 When the Kent State Golden Flashes left for Tuscaloosa, Ala. to play the Crimson Tide in the season opener last week, they knew their task was daunting. They were facing a team that was ranked second in both national polls, was favored to win the Southeastern Conference title, and was one of the favorites to play in the BCS National Championship game this coming January in New Orleans.
Perception became reality as Alabama dominated KSU in every facet of the game en route to a 48-7 victory, spoiling Darrell Hazell’s first bid for a win as a college head coach. Alabama scored three touchdowns on its four first quarter possessions and never looked back.
OFFENSIVE FRUSTRATION
“That was obviously not the way we wanted to start out.” Hazell said. “I am frustrated that we did not execute offensively, but I though the defense played well once we settled in. We need to stay together as a team though, and I believe we will.”
Kent State was held to just 90 yards in total offense and minus nine (-9) yards rushing. Junior quarterback Spencer Keith, harassed all day by the Crimson Tide defense, completed 20-of-47 passes for just 99 yards and a touchdown on a three-yard pass to tight end Justin Thompson, who caught a career-best four in the contest.
“We completed some short passes, and made a few good runs, but they (Alabama) were a good defense. We knew that coming into the game and we just did not execute right.” Keith said.
“I thought he (Keith) did a great job today.” Hazell said. “I don’t know how many drops we had but I guess it was in the double digits. He missed a couple of throws but overall he played very well.”
The defense, top-ranked defense in the MAC, and one of the best against the rush in the entire Football Bowl Subdivision a season ago, was scorched for 482 total yards, including 183 on the ground. One bright spot in the contest was that the defense came up with four interceptions, including one by safety Norman Wolfe in the third quarter. That set up the Keith touchdown pass.
NIX DREW A CROWD
One player that stood out individually defensively was sophomore Roosevelt Nix. The reigning MAC Defensive Player of the Year had six tackles (three solo) including a sack. :”He is a phenomenal player,” Hazell said. “He is as disruptive a guy as I have seen since Dwight Freeney when we were preparing to play Syracuse and I was at West Virginia. They (Alabama) were trying to double team him, but they could not. He was too fast off the ball.”
KSU not only battled the Crimson Tide on the field, but also battled the conditions. The game-time temperature was 96 degrees with high humidity. That played to the advantage of Alabama, which used more than 30 defensive players in the contest.
With Alabama behind them, the Flashes return home to Dix Stadium to face the Rajun Cajuns of Louisiana-Lafayette (Sun Belt Conference). Last Saturday, in Mark Hudspeth’s first game as head coach, UL-L played a ranked opponent as they traveled to Oklahoma State and fell to the Cowboys 61-34 in a game that saw 986 yards combined total offense (666 by OSU).
Louisiana was paced by freshman running back Qyenda Griffin, who gained 37 yards on nine carries and scored a touchdown. Junior quarterback Blaine Gauthier completed 13-of-26 passes for 106 yards with an interception but no touchdowns. Ten players caught at least one pass in the game at Stillwater, led by junior wide receiver Javone Lawson with three for 67 yards. Defensively, senior linebacker Lance Kelley led with nine tackles (all solo), along with a pass break-up.
In his final comments after the Alabama game, Hazell said “We need to get a whole lot better by next weekend” The Flashes will see how much improvement as they battle the visitors from Cajun Country.
NOTES: The game is the second lifetime meeting between the two schools…Louisiana won the first meeting in Lafayette 44-27 on September 20,2008…KSU 0-1 lifetime against Sun Belt Conference…QB Spencer Keith passed Julian Edelman for fourth place on KSU’s all-time completions list with 403…WR Tyshon Goode extended his consecutive games streak of catching at least one pass to 21…In addition, Goode passed Najah Pruden into fifth place on the all-time receptions list with 115 and has catches in 24-of-25 career games at KSU…CB Norman Wolfe’s third quarter interception was the sixth of his career…P Matt Reinhart had three punts of 50 yards or more, bringing his career total to 39…Louisiana is 4-6 lifetime against the MAC (0-4 on the road)…UL-L played 20 new players against Oklahoma State (10 on defense)…TE Ladarius Green is one of the top tight ends in all of the FBS according to various publications
|
