Frank R. Burns

For other people named Frank Burns, see Frank Burns (disambiguation).

Frank R. Burns

Sport(s)	Football
Biographical details
Born	(1928-03-16)March 16, 1928
Died	Holland, Pennsylvania
Playing career
1945–1948	Rutgers
Position(s)	Quarterback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1949–1950	Rutgers (freshman backfield)
1951–1952	Johns Hopkins
1955–1956	Rutgers (backfield)
1957–1960	Chatham HS (NJ)
1961–1972	Rutgers (assistant)
1973–1983	Rutgers
Head coaching record
Overall	84–52–2 (college)
Bowls	0–1
Statistics College Football Data Warehouse
Accomplishments and honors
Awards
Walter Camp Coach of the Year Award (1976)

Frank R. 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.

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 an 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.

Head coaching record

College

Year	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Bowl/playoffs	Coaches#	AP°
Johns Hopkins Blue Jays (Mason-Dixon Conference) (1951–1952)
1951	Johns Hopkins	2–5–1
1952	Johns Hopkins	4–4
Johns Hopkins:		6–9–1
Rutgers Scarlet Knights (NCAA Division I/I-A Independent) (1973–1983)
1973	Rutgers	6–5
1974	Rutgers	7–3–1
1975	Rutgers	9–2
1976	Rutgers	11–0				17	17
1977	Rutgers	8–3
1978	Rutgers	9–3			L Garden State
1979	Rutgers	8–3
1980	Rutgers	7–4
1981	Rutgers	5–6
1982	Rutgers	5–6
1983	Rutgers	3–8
Rutgers:		78–43–1
Total:		84–52–2

Later life and death

Burns retired to the Twining Village Continual Care Retirement Village in Holland, Pennsylvania. He died there on July 14, 2012.

External links

• Frank R. Burns at the College Football Data Warehouse