• Blog
  • About Us
  • Links
  MAC Reporter Online

MRO PREVIEW: Kent State at Clemson

9/1/2017

 
Picture
By EVAN MEYER
The Kent State Golden Flashes finished the 2016 season losing three straight games and five of their last six and look for better things in the 2017
 
That said, it’s a pretty daunting view from the starting block. KSU opens the new campaign in a place they call “Death Valley.” If that’s not enough, the . . . 

. . . opponent Kent State will face is defending National Champion Clemson of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Of course, the Flashes have some experience in these things. It’s the second consecutive year KSU will play a defending champion on its schedule.
Picture
CLEMSON TIGERS  (14-1, 7-1 ACC)
 
● The gridiron Tigers won their second National Championship (first since 1981) when they defeated defending National Champion Alabama, 35-31, in the final seconds of the College Football Playoff Championship game last January in Tampa Bay, Florida.
 
● Clemson went 14-1 last season (7-1 in ACC play); their lone loss was at home to Pittsburgh 43-42. However, Clemson won the ACC Championship game, defeating Virginia Tech, 42-35.
It was all-Tigers in the college football playoff opener as Clemson blitzed Ohio State, 41-0. They then went on to edge Alabama in the title tilt.
 
● Clemson is fifth in the pre-season national polls, garnering seven first place votes in the Amway-Coaches Poll
 
● CU is 25-7 in their last 32 season openers including last season’s 19-13 triumph at Auburn and are 15-7 in their last 22
 
● Dabo Swinney is in his ninth season as head coach at the South Carolina school. His record is 89-28 (52-7 at home), 7-1 in season openers
 
● This is the first ever meeting between the two schools
 
● Clemson is 4-0 lifetime against Mid-American Conference schools, with  their last meeting being a 70-14 drubbing of Central Michigan in 2007.
 
● Last season, the Tigers had a high-powered offense, averaging 39 points and 503 yards of total offense. However QB DeShaun Watson has graduated and is with the Houston Texans, while WR Mike Williams is off to the Los Angeles Chargers. Junior Kelly Bryant will be behind center for the season opener in his first collegiate start.
 
● The running game will be led by junior C.J. Fuller. He gained 211 yards a season ago in limited duty. Fellow junior Hunter Renfrow, who had a big game against the Crimson Tide in January, leads the receivers with 44 catches for 495 yards and six touchdowns
 
●. Clemson’s defense will be led by graduate student LB Dorian O’Daniel. He had 60 total tackles last season, along with 2.5 sacks, and an interception. Sophomore DE Clelin Ferrell registered 50 stops in his redshirt freshman campaign.
 
● The Clemson schedule gets tougher the next two weeks, with Auburn at home and then at Louisville to open ACC play. Later in the season, there is a visit to Virginia Tech, then home to Florida State before ending the season with in-state arch-rival South Carolina

KENT STATE GOLDEN FLASHES (3-9, 2-6 MAC)
● The Flashes will enter this season opener without head coach Paul Haynes, who has taken a leave of absence for medical reasons. Offensive Coordinator Don Treadwell will be interim head coach.
 
● In the preseason MAC football poll, KSU were picked to finished sixth in the Eastern Division
 
● The is the second consecutive season the Flashes will play a defending national champion. Last season they lost at Alabama, 42-0
 
● Saturday is the first of two games the Flashes have against Atlantic Coast Conference foes this season. They are at Louisville on September 23. In their history, the Flashes are 12-25 against the current teams in the ACC. The most recent such matchup was in 2014 at Virginia (UV 45, KSU 13).
 
● Offensively, Kent State averaged 20.6 points and 309 yards per game a season ago.
 
● Fifth year senior Nick Holley will be at the controls of the offense. Holley switched from wide receiver to quarterback after the game at Alabama and moved the offense the final eight games with an option style of offense. He led the team in rushing with 920 yards and scored 10 touchdowns. Holly completed just under 50 percent of his passes (72-of-146) for 868 yards and four scores.
 
● Sophomore RB Justin Rankin will be in the backfield as well. He had a solid freshman campaign with 511 yards on the ground and three touchdowns while catching 28 passes to lead the team for 335 additional yards and a score.
 
● The KSU defense allowed 28.7 points and 386.5 yards per game last season. The numbers, however, are a little bit misleading as it was this unit that kept the Flashes in many games especially during MAC play.
 
● The Flashes defensive strength is in the secondary. junior S Juantez McRae had 59 total tackles (33 solo) and an interception. Sophomore CB Jamal Parker registered three interceptions over the final two games of 2016, as well as 39 tackles (30 solo). Senior CB Jerrell Foster also had three interceptions a season ago
 
● Senior Nathan Puthoff will wear the number 54 jersey this season in honor of the late teammate Jason Bitsko
 
 


Comments are closed.
    Picture

    MAC Football 

    MAC FOOTBALL 
    2024
    REGULAR SEASON
    FINAL STANDINGS
    CLICK HERE

    Picture
    MAC Basketball 
    MAC BASKETBALL SCHEDULE

    MAC BASKETBALL
    STATISTICS

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    Basketball
    Football
    Other

    Archives

    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014

Proudly powered by Weebly