The unofficial online home for fans of the Kent State University Golden Flashes. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

Any Flashes going to Mobile? Feel free to ask me if you have any questions about your trip.

Thanks MobileBama. You were a great resource when we were there for the GoDaddy Bowl. Since we were at LSU this year and in Mobile in Jan, I doubt many will be making the trip

I'm still trying to get over the Ball State game.

Injuries mounting/update: http://www.recordpub.com/sports/2013/10/...inals-work

Fisher or Reardon this week? http://www.recordpub.com/sports/2013/10/...ng-qb-role

Jags get ready for KSU

KSU football preview/game notes: http://www.kentstatesports.com/news/2013...35400.aspx

KSU football press conference: http://www.kentstatesports.com/news/2013...34326.aspx

Weather forecast on game day: http://www.weather.com/weather/weekend/M...L0371:1:US
50% chance of rain

Game matchup from http://www.freeplays.com: http://www.freeplays.com/matchups/sn/nca...LABAMA.htm

Game matchup from http://www.espn.com: http://espn.go.com/ncf/preview?gameId=332920006

(10-15-2013 12:07 PM)MobileBama Wrote:  Jags get ready for KSU

Hopefully it doesn't rain for the homecoming game.

MobileBama,
How many fans do you expect to attend Saturday's game? The 2 DL and 1 OG that are out for the year, were they projected starters this year or were they backups?

Quote:MobileBama,
How many fans do you expect to attend Saturday's game? The 2 DL and 1 OG that are out for the year, were they projected starters this year or were they backups?

It's hard to say. I'm predicting around 17,500 but some think there will be around 22,000 since it's homecoming and a name opponent is coming to town. Weather will obviously be a big factor. The fans are excited with a close loss at Tennessee and a big win against Western Kentucky. The Troy loss hurt big time.

I'm not sure about the DL but the OG was going to start. He was a huge loss.

A name opponent? Who, us?

(10-16-2013 09:39 AM)axeme Wrote:  A name opponent? Who, us?

Axe, many football fans in Mobile know Kent State well from the GoDaddy Bowl. We're excited to have you guys in town.

Big OOC game for the Jags!

This game (like the rest from this point on) is a must win. Let's hope Fisher fills in well because I'd hate to see Strock's redshirt get burnt. I suppose Maxie has a chance of getting his first playing time as well. I'm curious to see how Rock handles the QB situation. USA is going to play Kent tough and I hope the Flashes aren't looking beyond this week and focus on the task at hand, beating USA and improving to 3-5. USA has played every team very well and could be 5-0 right now, so I'm excited to see what will happen.

(10-16-2013 09:39 AM)axeme Wrote:  A name opponent? Who, us?

Sometimes I think that we are respected more by out of towners more than we respect ourselves.

Melvin Meggs was the offensive lineman that we lost and Randon Carnathan (DL) had a career ending Achilles injury. Meggs was our best OL and Carnathan was a backup that played a lot. I'm not sure who the other DL was. Some of the red shirts have filled in pretty well on the OL and the DL was probably one of our deepest areas on the team.

Our last two games have been on the road and we've had two off weeks since we last played at home. Hopefully that plus the homecoming events will bring out the fans. I'm hoping 20,000+. I'm expecting a close game.

(10-16-2013 05:15 PM)HCJag Wrote:  Melvin Meggs was the offensive lineman that we lost and Randon Carnathan (DL) had a career ending Achilles injury. Meggs was our best OL and Carnathan was a backup that played a lot. I'm not sure who the other DL was. Some of the red shirts have filled in pretty well on the OL and the DL was probably one of our deepest areas on the team.

Our last two games have been on the road and we've had two off weeks since we last played at home. Hopefully that plus the homecoming events will bring out the fans. I'm hoping 20,000+. I'm expecting a close game.

Thanks HCJag!

KSU football: The wait is over, David Fisher to make first start for Flashes

By Stephanie Storm
Beacon Journal sports writer
Published: October 16, 2013 - 11:00 PM

KENT: David Fisher came to Kent State nearly two years ago with his sights set on becoming a starting quarterback for a Division I football team.

It appears Fisher, a fifth-year senior, will finally realize his dream Saturday when Kent State (2-5) travels to South Alabama (2-3) for a nonconference game at the site of last season’s GoDaddy.com Bowl game.

Fisher was with the Golden Flashes last season when they lost to Arkansas State 17-13 at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in the program’s first bowl game in 40 years. But his experience was limited to giving the starter signals on the sideline. Although Fisher appeared in nine games last season, his playing time was limited. He completed 14-of-23 passes for 230 yards and a touchdown and ran for 31 yards.

The 6-foot-1, 220-pound Fisher starred for Palomar Community College near his hometown of Oceanside, Calif., and was recruited by former KSU coach Darrell Hazell and Flashes quarterbacks coach Brian Rock on the advice of friend and former Flashes linebacker C.J. Malauulu.

KSU’s incumbent quarterback Spencer Keith struggled the previous season as a junior and depth at the all-important position was thin, so Hazell and Rock wanted to create competition.

The move worked. Keith and Fisher battled all spring and in preseason camp and made the decision so tough, Hazell postponed announcing his starter twice before finally settling on Keith. The difference was Keith’s ability to protect the football better than the daring Fisher.

“I’m a guy who loves to play football, and that’s the way I grew up playing in the streets and in Pop Warner — without there being a strict guideline to it,” Fisher said. “But I totally understand what coach Rock means about protecting the football and managing the game.

“The areas that I wasn’t good at before, I’ve definitely stepped my game up now. I’ve learned to manage the game. But that desire, that competitiveness to want to make the big play and win is still in me. But the biggest thing is now I’ve learned how to manage my risk taking.”

Entering this season with Keith gone, Fisher competed against redshirt freshman Colin Reardon for the starting role throughout camp. But once again, he was passed over as the strong-armed and more accurate youngster prevailed.

Reardon has been impressive in the first seven games of the season, but he injured his left ankle last week late in a loss to Ball State, leaving the close game in the hands of Fisher. Although Fisher wasn’t able to lead the Flashes to a game-winning final drive, he’s had all week to practice with the first team as the Flashes prepare to face the Jaguars on Saturday.

“It’s a good feeling to know I’m going to start and finally feel that at this level,” said Fisher, who has played in four games this year, completing 7-of-16 passes for 88 yards and rushing twice for minus six yards.

“But nobody wishes for that to happen to a teammate, especially a guy like Colin. So my thing this week is to just act like you been there before, know nothing’s too big for you, just manage the offense and do what you’ve been taught.”

One thing Fisher has learned by watching the game develop from the sideline for the past year and a half is the necessity to remain calm in the huddle regardless of the situation.

“It’s a team game, but after last week, I was more disappointed in myself than anything,” Fisher said of falling just short of upsetting host Ball State. “I just wanted to give our team a chance, and I did not execute those plays … I need to be always ready and always on point with the game plan no matter what happens. I just wish I could have done something more.”

Flashes leading receiver Chris Humphrey said Monday he had plenty of faith in Fisher when he entered the game on the Flashes’ final drive. But in hindsight, he realized Fisher’s adrenaline was running a bit too high.

“Maybe what we could have done better maybe was slow it down a little bit and keep our composure,” Humphrey said. “I felt like we might have rushed some things. But in the future, now we’ve been in that type of situation and we know how to act.”

Fisher’s future — and dream scenario — comes in two days. He knows he’ll have to have a stronger presence in the huddle this time around and finally has the luxury of an entire game to strengthen it.

“The team has to believe in you,” Fisher said. “They’re all looking to the quarterback. So, I have to be on point, not look scrambled and let them be able to look into my eyes and trust me.”

Stephanie Storm can be reached at sstorm@thebeaconjournal.com.

Another Kent State football road trip, another top-level opponent

By Allen Moff | Staff Writer Published: October 17, 2013 4:00AM

A brutal schedule, a rash of key injuries and a third conference loss have collectively forced the 2013 Kent State football team to make some ultimate goal adjustments.

Dreams of winning a second straight Mid-American Conference East Division title and a return trip to the MAC Championship Game were dashed in heartbreaking fashion last Saturday, when Ball State came from behind to defeat the Golden Flashes 27-24. That setback gave Kent State (2-5, 1-3) three conference losses -- all to teams that are currently unbeaten in the MAC -- which effectively means elimination from the league title chase.

Now the Flashes have set their sites on a lofty consolation prize: A second straight bowl bid, following a 40-year absence from the college football bowl scene.

"We're hurting cause we had chances to win (at Ball State), but there's no reason to sulk about it. We've gotta move forward," said first-year KSU coach Paul Haynes. "You still have a chance to go to a bowl game, you still have a chance to finish it out right. We've got five games to go that we've gotta win. That's the situation we're in, so that's how we're gonna attack it."

The Flashes need six victories to become bowl eligible, so technically the South Alabama game is not a must-win since they could still win their last four games and go 6-6. But no one associated with the Kent State program considers Saturday's game anything but a must-win.

"We've got a five-game season, and we've gotta go 5-0 for us to achieve our goal and make sure we're bowl-eligible," said Haynes. "So every game is a big game for us right now, and our guys understand that."

To get back on the postseason track, the Flashes will have to knock off a drastically improved Jaguars squad that has already equalled its win total from a year ago. They're currently 2-3, and could easily be 4-1 as two of their losses (Southern Utah, 22-21; Troy, 34-33) were decided in the final minute. They're other setback was actually a strong loss, 31-24 at Tennessee.

"We've got a big challenge this week going on the road again against a very good South Alabama team," said Haynes. "They've been in every game they've played. It'll be a tough battle for our guys."

The Jaguars feature a fast-paced spread offense that's producing 30 points per game, spearheaded by a pair of multi-threat quarterbacks in senior Ross Metheny and junior Brandon Bridge.

"They have two very athletic quarterbacks," said Haynes. "They use a two-quarterback system. Both play significantly in the game, and at any point and time, you may see either one of them. They have a controlled passing game I would say -- a lot of short routes, then they take a bunch of shots up top. They're no-huddle, fast-paced and they run their quarterback a lot."

South Alabama is a typical southern team built on speed.

"Just looking at their roster, they've got a lot of guys from Alabama, Georgia, Florida. When you look at that, you see a lot of good athletes, because that's real athletic high school football in those areas," said Haynes, who served as defensive coordinator at Arkansas last year. "They're not very big (defensively) -- they're 275, 280 on their front -- but I'm sure they're fast and athletic."

Chasing the Jaguars will be a difficult chore for a gimpy group of Golden Flashes.

Starting quarterback Colin Reardon (ankle) and star punter/kicker Anthony Melchiori (hamstring) are doubtful due to injuries sustained in last Saturday's loss at Ball State, while several other key performers, including three-time All-MAC defensive tackle Roosevelt Nix (back) and standout strong safety Luke Wollet (knee, shoulder), are playing, but are not even close to 100 percent.

"We may have to practice playing two-hand tag this week," said Haynes.

But even though the Flashes have lost five games and several key performers, they haven't lost their fight. They intend to keep on swinging as they play the final five games of the season for a potential bowl bid -- and for each other.

"Our backs are kind of against the wall, but I wouldn't want to do it with anybody else. I love these guys in this locker room," said senior defensive end Mark Fackler. "It's gonna be a five-week season, and we're looking forward to it. We're gonna fight until the end and see what happens."

Article in today's Press Register:

The Traveling Flashes

These Jags scare me and with good reason! They won at Tulane, tough place to play---just ask North Texas---in a 41-39 shootout, beat Western Kentucky 31-24, lost by just a TD @ Tennessee 31-24, and lost @ Troy by one point 34-33. They are ranked 25th in PASSING YARDS with 289 per game, 74th in rushing at 159 yards per game, 63rd in overall point scored and 92nd in overall points against.....it could be a real shootout down in Alabam!

(10-17-2013 08:07 AM)MobileBama Wrote:  Article in today's Press Register:

The Traveling Flashes

Nice article, thanks for posting!

The things that stood out to me are; it will mark the fifth road game in a six-week stretch for the Golden Flashes. It will also be the fifth different state they have visited.

KSU has not had an open date this season and will play 10 consecutive weeks before getting a small break; instead of playing on Sat., Nov. 9 the Golden Flashes will play on Wed., Nov. 13, then follow with the Tues., Nov. 19 game to end the season.

BALL CONTROL: In the 34-33 loss at Troy, South Alabama's previous game, the Jags did not commit a turnover.

South Alabama ranks No. 4 in the Sun Belt Conference in turnover margin, gaining nine turnovers and committing eight turnovers in five games.

AT HOME WITH HOMECOMING: Saturday's game against South Alabama will mark the third consecutive homecoming game for Kent State. Twice, the Golden Flashes have been the opponent and in a loss to Northern Illinois, the game was Kent State's homecoming.

This is nothing new for the Golden Flashes. Last season they spoiled three homecomings, defeating Eastern Michigan (41-14), Army (31-17) and then-No. 15-ranked Rutgers (35-24).

+6.5 point underdogs for the weekend.