 |
| |
|
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
This is a team that can never get things right. When the offense is good, the defense falters. Or like last season, when the defense is solid, the offense comes up short. The latest game plan has head coach Dean Pees taking full control of the defense, while Doug Martin, the former offensive coordinator at East Carolina, takes over that position with the Flashes. The problem is, KSU still has a quarterback who is better on the run than in the air, a receiving corps that is pedestrian at best, no proven tailback, and an offensive line that must still prove itself. OFFENSIVE KEYS: Quarterback Joshua Cribbs may be one of the most lethal individual talents in the league, but his less than 50 percent accuracy as a passer and 14 interceptions offset his 7.7 yards-per-carry average and back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons.Martin has his work cut out for him with only one proven tailback, David Alston, in his stable. The diminutive Alston is coming off an injury-plagued junior season, which followed up a fumble-prone sophomore campaign. When healthy, the 5-foot-10, 200-pounder has more than enough speed to keep defenses honest. The big key for the offense will be getting improved passing production out of Cribbs, who could become the first Division I-A quarterback in history to rush and pass for more than 1,000 yards in three straight seasons. With a bevy of receivers standing 6-3 or taller, plus junior speedster Darrell Dowery, Cribbs has the targets to succeed. DEFENSIVE KEYS: Pees has put his stamp on this unit the past several seasons. And while Pees is widely respected around the league, his units haven't been very productive because they have lacked playmakers.There is hope that end Tomas Rodriguez or tackle David Muir can step up and emerge as difference-makers. Rodriguez is a converted tight end playing his first season on defense, while Muir is also unproven after sitting out his freshman season as a partial academic qualifier. Only senior tackle Alan Williams provides starting experience on the line. If Kent is going to find any playmakers, they will probably come from the linebacking corps. No fewer than eight lettermen return with nearly as many others hoping to crack the two-deep. Junior Eric Mahl (60 tackles), in particular, looks to be primed for a potential All-MAC season. Kent's cornerbacks will be new, but the safeties -- juniors Shannon Davis, Vashawn Patrick and converted tailback Antonio King -- are proven big hitters. Davis is a two-year starter at free safety, Patrick has seen significant action at strong safety, and King has proven his worth on special teams. SPECIAL TEAMS: Sophomore kicker Travis Mayle knocked through 12-of-14 field goal attempts with a long of 42 yards. Punter Joshua Brazen is unproven. Davis is back to field punts after averaging 8.5 yards on 11 returns. King, a former running back, will return kickoffs after averaging 19.9 last season.FINAL ANALYSIS: With a healthy Cribbs, Kent is capable of beating any team in the league on any Saturday. But as they have shown far too often over the past two years, the Golden Flashes are also quite capable of losing to any team -- and losing big -- on any Saturday.But after two years of on-the-job training for many of Kent's juniors and seniors, just taking care of the little things should translate into more wins. Defensively, the Golden Flashes should at least hold their own. And if a few playmakers emerge on offense to help take some pressure off Cribbs, Kent State could climb a few notches up the ladder in the difficult Eastern Division of the MAC. • Click here for complete index of 2003 team previews
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
