Gophers’ Burns reportedly leaving to be Kent State head coach

Kenni Burns, running backs coach and assistant head coach for the Gophers football team, is expected to be named head coach at Kent State, according to multiple media reports.

Burns, in his sixth season at Minnesota, has overseen a running back group that has helped the Gophers rank in the top four in rushing in the Big Ten in four of the past six years. This year, the Gophers are averaging 218.42 rushing yards per game, which ranks second in the conference and 11th nationally.

Under Burns, sixth-year senior running back Mohamed Ibrahim has rushed for 1,594 yards and 19 touchdowns this season. His 144.91 yards per game rank second nationally, and his TD total is tied for second.

Burns, who came to Minnesota after serving the 2016 season as coach P.J. Fleck's running backs coach at Western Michigan, has helped other Gophers backs thrive, too. Rodney Smith (2015-19) is the school's career all-purpose yards leader. Last year, since-transferred freshmen Ky Thomas and Mar'Keise Irving, stepped up when Minnesota's top three running backs were lost to injuries and rushed for 824 and 699 yards respectively.