Kent State University fired football coach Kenni Burns this month following an investigation into large Loans he received from a booster who also served as a school vendor. The university placed Burns on leave in late March and fired him Friday, though it did not initially publicly state the reason.
An independent investigation by an outside law firm, requested by the state attorney general's office in February, looked into a range of concerns regarding Burns. The inquiry focused particularly on ethics matters under state law, according to an investigation report obtained by news outlets.
The report detailed that Burns received a loan of up to $100,000 in 2023 from Michael Awad. Awad is a local restaurant owner who does catering for university events and was recognized by the school last year as the Varsity K Person of the Year.
Burns told investigators he needed the initial Loans because his house had flooded in July 2023 and he faced financial difficulty from not selling his home in Minnesota. He began repaying the money in October 2023 and ultimately paid $109,000 to Awad through nine checks over a 14-month period ending in December 2024, according to the Akron Beacon Journal. The investigation found no evidence Burns paid interest on the amount borrowed.
Investigators found no direct proof of a direct exchange for the Loans but concluded the transactions with a university vendor were "highly questionable" and likely violated state ethics rules as interpreted by the Ohio Ethics Commission. They noted rules bar public employees from receiving "compensation" from those other than their employer and prohibit conflicts of interest.
The report also mentioned that Awad assisted Burns in opening a credit card account at a local bank. In 2024, Burns failed to make minimum payments and exceeded the credit limit, resulting in a lawsuit from the bank. Burns settled the suit after paying what he owed, citing the flood damage as a reason for opening the account.
Beyond the Loans, the investigation documents listed approximately $16,000 in questionable expenses authorized or made by Burns on his university purchasing card. These included undocumented baggage fees, personal travel costs, and purchases like custom game day shoes. His card was suspended in late 2023 due to the volume of unsubstantiated charges. Burns has since reimbursed over $7,000 and provided documentation for other expenses after university officials raised the issue in January.
Burns' attorney, Lee Hutton III, stated the coach had previously cleared his relationship with Awad through the athletic director. Hutton also claimed Burns repaid the loan with interest and was not given the investigative report, asserting there had been "no due process." Regarding the purchasing card, Hutton contended Burns did not receive proper training, although the report indicated Burns did not read the manual or attend training sessions.
Hutton disputed aspects of the report, including footnotes referencing unproven allegations of other conduct. He stated the university offered Burns a settlement, which he rejected. Burns had four years remaining on his contract.
Burns was hired before the 2023 season. His team finished 1-23 during his two seasons, including an 0-12 record in his final year. The team did not defeat a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent during his tenure and holds the longest active losing streak in NCAA Division I football.
