 When there is a coaching change in football, a team can go through growing pains while finding out what works and what does not – on both sides of the ball. By the halfway point, it looks for progression. In the case of the Kent State Golden Flashes, their last performance seemed more like regression than progression.
Last Saturday at Northern Illinois, Kent State (1-5, 0-2 MAC) gained a grand total of 70 total yards in a 40-10 KSU loss. The lone Flashes touchdown, in fact, was a defensive score late in the fourth quarter. It was the second time this season the Blue and Gold offense was held to under 100 yards in total offense (they had 90 in the season opening loss at Alabama).
Kent State’s offense has failed to reach the 300-yard mark in any of the six games played thus far. Its best offensive numbers were 281 yards in KSU’s lone win of the season, a 33-25 victory over FBS transitional member South Alabama back on September 24.
Through six contests, the KSU offense has averaged 12 points, 75.3 yards on the ground, and just 94.7 yards per game passing. The 170 total yards per game average is by far the worst in the MAC and one of the lowest averages in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
Against the Huskies, junior quarterback Spencer Keith threw an interception on the Flashes first offensive series. NIU converted the turnover into a touchdown. Head coach Darrell Hazell then benched Keith in favor of redshirt freshman Cedric McCloud, who completed just 6-of-22 passes in the contest for 63 yards. He was sacked eight times and fumbled once.
One key to the inefficiency of the offense is the play of the line which has been ravaged by injuries to left guard Phil Huff and right guard Kent Cleveland. Filling in are two redhshirt freshmen, Tom Pizzurro on the left side, and Terrell Johnson on the right.
“The offensive line really struggled to be completely honest.” Hazell said. “There were some communication issues we had up front. There were a couple times where we cut some guys loose when we were not exactly sure where we should be”
For whatever reason, Keith has also struggled.. Coming into the season, the main problem for the junior from Little Rock Ark. was staying healthy. He had not completed a full season in his first two with the Blue and Gold. When he was pulled after throwing the interception, he was 71-for-159 for 509 yards with just three touchdowns and seven interceptions.
“We said all last week that if Spencer was going to continue to struggle, we were going to put Cedric in, so we made the change right away.” Hazell said.
Until last Saturday in DeKalb, one thing KSU had been doing effectively was rushing the football. But after gaining 187 yards in the win over USA, the running game has a combined 80 yards over the last two games which included just one yard net against NIU.
As they prepare for this Saturday’s homecoming game against Miami, Hazell said, “We need to simplify it down further as a coaching staff. We need to help those guys (on the offensive line), and we can get the tailbacks toes to the line and those two tailbacks (freshman Trayion Durham and Anthony Meray) will make yards.”
One thing that remains strong with KSU is the play of its defense. At the half-way point of the season they are third in the MAC, allowing an average of 345.7 yards per game. Reigning MAC defensive Player of the Year Roosevelt Nix is having another solid season with eight tackles for loss. The emergence of linebackers Luke Batton and C.J. Malauulu has helped, while safeties Luke Wollett and Josh Pleasant have shored up the defensive backfield.
Miami (1-4, 0-2 MAC) picked up its first win last week, defeating Army at home 35-28 as junior quarterback Zac Dysert completed 24-of-37 passes for 342 yards and four touchdowns. He also rushed for a score. Wide Reciever Nick Harwell had 10 catches on the day for 186 yards and two scores. The 186 receiving yards was the third best single-game mark in MU history, and Harwell now has four straight games with over 100 yards receiving after sitting out the opener.
Coming into the game with the Flashes, Harwell is second in MAC receiving yards with 636 and third in receptions with 36. Dysert is second in average at 275.6 per game and third in total offense at 282.6 ypg.
Like the Flashes, Miami has battled injuries along the front line, and freshmen were thrown into the breach. It affected protections and the RedHawks ability to run the ball – a question mark coming into the campaign.
But some veterans returned last week, and the results looked good. Dysert had an outstanding day and MU had its best day of the season running the ball. Sophomore Erik Finklea averaged 5.3 ypc. while gaining 90 yards on the day. Dysert added 39 net yards after spending much of his time avoiding sacks for the previous four games. He is still a passer first, but has the capability to move around and pick up some first downs along the way.
It was about this time last year when the RedHawks offensive line came together, leading MU on a winning streak through the last month of the season. With games against Toledo, Ohio and Buffalo included in the remainder of the schedule, Miami will need all hands on board and can ill-afford another setback like its 37-23 loss to Bowling Green Sept. 24.
While the offensive line was getting healthier, the defensive line took two hits against Army. Austin Brown and Will Diaz both left the game, but they are listed as being available on Miami’s two-deep this week.
Defensively, linebacker Jerrell Wedge had 14 tackles in the win over the Black Knights. The senior has been a defensive leader for in recent years and is a solid presence in the lineup. As has been a Miami tradition, the linebacking corps figures as a strength of the team.
When the RedHawks have struggled, it was typically trying to contain very mobile quarterbacks, particularly those whose strength was running the ball. But the secondary is capable and sophomore cornerback Dayonne Nunnelly is already a standout.
It is homecoming at Kent State, and the game is a crucial test for both teams as they look to get back into the Eastern Division race. Kickoff is set for 3:30PM
NOTES: The game is the 59th lifetime meeting between the two schools with Miami holding a 45-13 advantage after winning last season in Oxford 27-21….This is the 29th lifetime meeting in Kent with MU holding a 21-7 edge, although the Flashes won the last meeting at Dix Stadium 29-19. It was Dysert’s first start as a RedHawk, and he responded by completing 31-of-53 for 337 yards, with one TD and two interceptions.
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