Ex-Wyoming WRs coach Kenni Burns hired as Western Michigan RBs coach

Former Wyoming wide receivers coach Kenni Burns is Western Michigan’s new running backs coach, according to a source.

Former Wyoming wide receivers coach Kenni Burns is Western Michigan’s new running backs coach, according to a source.

A highly respected recruiter at many Chicago powerhouses and throughout Illinois, Burns had previously been Wyoming’s wide receivers coach in 2014 and replaces Mike Hart, who left to become Syracuse’s running backs coach.

Prior to Wyoming, Burns was North Dakota State’s wide receivers coach for four seasons, helping the Bison win FCS national championships in each of his final three years. He was a tight ends coach under at Southern Illinois from 2008–09 and got his start in coaching overseeing running backs at Millersville (Pa.) University in ’07.

A Springfield, Ill., native, Burns was a running back at Indiana from 2003–06.

He joins Western Michigan coach P.J. Fleck, who met Burns over the years recruiting in Illinois. Under the high-energy Fleck, the Broncos went 8–5 this season for the second straight year and won the Bahamas Bowl, the program’s first-ever bowl win.

Western Michigan will return a pair of standout running backs in Jarvion Franklin and Jamauri Bogan next season and will be among the favorites to win the MAC.