Ron Burton (linebacker)

Ron Burton
Sport(s) Football
Current position
Title Defensive line coach
Team Michigan State
Conference Big Ten
Biographical details
Born (1964-05-02) May 2, 1964
Highland Springs, Virginia
Playing career
1982-1986 North Carolina
1987-1989 Dallas Cowboys
1989 Phoenix Cardinals
1990 Los Angeles Raiders
Position(s) Defensive Line
Linebacker
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1992-1993 North Carolina (GA)
1994 Morehead State (DB)
1995-1996 Eastern Michigan (LB)
1997-2001 Indiana (LB)
2002 Grand Valley State (DL)
2003-2012 Air Force (DL)
2013-present Michigan State (DL)

Ron Burton (born May 2, 1964) is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League and the current defensive line coach for Michigan State Spartans football.[1]

Early life

Burton was an all-state, all-district and all-region selection as an outside linebacker at Highland Springs High School. He was also named the prep player of the year in 1982.

College career

Burton was a four-year letterman at the North Carolina Tar Heels football (1982–86), where he made three bowl appearances and was named team captain and best defensive lineman as a senior. His eight sacks during the 1986 season presently tie him for seventh on UNC's single-season sack list. He graduated in 1987 with a degree in Industrial relations.

Professional career

Moving on to the next level, Burton spent four seasons playing linebacker in the National Football League with the Dallas Cowboys (1987–89), Phoenix Cardinals (1989) and the Los Angeles Raiders (1990). He started the last six games at middle linebacker for the Cowboys his rookie year in 1987. He also started 15 games in 1988 at outside linebacker for the Cowboys. While playing for the Raiders, Burton was on the team that played in the 1990 AFC Championship Game.

Coaching career

Early career (1992-2001)

After spending two seasons as a graduate assistant for the North Carolina Tar Heels, Burton took his first full-time assistant coaching position at Morehead State University in 1994. He worked with the defensive backs for one season and then went to Eastern Michigan Eagles football, where he served two seasons as the linebackers coach.

Burton was the linebackers coach at Indiana Hoosiers football for five seasons (1997-01) where he was responsible for the development of two Butkus Award nominees, Justin Smith and Jabar Robinson.

Burton was the defensive line coach at Grand Valley State Lakers football and helped the school to the NCAA Division II national championship in 2002, the first in school history. GVSU was a perfect 14-0 in Burton's first season at the school.

Air Force

Burton spent 10 seasons as the Defensive Line Coach for the Air Force Academy (2003-2012). 2011's inexperienced group at the beginning of the season became a strength with multiple freshmen playing significant snaps. In 2010, he led Rick Ricketts to an all-conference year and defensive most valuable player honors in the Independence Bowl. In 2009, Burton led senior Ben Garland to all-conference honors and a free agent signing with the Denver Broncos in the NFL. In 2007, defensive end Jake Paulson was a first-team all-conference choice.

Michigan State

On February 8, 2013, Burton was hired as the Defensive Line Coach for Michigan State University.[2][3]

Personal

A native of Highland Springs, Virginia, Burton and his wife, Andrea, have four children, Ronald, Ryan, Roya and Reid. He also has two younger brothers Tony and Daryl.

References

  1. Gillian Van Stratt (August 13, 2013). "Watch the always animated Michigan State coach Ron Burton coach up the defensive line at fall camp". www.mlive.com. MLive Media Group. Retrieved November 24, 2014.
  2. "Ron Burton Named Defensive Line Coach". msuspartans.com. Michigan State University. February 8, 2013. Retrieved November 24, 2014.
  3. Chris Vannini (February 8, 2013). "Ron Burton named MSU defensive line coach". www.theonlycolors.com. SB Nation. Retrieved November 24, 2014.

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Tuesday, August 11, 2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.