The Gophers return home on Saturday vs Kent State after a thrilling win over Colorado State in OT. The Gophers first two games are two of the most difficult in the country and the team is banged up. Kent State will come to TCF Bank Stadium on Saturday with a 1-1 record – including a lopsided loss to Illinois and a lopsided win against Delaware State. We recently caught up with Danny Brenner, who is a Kent State grad, a huge Kent State fan and a contributor to Flash Fanatics, the online home to passionate Kent State fans.
GH: You guys opened the season up at Illinois and had a tough game, but bounced back against Delaware State. Was there any significant improvement in Game 2, or was it a matter of weaker competition?
DB: I think it would be very hard to take any of the improvement from Illinois to Delaware State and claim the team got better. The truth probably lies somewhere in between. Kent State is not as bad as their showing @ Illinois and they are nowhere near as good as the statistics and domination appears from the DSU game.
GH: Paul Haynes is now in his third season as head coach at Kent State. How is the program progressing with him?
DB: Very slowly. The truth is, the mass majority of fans would tell you when he took over, the cupboard was pretty bare. It’s true Kent State was coming off their first bowl game in decades, but combine the graduating personnel and the lack of depth, and he had an immediate challenge on his hands. Haynes has started to have some very nice recruiting wins and he is rebuilding the depth, but the proof is in the pudding and he really needs to start winning because there are a lot of fans who believe he is in over his head.
GH: In 2012, you had what looks like the best season in program history. Was that just lightning in a bottle season, or can Kent State reach that point again and become a regular contender in the MAC?
DB: 2012 was a combination of things. The attitude was right. Dri Archer and Trayion Durham formed a combo out of the backfield that proved almost unstoppable. One train (Durham) and one cheetah (Archer) and both eclipsed 1000 yards on the ground in 2012. Combine that with a very opportunistic defense (Kent State led the nation in turnover margin in 2012) and KSU was hard to stop.
GH: Kent State has some notable alumni including Saban, Pinkel, Holtz, Cribbs, Gates, etc. Who would be Kent State’s “Mount Rushmore”?
DB: Well first off, you have to believe possibly the best linebacker in history of the NFL would be on the that list, Jack Lambert. Despite the fact that Gates is going to be another KSU NFL Hall of Famer, he didn’t play football at KSU and if you are wanting a football “Mount Rushmore” you cannot include him. Personally, based on his coaching career (not his playing career), I would include Saban. Lou Holtz is definitely a KSU ambassador, but I am going to leave him and Pinkel off the mountain for 2 guys who have put up numbers in the NFL for years. Former NFL Defensive Player of the Year, James Harrison and Joshua Cribbs would round off my “Mount Rushmore.” In summary: Jack Lambert, Nick Saban, James Harrison, and Joshua Cribbs.
GH: Kent State and Minnesota share a former head coach in Glen Mason as he started his head coaching career at Kent State and ended it at Minnesota with the stop at Kansas in between. Any memorable games, moments of Mason at Kent State?
DB: Honestly, I was in high school when Mason was at KSU, so other than him doing a nice job, I don’t have any stories for you!
GH: What is the Kent State perception of the Gophers football program?
DB: I think it’s fair to say as a fan base we don’t know a whole lot about Minnesota. Going into the season, I think KSU fans thought/hoped we could steal a game against one of the Big Ten teams we were going to play and we know how the Illinois game turned out. That leaves Saturday as our last chance this season.
GH: Will Kent State have many fans at the game on Saturday?
DB: My best guess would be about 200-300.
GH: Who wins and why?
DB: Kent State has a chance, but things would have to fall perfectly in line. If Kent State can have long sustained drives, win the battle of field position, win the turnover battle, and excel on special teams, then maybe we could put a scare into the Gophers. Sadly, other than when KSU lines up to punt, our special teams are not so special. While KSU has some capable runners to help grind out drives, Colin Reardon (QB) hasn’t proven reliable on a consistent basis and therefore doesn’t instill a lot of confidence that he can lead The Flashes into Big Ten country and walk out with a win. The truth is, Minnesota is going to be bigger, stronger, and probably better coached, therefore making it unrealistic to expect a Kent State upset.
GH: What is your Kent State at Minnesota score prediction?
DB: 51-10 Minnesota.