As for Lewis, his Kent State teams compiled an overall record of 24-31 over five years. The Flashes went to a pair of bowl games during that span, including after the 2021 campaign. Kent State went 7-7 that year, capturing the Mid-American Conference East title along the way. The Flashes fell to Northern Illinois in the title game.
Lewis was previously an offensive coordinator at Bowling Green (2015) and Syracuse (2016-17). His KSU teams employed a FlashFAST uptempo offense capable of controlling the ball and scoring points in bunches. The 2021 Flashes ranked No. 1 among MAC teams in total offense (493.3 ypg) and rushing.
Quarterback Dustin Crum was second among MAC players in total offense that year. Sanders appears to be bringing his son, Shedeur Sanders, over from Jackson State to handle quarterback duties for the Buffaloes.