Football
- Title:
- Safeties
- Email:
- jburrow@kent.edu
- Phone:
- 330-672-3350
Entering his seventh season, Jeff Burrow has served as Kent State’s safeties coach since March of 2011 and was promoted co-defensive coordinator in 2017. Burrow was a part of the Golden Flashes’ 2012 MAC East title run and the program’s first bowl appearance in 40 years.
In each of Burrow's first five seasons, a Kent State safety earned All-MAC honors, including back-to-back first team selections for Nate Holley. In 2016, Holley was recognized as the NCAA statistical leader in solo tackles per game. He ranked fourth in the nation in total tackles per game in 2015 and third in 2014.
Burrow also helped mentor Jordan Italiano, who became the first football player in Kent State's history to be a three-time Academic All-American (2013-15) and was Kent State's first Campbell Trophy finalist. In 2015, Burrow was the nation's only position coach to have two Academic All-Americans in Italiano and Nick Cuthbert.
In 2015, four Flashes' safeties earned Academic All-MAC honors. Cuthbert and Italiano each claimed MAC Distinguished Scholar Athletes nods and Academic All-District selections in back-to-back seasons. Two more KSU safeties (Matt Bahr, Marcus Elliott) earned Academic All-MAC honors in 2016. 
From 2011-2013, Burrow oversaw the development of Luke Wollet, who garnered All-Mid-American Conference honors in all three seasons. During that time, Wollet made 10 interceptions. Following the 2014 NFL Draft, Wollet was invited to the New Orleans Saints’ minicamp.
In 2011, Kent State’s defense ranked first in the MAC for conference-only games in total defense, pass efficiency defense and red zone defense. Also having success in 2011 under Burrow was freshman Calvin Tiggle, who finished third on the team in tackles despite missing two games. He was a part of a defense that ranked second in the MAC in points allowed.
The Sylvester, Ga., native previously spent two years at Jacksonville State as the wide receivers coach. During his tenure with the Gamecocks, Burrow tutored all-conference standouts Taurean Rhetta and Maurice Dupree.
Burrow joined the Jacksonville State staff after spending two years as a defensive graduate assistant at Notre Dame in 2005-06 under head coach Charlie Weiss. Prior to that, he served as a defensive graduate assistant at Minnesota under head coach Glen Mason in 2003 and 2004. In 2002, he coached defensive backs and served as the team's strength and conditioning coach at Greenville (Ill.) College.
As a player, Burrow was a two-year starter and a four-year letterman at cornerback for the University of Cincinnati from 1995-99 where he played for then head coach, and current Philadelphia Eagles' linebackers coach Rick Minter. During this period, Burrow was also coached by current Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin who served as defensive backs coach at Cincinnati from 1999 to 2000.
Following his collegiate career, Burrow signed as a free agent with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League and played one season with the team (2000).
Burrow earned his bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Cincinnati in 1999 and a master's degree in education from the University of Minnesota in 2004. He is married to the former Janea Coleman. The couple has three daughters, Jazmyne, Jaelyn and Jayda.
