter going to Patriots", "Kent State Golden Flashes Football Future Schedules", College of Architecture and Environmental Design, College of Education, Health, and Human Services, School of Fashion Design and Merchandising, Mid-American Conference football individual awards, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kent_State_Golden_Flashes_football&oldid=1134280842, American football teams established in 1920, Articles with dead external links from May 2017, Articles with permanently dead external links, Articles with dead external links from September 2017, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 17 January 2023, at 22:09. The Flashes also excelled in the classroom during his five-year tenure. In his two years with Southern Illinois, the Salukis had a fullback and a tight end on the all-conference team both seasons. The on-field identity of Deion Sanders' Colorado program took form Monday, as sources told ESPN that the Buffaloes are hiring Kent State head coach Sean Lewis to be the team's offensive coordinator. 10. Kent wanted a coach with strong Midwestern connections. They'll be explosive, athletic and attacking. The Flashes had two games with over 600 yards of total offense including a 750-yard outburst against Bowling Green. He cameto theGolden Flashes after serving as the co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach under Dino Babers at Syracuse. Over the last six seasons, hes become one of Flecks most important assistants and was the chief architect of the Golden Gophers number 11 rushing attack in the nation this season. That was just the second MAC title game in school history. Mario Moccia- New Mexico State Director of Athletics: Kent State University just made a tremendous hire with Coach Kenni Burns. If you or a loved one has questions and needs to talk to a professional about gambling, call the Ohio Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-589-9966 or the National Council on Program Gambling Helpline (NCPG) at 1-800-522-4700. The program posted the highest cumulative grade-point average and spring-term average under his guidance. 2 overall recruit in the ESPN 300 last year, chose Jackson State over Georgia and Florida State. Kenni is an elite coach and I am thrilled for him, his family and for Kent State. Do you have a blog? As a matter of policy, Sports Reference only reports the results of games as played on the field. After Kalen King and Jaylen Reed were the only players who played more than four games as freshmen in 2021, 10 players did so in 2022, led by Singleton, Allen, Carter and Allar from a class that ranked No. Penn State is No. Burns' first season will debut at UCF and feature games at both Fresno State and Arkansas. Syracuses offense averaged 456.3 yards and 24.4 first downs per game. 6 in Stewart Mandels early top 25 for 2023, one spot ahead of where it finished in the final AP poll for 2022. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. I had the privilege of working with Coach Burns when I was Director of Athletics at Southern Illinois University and he was a standout on a staff that had substantial success at the FCS level. He wrote this about Burns: He has become one of P.J. Syracuse quarterbacks ranked 11thin the nation in passing. When a class is headlined by two offensive linemen, its typically unrealistic to expect them to play and to play well right away. Burns reportedly will sign a five-year deal with Kent State. As for the returning receiving corps, KeAndre Lambert-Smith ended the season on a high note with 83 yards against Michigan State and 124 yards in the Rose Bowl, and hes set to play a significant role next season. Director of Athletics - Randale L. Richmond, Learfield IMG College - Corporate Partners, Organizational Chart-Sports Administrators, Play As One: The Strategic Plan for the Athletic Department, TicketSmarter - Official Ticket Resale Market of the Golden Flashes, 2022 Athletics Scholarship Auction: Tickets and Registration, TicketSmarter Official Ticket Resale Market of the Golden Flashes, Kent Sportswear - Official Team Shop of Kent State Athletics, Official UA Sideline Gear and Accessories, Kent Sportswear: Official Team Shop Of Kent State Athletics. The Gophers' rushing attack has gained over 2,000 yards in every full season during his tenure and has averaged at least 170 yards per game. When Fleck wanted someone else on the staff to address his Minnesota team, his first choice was Burns.