Flashes Open Home Schedule Saturday Night Against North Carolina A&T State
9/7/2016 3:44:00 PM | Football
Game Notes Golden Flashes Radio ESPN3 Tickets
After sparking optimism in a hard fought battle at Penn State, Kent State hosts its 2016 home opener Saturday against North Carolina A&T State. With a Dix Stadium night crowd behind them, the Golden Flashes look to win their 14th consecutive game against an FCS opponent. Fans can enjoy a postgame fireworks display at Dix Stadium. Over 2,000 students are expected to participate in the "Freshman Run" onto the field during pregame.
Last week, Kent State returned the bulk of their 2015 starters on both sides of the ball, including three All-Mid-American Conference First Team members on defense: Nate Holley, Demetrius Monday, Terence Waugh.
Facts In A Flash
• Holley, a senior safety, led both sides with 17 tackles at Penn State. He's made 15 or more tackles in his last four games.
• Monday, a junior cornerback, finished seventh in the nation in total interceptions (6) and had a pair of defensive touchdowns last year.
• Waugh forced a fumble at Penn State with a sack and two tackles for loss. In his last 11 games, he's totaled 10 sacks and 14.0 tackles for loss.
• Sophomore safety Juantez McRae made a career-high eight tackles at Penn State.
• As a team, the Flashes led the MAC in sacks and ranked second in tackles for loss last season.
• Kent State's projected starting five on the offensive line has made a combined 97 career starts.
• Sophomore center Stefano Millin was recently chosen to wear the No. 54 jersey.
• The O-line ranked 13th in the nation for fewest sacks allowed in 2015.
• The Flashes return 14 of their top 17 tacklers on defense from a year ago.
• Senior linebacker Nick Cuthbert, who had just one B in his undergraduate career, earned CoSIDA Academic All-America honors last season.
• Kent State returned 10 Academic All-MAC selections and three MAC Distinguished Scholar-Athletes.
• Picked to finish last in the MAC East in both the media and coaches polls, the Flashes will play a familiar role of underdog throughout the year.
All-Time Series & MEAC
Saturday will be the first program meeting between Kent State and North Carolina A&T State. The Flashes are 3-0 all-time against the MEAC, with all three wins coming against Delaware State. The Flashes dominated the Hornets last season 45-13. Kent State held DSU to just five yards passing, one first down and negative-38 yards rushing. Meanwhile the Flashes had 492 yards of offense.
TV/Video/Radio
Saturday's game can be seen on ESPN3 with Michael Reghi (play-by-play) and Jerod Cherry (analyst). All Kent State games can be heard live on 640 WHLO and Golden Flashes Radio on iHeartRadio. Ty Linder will handle the play-by-play duties and is joined in the booth for the seventh year in a row by color analyst Rob Polinsky. Jacob Pavilack will be the sideline reporter. iHeartRadio can be heard on a computer, smart phone or tablet.
The Coaches
• Paul Haynes is in his fourth year at his alma mater. In 2013, Haynes became the first Flashes' head coach to win his debut since 1988. He was a two-time All-MAC safety at Kent State from 1987-91, despite joining as a walk-on. He returned as an assistant in 1999 and was promoted to assistant head coach in 2000. After seven seasons on an Ohio State staff that won six Big Ten titles (2005-11), Haynes spent 2012 as defensive coordinator at Arkansas. His current tenure has also brought Kent State's academic achievements to new heights with the highest term and cumulative team grade point averages in program history.
• Rod Broadway (North Carolina '77) was named the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year in 2015 after leading the Aggies to a Celebration Bowl victory. Broadway carries a career record of 107-42 at three colleges over 14 seasons. In 2006, he led North Carolina Central to an 11-1 mark, getting the Eagles into the second round of the Division II playoffs for the second straight year. In 2008, Broadway led Grambling State to an 11-2 finish. Just prior to Broadway's arrival at NC A&T State, the Aggies went 1-10. By his second season (2012), the Aggies went 7-4 and two years later, tied for a conference title with a 9-3 finish.
WebSite, Twitter & YouTube
For Kent State football stories, statistics, photos, video and more, visit KentStateSports.com. For daily football updates follow @kentstathletics and @kentstfootball on Twitter and Kent State Golden Flashes Football on Facebook. For an extensive video library visit GoldenFlashesTV on YouTube.
Previewing NC A&T State
• The Aggies won the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title in 2015 and went on to defeat SWAC champion Alcorn State in the Celebration Bowl, capping off a 10-2 season.
• Ranked No. 24 in the FCS Coaches Poll, NC A&T is coming off a 62-0 thrashing of St. Augustine's. Three minutes into the third quarter, the Aggies led 55-0.
• The Aggie defense held St. Augustine's to under 100 yards rushing and 100 yards passing, while forcing four turnovers.
• NC A&T returns eight starters on offense and seven on defense.
• The Aggies converted 7-of-11 third down attempts in their season opener.
• The defense tallied five sacks against St. Augutine's.
Key Players To Watch
• Senior running back Tarik Cohen rushed for 1,543 yards and 15 touchdowns last season. Cohen had two touchdowns on only eight carries against St. Augustine's.
• Senior receiver Denzel Keyes caught 39 passes last season for 435 yards and eight touchdowns. Keyes had a pair of touchdown grabs on Saturday.
• Senior defensive end Angelo Keyes, who forced a fumble on Saturday, led the Aggies with 16.0 tackles for loss last season. Keyes also totaled 4.5 sacks and 54 tackles.
• Sophomore linebacker Julius Reynolds led the Aggies with seven tackles on Saturday and recovered a fumble.
• Junior Krhis Gardin returned a punt 46 yards for a touchdown against St. Augustine's. He also made two catches.
• Sophomore quarterback Lamar Raynard completed 17-of-21 passes for 170 yards and two touchdowns Saturday. Last year, Raynard had seven touchdown tosses and only one interception.
Immediate Impact
True freshman running back Justin Rankin got his first career start at Penn State and looked like he'd been there before. Rankin rushed for 82 yards on only 13 carries (6.1/carry), the most rushing yards by a Kent State back in their last six games. He also caught two passes for 15 yards.
• True freshman Justin Agner and redshirt freshman Mylik Mitchell each showed their ability to move the offense down the field using both their arms and legs.
Run Game Improvement
Despite a traditionally stout Penn State defense, Kent State finished with 219 rushing yards gained and 150 net yards rushing after seven PSU sacks factored in. Last season, the Flashes averaged 132.0 rushing yards per game.
Big Plays
True freshman receiver Kavious Price had a 28-yard run at Penn State on a reverse, while sophomore Raekwon James had a catch for 37 yards. Last year, James has a pair of catches over 45 yards and a rush for 50 yards.
Defensive Scores
Senior Elcee Refuge recovered a fumble and returned it 20 yards for a touchdown at Penn State, giving the Flashes their fifth defensive touchdowns in their last 12 games.
3 Circles, 1 calendar date
Kent State's entire non-conference schedule will be played in September, setting up a huge MAC opener on Oct. 1 when the Flashes host archrival Akron for the Wagon Wheel on homecoming.
Officiating History
On Saturday, Amanda Sauer will serve as head referee, becoming the first female in Dix Stadium history to serve in that role.
...One Year Earlier
Almost one year to the day, during Kent State's 2015 home opener, kicker April Goss became just the second female to record a point in FBS history.
