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Kent State Golden Flashes (2000: 1-10) The following team preview is provided by Blue Ribbon. For the nation's most comprehensive look at this and all Division I-A teams, be sure to order the 2001 Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook, on sale now at 1-800-775-2518.
Coach and programWith an offense that could only score more than 20 points once and a sieve in the defensive backfield, Kent made very little progress in the third year of coach Dean Pees’ tenure in Portage County.Sure, another bunch of young guys got plenty of playing time -- to take their lumps without much pressure. But at some point, something has to change. And this school, whose other athletic programs are so very good, expects progress. With the fourth year upon him, Pees will make changes on offense. If there is a strength on this team, it’s at receiver. Pees sees last year as a missed opportunity, starting with a confidence buster against local rival Youngstown State. “We had one of our best defensive games of the year and held them to 204 yards,” Pees said. “But we threw a pick, they ran it back to the eight … they ended up with a couple cheap touchdowns.” That loss, and others at Pitt and Purdue, moved Kent to 0-3. A mid-season win over Central Michigan required overtime, and the Flashes closed the season by scoring just 42 points in the last five games. While the season was over long before, the game 10 loss at Buffalo was the breaking point. Usually Kent plays great against Akron, but the UB loss was devastating and the Golden Flashes dropped the season finale to the Zips, 34-6. It was a trying experience for everyone. “I want to be the guy who changes this,” said Pees, talking about the long-term habit of losing at Kent. “We came in here under the plan that we should treat this as if there’d never been football at Kent before. I’ve only been a part of three losing seasons in 27 years of coaching. “We went to a bowl every year at Michigan State and Notre Dame. It doesn’t have to be a 9-2 season; a winning season would be like the Super Bowl around here. It would get us over the hump. At some point, Kansas State was terrible and [Bill] Snyder changed that. I want to be that guy here.”
OffenseThe leading candidate to quarterback the new offense is sophomore Ben McDaniels (6-0, 175). McDaniels was a star at national prep power Canton McKinley High School who had gotten to the top of the depth chart last fall before suffering a fracture in his back in the Miami game. Although it sounds serious, it was a non-displaced break, which healed in time for McDaniels to see action at the close of the season.In the spring game, McDaniels threw an accurate ball with plenty of air under it and seemed to have good touch. The key for him in this offense is to make good decisions and not throw the interceptions that lost games to YSU and Bowling Green last fall. Last year, Kent needed to find a 1,000-yard rusher to show progress on the offense. That didn’t happen. Senior tailback Chante Murphy (6-0, 210) totaled 800 yards, good enough for team honors as outstanding offensive player. Murphy and returning backup junior Booker Vann (5-11, 210) combined for nearly 1,200 yards, but neither are a real breakaway threat to get to the open field. Though the offense was ineffective most Saturdays, the returning wideouts and ends could play for most MAC teams. Senior Jurron Kelly (6-0, 170) is a legitimate All-MAC candidate if someone can get him the ball. His stats (393 yards, two touchdowns) suffered with the loss of former star quarterback Jose Davis after the ‘99 season.
Defense and special teamsAt season’s end in 2000, the Kent State defense’s two-deep showed only one departing senior in an eight-man group at defensive line. League-wide, coaches cited this front as one of Kent State’s real strengths.So of course, with a couple hot shot linebackers joining two of the MAC’s best, you have to get them all on the field. Now the line is part of a 3-4 defense, which means more double teams for star junior nose guard Roy Attieh (6-1, 305). Attieh anchors what is the East’s best front seven, and just mauls opposing centers. Just who is good enough to force the coach to change schemes over the winter? Senior linebackers Rashan Hall (5-11, 220) and James Harrison (6-1, 240) both broke their share of chin straps last fall and both should grab some All-MAC honors of some sort again this fall. Statistically, the secondary didn’t knock down enough passes or take the ball away often enough (six interceptions). And it was always a group in flux as coaches looked for the best mix. The most consistent is junior corner Jacon Avery (5-11, 170), who is the best mix of tackling and stopping the pass. Senior Dave Pavich (6-1, 170) was virtually automatic as a sophomore and was 37-of-37 on PATs before missing three last season. Offseason surgery limited him last season, though he was back to form for spring. In 2000, Pavich was just 6-of-10 on field goals and 12-of-15 on PATs.
Bottom lineHe’s a rough-and-tumble kind of coach, but most people would root for Pees to have some success here. He’s trying to do things the right way, and has graduation rates and grade point averages going up every year.But the problem is the same as last year. Sure, the defense will be better, but there are no real signs that the offense will be able to keep that beleaguered eleven off the field for long. Some new formations here and there will not change the fact that Kent does not have game breakers playing any of the offensive back positions. Unless they find that 2,000-yard passer or 1,000-yard rusher early this fall, the valiant efforts of stalwarts such as Hall, Harrison and Attieh will again be wasted. |
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