Photo via SMSU Athletic Communications Onte Burns (0) lines up pre-snap in Southwest Minnesota State University’s game against the Winona State Warriors

Southwest Minnesota State’s Onte Burns is hungry. The 200-pound linebacker has a passion for cooking. The hobby started as a way to save money by avoiding eating out but became something he enjoys doing for its own sake. While he’s picked up a variety of recipes over the last few years, there’s one thing Burns won’t do. 

“I can’t eat no ramen noodles,” Burns said with a laugh. “I don’t know how people do it. I can’t, I’m not a ramen guy.”

While ramen isn’t on the menu for Burns, he’s been eating opposing running backs like lunch meat for five years now. The fifth-year senior started every game in his 2018 freshman season, and his career has only ascended from there. 

Going into SMSU’s season finale, Burns leads the NSIC with 90 tackles and is on pace to lead the conference in tackles for the third consecutive season. In the team’s last game against Minnesota State, Burns broke both the SMSU and the NSIC records for career solo tackles.

“It starts with his knowledge of the game,” SMSU head coach Scott Underwood said of Burns’ consistency. “He’s a consummate player. He does the film work and background on games… when you put that much time and effort into it, certainly players around him respect him. The other part is him being able to back it up with his athletic ability.”

Part of Burns’ passion for watching film comes from his family. Nearly every person in his family either played football or watched it consistently. His dad, Casper, played football, while his aunt and uncle have been Vikings’ season ticket holders. 

While the Vikings were maybe the team he grew up watching the most, the players that defined his style of play went beyond Minnesota. One in particular that came to mind for Burns was Luke Kuechly. 

“His mindset towards the game the way he shows up on gameday… you hear him calling out plays and what the offense is doing,” Burns said of the former Carolina Panthers linebacker. “He plays real strategic, but he’s still able to ball, make things happen, and make plays. Just knowing what people are going to throw at you makes you play ten times faster. A lot of guys don’t understand the game well enough to play fast and understand what’s going on.”

The comparison shows on the field. Just as Burns led the NSIC in tackles twice, Kuechly led the NFL in tackles twice. Just as Kuechly was known for being a cerebral player, Burns also hones his game on the mental rather than the physical. The way he studies for games, Burns said, isn’t dissimilar to preparing for an exam.

“We get all the answers to the study guide, and the test is Saturdays,” Burns said. “You practice throughout the week, you’ve got three or four study guides, and you still don’t do what you need to do? That’s what we talk about on defense… Some of the looks that seem surprising to everybody else, we’ve seen it at practice a thousand times. It’s made me play fast.”

Robbinsdale Cooper High School was where Burns first developed his emphasis on studying the game. Under coach Willie Howard, Burns was named district MVP and named to the KARE 11 All-State team in his senior season. While he realized that athleticism would be enough for him to succeed in high school football, he still wanted to get better. 

“I was athletic, but I was wondering what could set me apart,” Burns said. “Once you learn how to watch film the right way and have people around you that work hard and tell you, ‘this is what you need to look for,’ it sets you apart… Understanding the situationals and how they’re going to block me, how they’re going to block my teammates. If I know who’s going to block me, now all the work I’ve put in during the offseason to get off a block and make a tackle is going to show up during a game.”

This emphasis on preparation is part of what makes Burns a natural leader for a team. He was named a team captain before his sophomore season, both because of his play on the field and how he helps his teammates get ready as well. 

“It goes back to accountability,” Underwood said of what makes Burns suitable for the captain designation, adding that his ability to direct traffic on the field, call out plays, and help his teammates get lined up before the snap makes everyone on the defense better.

Burns echoed the sentiment of leading by example as a key part of being a captain. A group of his peers isn’t going to listen to him as a leader if he isn’t showing consistent effort in practice every day, Burns said.

“It’s hard to tell a bunch of 18-, 19-, 20-year-olds to believe in you and what you’re saying – and to listen to what they’re saying too because being a leader is really serving people,” Burns said. “You’re not controlling people, it’s about hearing what they have to say and knowing what direction we all have to go. You have to be accountable… they have to feel that respect from you.”

The respect for Burns’ work ethic and level of play is certainly felt in the locker room. SMSU running back Jesse Sherwood, who holds the school record for single-season rushing yards per game, called Burns the greatest to ever don the Mustang brown and gold. Burns’ stats and accolades give him at least a solid argument. Still, he doesn’t let that go to his head, saying that he would be nothing without his teammates and coaches preparing him for game time. 

While he hopes to go to continue playing professionally, there is a chance Saturday’s senior game against Augustana is Burns’ last time putting on the pads in an organized game. Still, he’s not trying to get too caught up in the emotions. 

“I think I’m like more like a robot when it comes down to that,” Burns said. “The biggest thing is trying to enjoy it now because you only get a certain number of games. Playing college football, you have 44 games. That’s if you play every game in every year… I’m looking at it like just another game, but it is my last, so I’m going to try to show out and do what I can.”