Kent State University
University of Washington
Flashes Kick Off Season on Saturday Night in Washington
9/2/2022 6:32:00 PM | Football
SEATTLE-The Golden Flashes kick off the 2022 season on Saturday night when they take on the Washington Huskies inside Husky Stadium at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT on Fox Sports 1 and the Kent State Radio Network.
ROAD WARRIORS
Kent State opens on the road for the fourth time in five seasons under head coach Sean Lewis, with the 2020 season being the lone exception. The Flashes are looking for their first opening week road win since 2007 when the Flashes defeated Iowa State out in Ames.
RETURNING PRODUCTION
While Collin Schlee will be making his first start at quarterback, he will have some familiar names around him. Kent State returns over 70 percent of its rushing attack from last year, led by Marquez Cooper who led the way with over 1,200 yards on the ground. Schlee will also have leading receiver Dante Cephas back in 2022 as well. Cephas is coming off a 82-catch, 1,240 season in 2021.
Defensively, new defensive coordinator Jeremiah Johnson takes over, coming to Kent after leading Northern Iowa to become one of the top defensive units in the FCS. The Flashes welcome back eight players who had 35 or more stops last year. Kent State's  top pass rushers also return from last year in CJ West, Saivon Taylor-Davis and Adin Huntington, all three had at least three sacks a season ago.
THE JAMES' GANG
While the Golden Flashes and Huskies have never met before, they do share a common bond with head coach Don James. Kent State was James' first head coaching job, serving as the head ball coach from 1971-74 and going 25-19-1 in his time at Kent State. James led the Flashes to their lone Mid-American Conference title in 1972 and had a winning mark in each of his last three seasons. James left for Washington after the 1974 season and won 150 games in Seattle including the 1991 national title.
The Don James coaching tree has been quite fruitful as Nick Saban and Gary Pinkel both played for and coached under James while at Kent State. Longtime NFL coach Dom Capers was a graduate assistant from 1972-74 and Dan Dorazio served as a student assistant under James and went on to coach over 40 years in the Canadian Football League.
ABOUT WASHINGTON
A new era for the Huskies starts on Saturday as Kalen DeBoer coaches his first game for Washington after two seasons at Fresno State. DeBoer takes over a Husky team that went 4-8 a season ago. They return 35 players that have started at least one game for them in their careers. That does not include Michael Penix junior, who will make his first start at quarterback for Washington. Football fans may remember Penix from his time at Indiana where he thrived under then offensive coordinator, Kalen DeBoer.
TELEVISION
Saturday's game will air on Fox Sports One with Alex Faust (play-by-play) and Petros Papadakis (color) on the call. Fans with a proper cable subscription can also watch on FoxSports.com
RADIO
Fans can catch the game on the Kent State Radio Network, the GoFlashes App and the Varsity Network on Saturday night. Rob Polinsky will bring you the action starting with a pre-game show starting at 9:30 p.m. ET.
LOOKING AHEAD
The Flashes will stay on the road next weekend, heading to Norman to take on the Oklahoma Sooners. Kick-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT/7 p.m. ET.
