Kent State is closing in on a deal to hire Minnesota assistant Kenni Burns as its new head coach, according to multiple reports.

Burns is Minnesota’s assistant head coach and also coaches the running backs. He has been with the Golden Gophers for the past six seasons, the last four with the assistant head coach tag.

Kent State has been searching for a new head coach since Sean Lewis left after five seasons to serve as offensive coordinator at Colorado under Deion Sanders.

Burns, 39, has spent the past seven seasons working under Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck. He spent one season at Western Michigan before he followed Fleck to Minnesota when the latter was hired as coach following the 2016 season.

Burns played college football for Indiana from 2003-06 and was a three-time letterwinner.

Kent State went 5-7 in 2022.

–Field Level Media