Penn Hills lineman overcomes obstacles to play college ball at VMI

By: Josh Rizzo
Saturday, February 1, 2025 | 11:01 AM

Donovan Burnett wanted his college football experience to be similar to his experience at Penn Hills.

When Burnett visited the Virginia Military Institute, he felt he was where he wanted to be.

“Well, the brotherhood there and the football stood out to me,” Burnett said. “It’s comparable to the brotherhood we have at Penn Hills. VMI has a sense of honor that you must always build on.”

Penn Hills coach Charles Morris is proud of the development Burnett has undergone. Morris said he was impressed with how Burnett persevered through the adversity he faced throughout high school. Burnett, who has autism, became a dedicated weightlifter focused on building his strength.

Morris said defensive line coach Trayvon Hester was able to help Burnett pick up a lot of skills to be successful.

“I’m happy for Donovan,” Morris said. “Some people tried to discourage him from playing high school football. They said he wouldn’t be coordinated enough.”

Burnett said he wasn’t impacted by any talk that he couldn’t be successful at football.

“I could kind of care less,” Burnett said. “I wanted to make a difference on the team and didn’t want to change my opinion on what I could accomplish. I’ve done a lot for the team. I became the best player I could.”

Burnett broke through during his junior season. He finished with a team-high 10 sacks despite missing three games.

As a senior, Burnett was a game-wrecker on the defense line. He helped lead a strong defensive line that allowed the Indians to return to the WPIAL Class 5A postseason. The Indians upended Moon in the first round before being eliminated by Upper St. Clair.

“Our goal with all of the kids is to keep it simple so they can play fast,” Morris said. “Donovan has always played fast. He uses his hands and plays at a high level.”

VMI is a member of the Southern Conference. The Keydets finished last season 1-10 overall, including a 0-7 mark in conference play. While Burnett is in college, he wants to major in economics.

Burnett dreams of playing professional football and wants to pursue that goal, but his backup plan is to go into the military.

Burnett is excited to get back to work.

“I’m working on my intensity,” Burnett said. “I’m trying to bring more energy. I would like to learn how to be more social and have the confidence to be more social.”

Tags: Penn Hills