(Photo Credit: Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire/Getty Images)
Key Players Returning:
QB Dustin Crum, RB Bryan Bradford, RB Marquez Cooper, RB Xavier Williams, WR Dante Cephas, WR/KR Ja’Shaun Poke, WR/PR Isaac Vance, OC Jack Clement, OG Adam Gregoire, OG Nathan Monnin, OT Daniel Johnson, OT Bill Kuduk, DE Sekou Diaby, DE Jabbar Price, DE Zayin West, LB Brandon Coleman, LB Kesean Gamble, LB Khalib Johns, LB Manny Lawrence-Burke, CB Elvis Hines, FS Richie Carpernter, SS Dean Clark, and PR Raymond James.
Key Players Departing:
WR Isaiah McKoy, CB Tony Butler, CB Jeremiah Salaam, PK Matthew Trickett, PK Shane Hynes and PT Ian Henzi.
Top 10 Recruits:
3 Star Recruits: S Antwaine Richardson (Maryland transfer), WR Nykeim Johnson (Syracuse transfer), CB Brad Kemayou (Mississauga, Ontario, Canada), QB Ian Kipp (Mentor, Ohio), S Nico Bolden (New Mexico transfer), RB Shakhi Carson (West Orange, New Jersey), TE Aaron Hackett (Syracuse transfer), DL Macyo Williams (Akron, Ohio), CB T.J. Spradley (Moultrie, Georgia), and CB Alex Branch (Twinsburg, Ohio).
2020 Results:
G01 EASTERN MICHIGAN W 27-23
G02 at Bowling Green W 62-24
G03 AKRON W 69-35
G04 at Buffalo L 41-70
Team Info:
2020 Overall: 3-1 (2nd in MAC East)
Home: 2-0
Away: 1-1
Neutral: 0-0
MAC: 3-1
Non-MAC: 0-0
Head Coach: Sean Lewis
Kent State: 12-17
Career: 12-17
Bowls: 1-0
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Dustin Crum (83-113, 1181 yards, 73.5%, 10.5 avg., 12 TD, 2 INT)
Rushing: Marquez Cooper (56 car., 282 yards, 5.0 avg., 5 TD)
Receiving: Ja’Shaun Poke (21 rec., 326 yards, 15.5 avg., 3 TD)
TD’s Scored: Marquez Cooper (5)
Sacks: Brandon Coleman/Kesean Gamble (3)
Tackles: Dean Clark (28)
Interceptions: Dean Clark/Elvis Clark (1)
Pass Deflections: Elvis Hines (3)
Tackles For Loss: Kesean Gamble (6)
Forced Fumbles: Dean Clark/Brandon Coleman/Ja’Shaun Poke (1)
Kick Returns: Ja’Shaun Poke (4 ret., 101 yards, 25.3 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Isaac Vance (2 ret., 10 yards, 5.0 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: None
Punting: None
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 7 Dustin Crum (GR)
RB: 15 Marquez Cooper (SO)
WR: 25 Ja’Shaun Poke (JR)
WR: 82 Kykeim Johnson (GR/TR)
WR: 14 Dante Cephas (RS SO)
TE: 89 Aaron Hackett (GR/TR)
LT: 77 Daniel Johnson (RS JR)
LG: 75 Adam Gregoire (RS SR)
OC: 61 Jack Clement (RS SR/TR)
RG: 67 Nathan Monnin (RS SR)
RT: 71 Bill Kuduk (RS SR/TR)
KR: 82 Nykeim Johnson (GR/TR)
PK: 20 Wilson Yee (SO/TR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 55 Sekou Diaby (RS SR/TR)
NT: 50 C.J. West (SO)
DE: 97 Zayin West (RS SR)
LB: 15 Matt Harmon (RS JR)
LB: 28 Manny Lawrence-Burke (RS SR)
LB: 35 Brandon Coleman (RS SO)
LB: 34 Kesean Gamble (GR)
CB: 17 Antwaine Richardson (RS SR/TR)
CB: 14 Elvis Hines (RS SR)
FS: 26 Richie Carpenter (RS SR/TR)
SS: 23 Dean Clark (JR)
PR: 82 Nykeim Johnson (GR/TR)
PT: 20 Wilson Yee (SO/TR)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: A
Running Backs: A
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: A
Defense
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: B
Secondary: B
Special Teams:
Kick Returns: B
Punt Returns: A
Kicking: C
Punting: C
Schedule:
09/04 at Texas A&M Aggies | First meeting between schools.
09/11 VMI KEYDETS | First meeting between schools.
09/18 at Iowa Hawkeyes | Kent State trails the series 0-2. The Golden Flashes lost (7-39) the last meeting between schools in 2004.
09/25 at Maryland Terrapins | First meeting between schools.
10/02 BOWLING GREEN FALCONS | Kent State trails the series 22-60-6. The Golden Flashes are 5-5 since 2011, and their last series loss (16-44) was in 2017.
10/09 BUFFALO BULLS | Kent State trails the series 12-14. The Golden Flashes are 3-5 since 2011, and their last series win (30-27) was in 2019.
10/16 at Western Michigan Broncos | Kent State trails the series 20-35-1. The Golden Flashes lost (20-48) the last meeting between schools in 2017.
10/23 at Ohio Bobcats | Kent State trails the series 26-44-2. The Golden Flashes are 2-7 since 2011, and their last series win (44-13) was in 2013.
11/03 NORTHERN ILLINOIS HUSKIES | Kent State trails the series 7-21. The Golden Flashes are 0-6 since 2011, and they lost (3-24) their last meeting between schools in 2017.
11/10 at Central Michigan Chippewas | Kent State trails the series 11-24. The Golden Flashes are 2-2 since 2011, and they lost (23-47) the last meeting between schools in 2017.
11/20 at Akron Zips | Kent State trails the series 26-35-2. The Golden Flashes are 5-5 since 2011, and their last series loss (23-24 OT) was in 2018.
11/27 MIAMI (OH) REDHAWKS | Kent State trails the series 17-50. The Golden Flashes are 4-5 since 2011, and they lost (16-23) the last meeting between schools in 2019.
Predictions:
Home: 6-0
Away: 3-4
Neutral: 1-0
MAC: 6-2
Non-MAC: 3-2
Overall: 9-4 (MAC Champions)
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