Golden Flashes Ready to Turn the Page in Season Opener Against Merrimack

Kent State (0-0) vs. Merrimack (0-0)

Saturday, August 30, 2025 | 12:00 p.m. ET | ESPN+

KENT, Ohio – The Kent State Golden Flashes open their 2025 campaign with a matchup against Merrimack College, marking the first-ever meeting between the two programs. For Kent State, Saturday's noon kickoff represents far more than just another season opener, it's the debut for interim head coach Mark Carney.

Hungry for Change

Carney, a Northeast Ohio native, takes the helm of a program hungry for change. "Everyone in the locker room is hungry," Carney said during his weekly press conference. "Whether you're a player, a coach, or a support staff member. Really hungry to change the narrative that's been going on around our football program and to show the outside world who we really are."

The former Fordham quarterback turned coach views this opportunity as destiny. "I think I was born for this," Carney declared. "I'm the oldest of whatever is 50-something cousins. I've been calling plays since I was a sophomore in college. I view myself as a natural born leader."

Quarterback Battle Resolved

After a competitive camp battle, Carney named transfer quarterback CJ Montes his starter over Dru DeShields. The decision came down to experience and consistency. "There's not a lot of substitute for experience at the quarterback position," Carney explained. "CJ has earned the right to step foot on the field first with our ones."

Offensive Outlook

The Golden Flashes return a key weapon in running back Gavin Garcia, who will anchor the ground game. The receiving corps features an intriguing mix of returning veterans and emerging talent, with Wayne Harris, Jay Jay Etheridge, and Da'Shawn Martin looking to make their mark in Carney's offensive system.

Perhaps most encouraging for Kent State fans is the improvement along the offensive line, an area that struggled last season. Carney is particularly excited about center Dustyn Morrell, calling him "an NFL player" and praising his leadership qualities. "The growth he's made in the weight room, first spring, is that he's been fully healthy and able to train," Carney noted. "He is a calming force and without question the leader of our offense."

The offensive line as a whole has benefited from improved recruiting and competitive depth. "Our staff did a really, really good job recruiting, bringing in young, talented players from the high school ranks as well as some transfer portal guys that we hit on," Carney said.

Defensive Front Seven Ready to Dominate

Kent State's strength may lie in its front seven, led by defensive linemen Antonio "AJ" Campbell, Thomas Aden, Jamond Mathis, Mattheus "Stretch" Carroll, and Mason Maddox. The linebacker corps features Mason Woods, Canaan Williams, and CJ Young, giving defensive coordinator Cherokee Valeria plenty of options.

"Competitive depth at a lot of positions, certainly up front, but at the second and third level as well," Carney said of his defense. "The linebacker room is as deep as we have on our team. You're going to see seven or eight guys play throughout the course of the season."

Carney couldn't contain his enthusiasm for Cherokee's impact on the defensive unit. "I cannot say enough about Cherokee Valeria and the organization that he has brought to our defensive side of the football. He's got the guys chomping at the bit and excited to play."

The Merrimack Challenge

The Warriors enter as a formidable opponent, finishing 5-6 last season under second-year head coach Mike Ginetti. Carney has deep respect for their opponent, calling them "a really good football team" multiple times during his press conference.

The Merrimack offense revolves around dual-threat quarterback Ayden Pereira, who threw for 1,100 yards and eight touchdowns while adding over 500 rushing yards and two rushing scores last season. "This kid, Pereira, is a stud," Carney acknowledged. "He can beat you throwing it. He can beat you running it."

The Warriors also return their top receiver in Jalen McDonald (18 catches, 302 yards, 4 TDs) and running back Brendon Wyatt, who finished third on the team in rushing with 313 yards and five touchdowns while also contributing 54 receiving yards and a receiving touchdown.

Defensively, Merrimack brings back leading tackler DJ Frazier, who recorded 60 tackles last season. Carney noted their depth on both sides of the line and highlighted linebacker #0 Sims as "an absolute stud" who "impacts the game in a lot of ways."

Building the Right Culture

Beyond X's and O's, Carney has focused on establishing proper habits and culture within the program. "We've developed really good habits. How we get ourselves ready to practice, how we get ourselves ready to meet, how we recover after practice, how we fuel our bodies," he explained.

The competitive atmosphere in camp has elevated the entire roster. "Competition everywhere has made everyone better, everyone on this football team better," Carney said. "Competition breeds success, and a lot of positions this training camp we've had very competitive battles."

A Family Affair

This debut represents more than Carney's professional achievement—it's a family celebration. The local product will have extensive support in the stands, including "my wife and children, Mom and dad, aunts, uncles, godparents." He even hinted at some special guests joining him on the field, noting this is "a family football program."

The Bottom Line

Kent State enters the season with renewed optimism under Carney's leadership, but the coach understands nothing is guaranteed. "Every day rent is due," he said. "Just because we put work in from August 1st until now doesn't guarantee us anything but an opportunity."

That opportunity begins Saturday at noon against a Merrimack team that won't make things easy. For the Golden Flashes, it's the first step in what they hope will be a season of changed narratives and renewed pride in Kent State football.

"I'm excited to take the field with a bunch of hungry dudes on Saturday and earn it on game day," Carney concluded.

Fans can purchase tickets for the game by visiting KSUtix.com

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