By Missy Grimes
4/11/2025
KENT, Ohio –– “Kent State University has terminated the employment of head football coach Kenni Burns. Offensive coordinator Mark Carney will serve as interim head football coach, with a national search taking place at the conclusion of the 2025 season.
“At this time, our focus will be to support our student-athletes and provide them with the best opportunity to have a positive and competitive experience.”
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COURTESY KENT STATE ATHLETICS
WRITER’S NOTES ABOUT THIS SITUATION FROM RADIO, TV, SOCIAL MEDIA AND STAFF REPORTS
*Burns, has had to play big-money games on the road against ranked teams to bring in money for the school, thus a 1-23 record.
*Record was 1-23, over his two seasons, with the win coming over FCS program Central Connecticut State last year.
*2024 season was a terrible product as the Golden Flashes went 0-12, the first Kent State team to achieve that distinction since 1998. They ranked at the bottom of the FBS division in both offensive production and defense.
*But Burns’ tenure had controversy off the field that Kent State felt was troubling. The school announced the coach was placed on administrative leave two weeks ago due to investigations into undisclosed issues, surrounding a couple of sections in his contract.
*It had been previously reported all over the internet, social media and sports reports across the country, that Burns had also previously been sued by a local bank for nearly $24,000 in unpaid credit card debt, and a judge issued a default ruling in favor of that bank, but dismissed the case in January at the bank’s request. And it had been reported that Coach Burns in past years of having financial issues at previous coaching stops which include Southern Illinois, North Dakota State, Wyoming, Western Michigan and Minnesota.
