Alabama head coach, Nick Saban, from his collegiate playing days at Kent State.
After squeaking out an ugly victory against Colorado State University in Fort Collins, the Minnesota Gophers return to Minneapolis to take on the Kent State University Golden Flashes on Sept. 19. Here is all you need to know about the Gopher’s next opponent prior to kickoff:
Powerhouse? Not So Much.
The history of Kent State football features consistency in one key aspect: The Golden Flashes usually find themselves in the losing column. Since the 1988 season, Kent State has posted just two winning seasons. That is two out of 27. The notable exception came in 2012, when the university went 11-2 before losing to Arkansas State in the GoDaddy.com bowl.
Who to Watch for
Junior quarterback Colin Reardon is experienced, as he started 10 games in 2014. He had a tough go-around in the 2015 opener against Illinois, completing 15 of 34 passes with zero touchdowns and three interceptions. It appears the Golden Flashes will use a variety of running backs, with junior Nick Holley taking most of the carries. He led the 2014 team with 516 rushing yards.
Beneficial Matchup for Gophers
After facing two respectable offenses, the Minnesota defense looks like they will finally have a breather in week three. Kent State placed last in the 13-team Mid-American Conference (MAC) in 2014 when it came to scoring offense on the road. The Golden Flashes averaged just 10 points per game in visiting teams’ stadiums last season. In addition, an inconsistent Gopher offense will need to capitalize on Kent State’s defense, which allowed an average of 430.3 yards per game in 2014. That ranked 90th among 128 FBS schools. The Golden Flashes’ defense was completely overpowered against Illinois in week one, giving up 342 yards en route to a 52-3 defeat.
Notable Alumni
For a program with such a knack for losing, Kent State has quite a set of notable football alumni. Former Golden Flashes include Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Dri Archer, New England Patriots receiver Julian Edelman, San Diego Chargers tight end Antonio Gates and free agent receiver Josh Cribbs, who actually played quarterback at Kent State. In addition, Missouri head coach Gary Pinkel and Alabama head coach Nick Saban were teammates at Kent State. Pinkel played tight end, while Saban lined up at defensive back. Former Gophers head coach Lou Holtz also attended Kent State, where he played linebacker.
Breaking Barriers
Usually, sportswriters and reporters don’t spend too much time focusing on kickers. This is an exception. April Goss is a female walk-on kicker for Kent State, and is believed to be the only female on a Division I football roster. “Before this year’s out, she’ll get out there. I promise you that,” head coach Paul Haynes told the media after Kent State’s season opener. He was true to his word. Goss kicked a successful extra point in the second quarter of Kent State’s Sept. 12 game against Delaware State. She became just the second female ever to record a point in a collegiate football game, and was carried off of the field by her teammates. It’s easy to root for any walk-on, especially one who already made history this season.
Experienced Coach
In 2012, Darrell Hazell coached Kent State to the MAC championship game. Purdue then hired him shortly before the Flashes’ postseason bowl game. Paul Haynes, a Kent State alum, was hired by the university for the 2013 season. Now in his third season as the Kent State head coach, Haynes is no stranger to Division I football. He served as the Arkansas defensive coordinator in 2012 and worked on the Ohio State coaching staff for seven years before that.
The Gophers are not playing anything close to a top-tier FBS program in Kent State. In fact, it doesn’t seem likely that the Golden Flashes will even contend for the Mid-American Conference in 2015. Minnesota should be a double-digit favorite this Saturday in Minneapolis.