Ben Burns joined the Urbana football staff during the summer of 2017. He will oversee the Blue Knight running backs while handling various other duties.

A native of Fredericktown, Ohio and graduate of The Ohio State University ('15), Burns brings knowledge of the NCAA Division II landscape after coaching stints at McKendree and Ohio Dominican.

Most recently, Burns served as a graduate assistant at McKendree in Lebanon, Illinois, where he helped guide the Bearcats to a second-place finish in the Great Lakes Valley Conference in 2016 with an overall record of 8-3. He worked with tight ends while assisting with weekly game planning and preparation.

During his time at Ohio State, Burns worked as an intern with the Ohio Dominican football program in Columbus under former head coach Bill Conley and current head coach Kelly Cummings. He assisted the coaches in a variety of areas, including video coordination, scouting, and recruiting.