FARGO, N.D.--North Dakota State University head football coach Craig Bohl announced that Kenni Burns has been named wide receivers coach, Brian Ward defensive backs coach, and Nick Goeser (GAY-zer) defensive tackles coach. Bohl made the announcement today.

Burns spent the past two seasons as the tight ends coach at Southern Illinois, a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference. SIU went 15-1 in MVFC play during his tenure and won a pair of conference championships. The Salukis won 20 of 25 games and made two NCAA Division I FCS (Football Championship Subdivision) playoff appearances.

A major portion of the Saluki offense evolved around the tight ends, and Burns helped to develop a two-time all-conference selection at that position. The tight ends played a vital role opening up holes for the Saluki rushing attack that produced 1,000 yard rushers in back-to-back seasons. In 2009 the Salukis ranked 5th in the nation by averaging 221.1 yards on the ground.

A native of Springfield, Ill., Burns also played a major roll in SIU’s recruiting efforts. Prior to going to Southern Illinois, he was the running backs coach at NCAA Division II Millersville (Pa.) University in 2007. Burns played running back for four years at Indiana University (2003-06), where he lettered three times for the Hooisers. In 2004, Burns received the IU Iron Man award that is given to the player with the most snaps taken during the spring.

While attending Indiana, Burns was a member of the Indiana Student Government as the Athletic Project manger, which was the bridge between the student government and the athletic department. He helped create more student seating at football and basketball games, and helped reduce ticket prices for students.

Before arriving at Indiana, Burns attended Sacred Heart Griffin (Ill.) High School. He was a three-time all-state player and was the first ever sophomore to receive all-state honors. He also received several All-American honors his senior year. He graduated in December 2006 from Indiana University with a bachelor’s degree in general studies.

Ward spent the past three seasons as the head coach at his alma mater, McPherson College (Kansas). He compiled a 17-14 record which included leading the Bulldogs to a 9-2 record and the program’s first berth in the NAIA Football Championship series in 2009.

Ward was selected the 2009 College Fans Sports Network NAIA Coach of the Year. He coached seven NAIA All-Americans, two Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) Players of the Year, seven NAIA Scholar Athletes and 39 all-conference selections.

Ward brings an extensive coaching resume to Fargo. At the conclusion of his playing career at McPherson, he served as defensive coordinator and special teams coordinator under Bruce Grose for the 1997 season. Under his direction, the Bulldogs set a school record with 12 blocked punts, and ranked 2nd in the NAIA in pass defense and 8th in total defense.

From 1998-2000, Ward served as the defensive coordinator and secondary coach at Glendale (Ariz.) Community College. In his final two seasons at Glendale, the Gauchos were Arizona Community College Athletic Conference (ACCAC) champions and won the 2000 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) national championship by defeating Garden City CC in the Valley of Sun Bowl.

Ward then served as assistant head coach, special teams coordinator, secondary coach, and strength and conditioning coordinator at Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Ind., for four seasons (2001-2004). He was named the 2002 American Football Coaches Association NCAA Division III National Assistant Coach of the Year while at Wabash.

In 2001, the Wabash defense ranked 5th in Division III with 36 turnovers, blocked six kicks, and led the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) in interceptions. The Little Giants were undefeated during the 2002 regular season, NCAC champions and Division III quarterfinalists. The Wabash defense led D-III with 25 pass interceptions and 43 forced turnovers.

Wabash was ranked as high as No. 2 in the 2003 AFCA national poll when its defense ranked in Division III’s top 10 nationally in total defense, rushing defense, interceptions, and kickoff return average. In 2004, the Little Giants broke the school record by allowing only five touchdown passes during the season.

In 2005, Ward was associate head coach, defensive and special teams coordinator at Missouri Southern State University. Under his direction, the Lions recorded a school record 30 sacks. After serving as recruiting and strength coordinator for MSSU during the spring and summer of 2006, Ward spent the fall of 2006 as the defensive coordinator at Tulsa (Okla.) Union High School.

Active in the community, Ward directed Special Olympic fund raisers, a "Football Reader Fridays" program in the local elementary schools, a community-wide youth football day, toy, clothing, and canned food drives for branches of the National Guard, Salvation Army, and local schools as well as a College Outreach program for the elderly community.

Ward graduated from McPherson College in 1997 with a bachelor’s degree in history. He holds a master’s degree in organizational management from the University of Phoenix and is currently working on an MBA.

A graduate of Glendale (Ariz.) Apollo High School, Brian is married to the former Amy Brandseth. They are the parents of two young children, Travis and Ellie.

Goeser comes to Fargo from the successful University of Minnesota-Duluth program, where he was the defensive line and outside linebackers coach. UMD went 15-0 and won the 2008 NCAA Division II national championship. The Bulldogs were 11-2 in 2009 and advanced to the quarterfinals. In the final 2009 NCAA statistics, the UMD defense finished 2nd in scoring defense (12.5 ppg), 4th in rushing defense (69.1 ypg) and 5th in total defense (251.0 ypg).

Prior to heading to Duluth, Goeser served as an assistant coach in charge of the defensive ends at Augustana College (Ill.) in 2005 and 2006. The Vikings won two College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) championships and made one NCAA Division III playoff appearance. In 2003 and 2004, Goeser was a member of the Marietta College (Ohio) football staff as a defensive line coach. He helped rebuild a Pioneer team which had gone 2-8 in his debut season to a 6-4 club the following fall.

A three-sport standout (football, basketball, and baseball) at Iola-Scandinavia High School, Goeser received his bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from Wisconsin-Eau Claire in 2003 and his master’s degree in education from Marietta College two years later.

The Bison open spring practice Saturday, March 27, culminating with the annual spring game at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 24, in the Fargodome.

North Dakota State finished the season with a 3-8 record overall including a 2-6 mark in the MVFC. NDSU opens the 2010 season at Kansas on Sept. 4.