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Below, left, Tyshon Goode makes a catch last year against Bowling Green. MRO file/Nate Thompson photo.

In addition, most of the KSU squad is from Ohio or Western Pennsylvania, so some did take time to go home and see family and friends before returning to football with a practice on Sunday.

The coaches went out recruiting watching games and looking at as many players as they can before the signing period in the spring. For head coach Darrell Hazell, he spent his time preparing for the Falcons. He also made some time for his family, going to the Cleveland Zoo to attend the ‘Boo at the Zoo’ event.

KSU goes into the final five games of the season with a 1-6 record overall and is 0-3 in Mid-American Conference play. The lone win came against FBS transitional member South Alabama on September 24th at home 33-25.

When looking at the Flashes, they still have an outstanding defense, and good special teams. What is a real problem for the Blue and Gold is the offense.

The defense is getting back to playing where it was a season ago. The unit is second in total defense, allowing 320 yards per game while holding down fourth in run defense (allowing 137.4 yards per game) and fourth in pass defense (182.6 yards per game).

In their last game against Miami on October 15, they allowed the RedHawks just 166 total yards (41 of them on the ground). The previous game, MU had 503 total yards in a win over Army.

Surprisingly, they have allowed just one 100-yard rushing performance, and was by Kansas State’s quarterback Collin Klein who had 139 in the Wildcats 37-0 shutout win back on September 17. The Flashes also have not allowed a 300-yard passer and just one 100-yard receiver,  that being Alabama’s Marquis Maze (118) in the season opener.

Sophomore tackle Roosevelt Nix has been hampered by a toe injury but he is still having a solid season. The reigning MAC Defensive Player of the Year is tied for fifth in tackles for losses with 10 and is tied for third with three forced fumble.

Along with Nix, sophomore linebacker Luke Batton leads the ream in tackles with 61 (fifth best in the MAC). Junior linebacker C.J. Malauluu has 3 1./2 sacks while defensive backs senior Norman Wolfe and sophomore Luke Wollett have two interceptions each.  Fellow DB senior Josh Pleasant has eight pass defenses.

In the special teams, senior punter Matt Rinehart has been called on a lot, and has been solid again, averaging 43 yards per kick, fourth best in the MAC. He has had 10 punts or more over 50 yards. His 54 punts and 2,320 total yards leads all punters in the conference. Meanwhile, junior placekicker Freddy Cortez is six-of-eight on field goals and perfect five-for-five from 39 yards in.

The problem with the 2011 Flashes, is definitely the offense. They are averaging just 180.6 yards and 10.7 points per game - both last in the MAC. They have yet to produce a game of 300 yards or more offensively. Their best came against USA at 281. The lowest came in the 40-10 loss at Northern Illinois on October 8. gaining just 64 yards.

The offense has not scored a touchdown in 11 quarters, the last coming on a one-yard sneak by quarterback Spencer Keith in the first quarter of the 17-10 loss at Ohio on October 1.

The running game is averaging just 75.3 yards per game. Coming into the season, senior running back Jacquise Terry figured as the main ground gainer. However, he was ineffective early in the season and is now primarily a situational back. The running game has been placed in the hands of a pair of freshmen Anthony Meray, who has carried 58 times for 206 yards and two touchdowns, and Trayion Durham who leads the team with 259 yards on 91 carries.

Keith has definitely struggled in 2011, completing just 45.8 percent of his passes (87-190) for 647 yards and eight interceptions and just three touchdowns. In 2010, he completed over 59 percent of his throws (215-364) for 2,212 yards with eight touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

The passing struggles are also reflected in the receivers’ numbers.  Fifth-year senior Sam Kirkland leads the group with 24 catches for just 211 yards.  Tyshon Goode has just five catches.

Two nice surprises in the passing game has been senior tight end Justin Thompson and junior wideout Matt Hurdle. Thompson is second on the team with 17 catches 108 yards and a touchdown (against Alabama). Hurdle has 12 catches for 99 yards.

The Flashes face a Bowling Green team that is 4-4 overall and 2-2 in MAC play, coming off their biggest victory of the season when they defeated Temple 13-10 last week to end a three-game losing streak.

BGSU started 2011 at 3-1 and was only a blocked extra point (in their loss to Wyoming) from going 4-0. A 55-10 loss at West Virginia started a string of three consecutive losses, which included MAC defeats at Western Michigan and at home to arch-rival Toledo before the big win over TU. The four wins so far this season doubled their total from last year.

The Orange and Brown are led by third year sophomore quarterback Matt Schilz, who is completing 60.4 percent of his passes (157-260) for 1,901 yards with 18 touchdowns and just eight interceptions.

The running game is led by freshman Anthon Samuel, who has 704 yards and four touchdowns. He has had five 100-yard rushing games so far this season and gained 112 yards against the Owls. The Falcons have a pair of fine wide receivers in fifth-year senior Kamer Jordan, who leads the club with 47 catches for 573 yards and six touchdowns, and fourth year senior Eugene Cooper. The latter is second on the squad with 41 grabs for 546 yards and also six scores. In the game with Temple, Jordan moved into 11th place on BGSU’s all-time leading receptions list.

The defense is led by junior linebacker Dwayne Woods who has 69 total tackles (39 solo), with 9 1.2 tackles for losses, two sacks, an interception and two forced fumbles. DT Chris Jones was named MAC East Defensive Player of the Week as he had six tackles in the game, but three were sacks, along with a quarterback hurry.

When asked about the Flashes, head coach Dave Clawson said “They are a well-coached team. We faced that defense last year, and to me they have gotten better.”

Kent State knows that BG’s win last Saturday put them back into the MAC East Division race with two big home games coming up. They look to play the role of spoiler on Saturday.

NOTEBOOK:
Saturday’s game is the 79th meeting between the two schools, with Bowling Green holding a decisive 55-17-6 record, winning three of the last four and eight of the last 10…KSU did win the last meeting in 2010 at Bowling Green 30-6…. It’s the 38th lifetime game in Kent, with BGSU leading 28-7-2, winning the last in 2009 36-35 on the last play of the game…Spencer Keith-KSU in the game against Miami became the fourth quarterback in KSU history to pass for 5,000 yards in his career…Roosevelt Nix-KSU has 30 tackles for loss in his short career making him 10th on the all-time KSU list…Chris Jones-BGSU has seven sacks to lead the MAC and is ninth in the Football Bowl Subdivision…Kamar Jordan-BGSU has 143 career receptions, 11th most in school history…Booboo Gates-BGSU is second in MAC kick returns, averaging 30 yards per return, including a 98-yard kick return for a touchdown against Toledo …BGSU head coach Dave Clawson is 1-1 lifetime against Kent State (first game against Darrell Hazell)