Sport(s) Football 1957–1960 Chatham HS (NJ) Positions Quarterback 1955–1956 Rutgers (backfield) Education Rutgers University | 1951–1952 Johns Hopkins Role American football player 1945–1948 Rutgers Name Frank Burns | |
Born March 16, 1928 ( 1928-03-16 ) 1949–1950 Rutgers (freshman backfield) Died July 14, 2012, Holland, Pennsylvania, United States | ||
Frank Robert Burns (March 16, 1928 – July 14, 2012) was an American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Johns Hopkins University from 1951 to 1952 and at Rutgers University from 1973 to 1983, compiling a career college football record of 84–52–2. In 1978, Burns led the Rutgers Scarlet Knights to their first bowl game, the now-defunct Garden State Bowl.
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Playing career
Burns played football as a quarterback at Rutgers University for four years, from 1945 to 1948. There he ran the T formation under head coach Harvey Harman, completing 117 of 270 passes for 2,389 yards and 35 touchdowns with a 27–7 career record. He was also a member of Delta Upsilon fraternity.
Coaching career
Burns coached football at Johns Hopkins University from 1951 to 1952 and at Rutgers University from 1973 to 1983. Burns has the most wins of any head coach in Rutgers Scarlet Knights football history with a record of 78–43–1 including an undefeated 11–0 campaign in 1976. He led the Rutgers to a 13–7 upset victory over Tennessee in 1979.
During Burns's tenure as head coach, Rutgers began playing outside of its traditional schedule of Eastern teams such as Ivy League opponents, Colgate, and Lehigh. Burns was dismissed from Rutgers in 1983 after three consecutive losing seasons.
Later life and death
Burns retired to the Twining Village Continual Care Retirement Village in Holland, Pennsylvania. He died there on July 14, 2012.