Kent State off to best start since 1977 after a 41-14 win at Eastern Michigan
10/6/2012 12:00:00 AM | Football
YPSILANTI, Mich. – The Dri Archer show kept rolling into another week and Kent State's defense returned to form as the Golden Flashes improved to 4-1 overall and 3-0 in Mid-American Conference play with a 41-14 road win over Eastern Michigan.
The 4-1 start should be worth savoring for Kent State fans. It hasn't happened since 1977.
"In 1977? I think I was in seventh grade," Kent State head coach Darrel Hazell tried to remember. "Yeah, actually I was in seventh grade. Bruce Jenner had just won the Olympic decathlon (the year before)."
Jimmy Carter was finishing his first year in office. Star Wars had had been in the theaters for a little more than four months. A few of Hazell's assistant coaches had yet to be born.
But as nice as it may be to think about breaking 35-year-old ground, savoring the first 3-0 start against MAC opponents since 2006 meant even more to Hazell. It meant even more to know two of those wins had been banked on the road.
"It's huge. Any type of MAC win is huge. Especially with as much as we have to travel this year, it's always going to be big for us to win on the road," said Hazell, whose Golden Flashes play seven of their 12 games away from home this season.
Nobody has played a bigger role than Archer during Kent State's fast start. With a 5-yard touchdown catch on a throw from Spencer Keith in the second quarter, a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to open the second half, and an icing-on-the-cake 64-yard touchdown run later in the third, the Kent State speedster reached the end zone for the ninth, tenth and eleventh times through the season's first five games.
Archer finished his day with 222 all-purpose yards on just 13 touches, and just one week after he established this season's Division I high with 350 yards on another three-touchdown day.
Saturday's kick return was Archer's third for a score this season. It broke the Rynearson Stadium record for longest return by eight yards. And when added to another 98-yarder against Towson in the season opener and a 99-yard sprint in a win over Ball State last week, Archer is now averaging 47.8-yards per kick-return to lead the nation.
So, why would anyone consider kicking the ball in his direction?
"Absolutely, I was surprised," said Hazell. "I would never kick to the guy. That's just me, because he has a chance to take it 99, 100, it doesn't matter … He is explosive. You love to watch that guy. He is such a great kid. He is humble. He is such a team player. I'm so happy for him for his success."
Kent State's defensive players are now in the habit of waiting on the sidelines before heading to the bench. Like Kent State fan in the stadium, they want to see if teams will dare to kick in Archer's direction.
"We are spectators just like everyone else," said defensive tackle Roosevelt Nix. "We want to see something crazy happen, too. Dri is just such a fast dude. I don't see why anyone would kick to him."
Archer had high hopes coming into the year, but even he couldn't have imagined this kind of start.
"I know we have a great team, but we have to keep it rolling," said Archer. "We are clicking on all cylinders. We just have to keep it moving."
Archer wasn't the only playmaker worth watching on Saturday. Trayion Durham added 116 yards on 24 carries, including touchdown runs of four and two yards,
Just as important to Kent State's hopes was a return to form by a defense that held Eastern Michigan to three-and-out on every first-half possession but one – a 68-yard touchdown run by sophomore Bronson Hill in the second quarter.
At halftime, Kent State had 13 first downs compared to just one for Eastern Michigan.
The Eagles' only other score – a 25-yard touchdown pass from Tyler Benz to Demarius Reed – arrived midway through the fourth quarter after the game was already well out of reach.
The big day on defense included interceptions by Calvin Tiggle and Luke Batton.
It was a satisfying effort for a unit that had surrendered 43 points and 557 yards to Ball State a week earlier.
"We weren't impressed with ourselves last week," said Nix. "We wanted to prove to ourselves more than anything that (last week) wasn't the defense we were going to be."
The 3-0 start flips the script from last year when the Flashes opened 0-3 in MAC play and 1-6 overall in Hazell's first season as head coach.
"Just to be 3-0 in the MAC is a great stepping stone," said Nix. "Especially after last year. It's completely different. We have to keep fighting and do whatever we have to do to win the MAC."
The Golden Flashes return to action Saturday, Oct. 13 at Army. The Cadets are coming off a 34-31 win over Boston College.
Individual Notes
Junior Dri Archer had his third, three-touchdown game of the season. Archer returned a kickoff for a touchdown for the third time in five games this season (98, 99, 98 yards). Saturday's return was the longest in Rynearson Stadium history. His 64-yard touchdown run was Kent State's longest play of the season from scrimmage. Archer also made his third touchdown catch of the season. Archer has 11 touchdowns on the season with at least one score in all five games and six touchdowns in his last two games. He finished with 222 all-purpose yards on 13 touches. Archer is averaging 47.8 yards per kick return.
Sophomore Trayion Durham ran for a career-high 116 yards, all of which came in the first three quarters. Durham scored his fourth and fifth touchdowns of the season. He has four touchdowns in his last two games. Durham's run for over 85 yards in four straight games.
Senior Spencer Keith passed Josh Cribbs as Kent State's career leader in completions now with 621. Keith also moved into second place in career passing yards, now with 6,830. His TD pass to Archer was the 37th of his career.
Junior Roosevelt Nix had a half sack and 1.5 tackles for loss, moving his career totals to 17 sacks and 44.5 TFL, which both rank fifth among career leaders.
Junior Richard Gray made his first start of the year and had 2.0 tackles for loss.
Linebacker Luke Batton made his second career interception.
Sophomore safety Calvin Tiggle made his first career interception.
With his first career carry, freshman Anthony Melchiori ran 42 yards on a fake punt. He also put two of his three punts inside the 20.
Defensive end Zack Hitchens made an appearance on offense with his first career catch, picking up seven yards for a first down.
Senior Freddy Cortez has made five straight field goals after going 2-for-2 against the Eagles. Cortez is Kent State's career leader in field goals made with 45.
Team Notes
Kent State is 4-1 for the first time since 1977 and 3-0 in MAC play for the first time since 2006.
The Flashes won back-to-back road games for the first time since 2009.
Darrell Hazell carries a winning record (9-8) for the first time as a head coach.
Kent State improved to 8-1 since last season when outgaining an opponent on the ground.
The Flashes' 27-point win was the largest margin of victory since downing Akron 35-3 last season.
In five games, Kent State has not been scored upon in the first quarter (27-0).
The Flashes had over 300 yards rushing (321) in a game for the first time since 2008.
Kent State eclipsed 400 yards of total offense for the fourth straight game, a feat that was only reached once last season. The Flashes' 467 yards today was their most since 2009.
The Flashes' time of possession was a dominant 42:10, holding the Eagles to just seven first downs and only one in the first half.
Kent State's offensive line did not allow a sack.
In its two MAC road games, Kent State's defense has allowed only 206 passing yards.
The Flashes' offense went 3-for-3 on fourth down attempts.
Kent State increased its turnover margin to plus nine this season.
