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Football and family have been the foundation for Lorenzo Burns' career

Family support is a big part of a football player’s career. For Arizona cornerback Lorenzo Burns, his football career started with his father and has always been a part of his DNA.

In Arizona’s game against USC Saturday night, Lorenzo’s father, DeChon Burns, will be cheering on his son and watching him go head-to-head against his alma mater.

DeChon played cornerback for USC during the 1989 Rose Bowl season when he suffered a career-ending neck injury. The injury forced him into a different path as an assistant coach for the Trojans from 1990-92. Then in 1992 he switched gears to baseball playing center field for USC.

After college he continued his football coaching career starting at the high school level at Bishop Amat in California before heading to Florida as a defensive assistant before spending time in the National Football League with the Washington Redskins. He returned to the high school level as a coach at Beverly Hills High School and from there it was back to college as the defensive line coach and defensive coordinator at Texas Southern. He eventually UTEP for a time before finally landing at his current spot as the head coach at Lindfield Christian High School in Temecula, California where he was able to coach his son.

DeChon’s involvement in football influenced Lorenzo’s interest in the sport from his time as a toddler up to his college career now at Arizona.

“I’ve been around football since I’ve come out of the womb. I’ve always been coached hard and have had a hard work ethic,” Lorenzo said.

DeChon said when he coached for the Redskins, he came home from work and found a 5-year-old Lorenzo and his brother Simeon, a freshman defensive back at Dixie State, watching highlight tapes.

“That is when they really started cutting their teeth,” DeChon said about the boys.

“He would go through the highlight films. He would go over the words the coaches would say and relive the scenes,” DeChon said.

Lorenzo Burns' dad has played a big part in the Arizona cornerback's development and success
Lorenzo Burns' dad has played a big part in the Arizona cornerback's development and success (Emily Homa/GOAZCATS.com)
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DeChon said that he never forced Lorenzo to play, he had always wanted to. His lessons on how to tackle began when DeChon brought “tiny” helmets home for Lorenzo and his brother to try on.

“It was neat, they were around the age when they got to play and we got them some helmets from Dick’s and went in the backyard and put them on and I showed them how to tackle when they were young,” he laughed.

DeChon has taught his son the game from his perspective and continues to give him advice on and off the field.

“He’ll teach us plays while we’re watching TV, come up and tell us stories,” Lorenzo said. “He’s made me into a football player that has high expectations for myself.”

From DeChon’s perspective he thought Lorenzo’s most pivotal moment where he knew that football was going to be his game came when the Arizona redshirt freshman cornerback was only 7-years-old.

"He’s made me into a football player that has high expectations for myself."
— Arizona cornerback Lorenzo Burns

Playing quarterback at the time, Lorenzo got sacked on a play and showed his fellow players and coaches that he was hurt.

“It was one of those hits that make you change your career,” DeChon admitted.

By the second half, Lorenzo recovered an onside kick, got a touchdown and made a huge tackle.

“After that I knew that there’s no turning back, he’s built for this game,” DeChon said.

In DeChon’s football career, he played the same cornerback position as Lorenzo does today to help bring an even more personal understanding to what his son is going through now as one of the Wildcats’ starters at the position.

“Lorenzo and I played the same position and we had our first interceptions in almost the same spot on the field,” DeChon said. His came against Oregon State while Lorenzo’s against Houston.

Rich Rodriguez and the coaching staff at Arizona have had success with players who are the sons of football coaches. Shun Brown, whose father is currently at coach at Texas Southern and spent time at Grambling State as well, is one of the success stories and Burns is now on his way to becoming another for the Wildcats.

DeChon expressed how much he did not want to be his son’s coach because of the added pressure of being “coach’s kid.”

“My dad was always on my head, if I made a mistake, no matter if it was little or big he was on my head pushing me,” Lorenzo said. “So being coached hard helped me.”

He told Lorenzo that as his coach he never wanted to see him get into trouble, when everyone was running that is what he had to do and that “you don’t quit.”

Lorenzo also added what kind of player his father has taught him to be and it matched with DeChon’s advice.

“He’s made me a player that never quits,” he said.

As a coach and a father, DeChon has given Lorenzo advice before games his entire football career.

“Master your craft and go have fun,” DeChon said was one of his most important pieces of advice.

“I’ve always been small, but he’s always told me that it doesn’t matter how big you are it’s how you pack a punch,” Lorenzo said about how his dad has helped mold his game.

When DeChon coached for Texas Southern in Houston, Lorenzo would be by his side watching practice and learning the game.

DeChon said that not only does being a coach’s son help prepare you for a future career, but you understand everything that comes with the game and how it affects your family.

“He got to see, meet, and understand how coaches think and what they are looking for,” DeChon said.

For recruiting purposes, DeChon said that for Lorenzo it was beneficial and important to have a coach as a dad.

“Coaches gravitated to him because he knew the scene,” he said.

DeChon expressed how much he and his family are proud of their son on and off the field. Family, friends, old teammates and coaches are joining DeChon will be among those cheering on Lorenzo in Saturday night’s game as UA has an opportunity to take over first place in the Pac-12 South.

In his first full season as one of Arizona’s starting cornerbacks, Lorenzo heads into the game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum second on the team with 53 tackles and is tied for team lead in interceptions with three. Kickoff for Saturday’s game is set for 7:45 MST.

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