Burns Is Tulsa's New Coach

December 7, 1999 / 10:05 AM EST / CBS/AP

Arkansas defensive coordinator Keith Burns is the next head football coach at the University of Tulsa.

The university called an afternoon news conference to announce Burns as its choice.

The Tulsa World and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette have reported that Burns, the defensive coordinator at Arkansas for two seasons, will begin his new duties at Tulsa immediately.

A university source, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the hiring to The Associated Press.

Arkansas Coach Houston Nutt says Louis Campbell, the director of football operations, will join the Razorbacks' coaching staff in place of Burns at the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 1.

Tulsa fired longtime head coach Dave Rader on Oct. 25 in the midst of his eighth consecutive losing season. Tulsa finished 2-9, with defensive coordinator Pat Henderson serving as interim coach.

The university began interviewing candidates last week. Burns and Notre Dame assistant head coach Kirk Doll were in Tulsa on Sunday and both were interviewed a second time, the Tulsa World reported.

Before joining Arkansas, Burns worked at Pacific, Rice and Southern Cal. At Arkansas, he inherited a defense ranked 110th nationally in 1997. This season, Arkansas ranked among the top 20 nationally in total defense.