Morell’s Leadership, Emerging Depth Anchor Kent State Offensive Line Through Fall Camp
8/18/2026 8:00:00 PM | Football
KENT, Ohio — With fall camp winding toward its final stretch, Kent State offensive line coach Alex Stadler said his group continues to trend in the right direction, even as the staff pushes for more consistent execution in the days remaining before kickoff.
Getting better every day. The goal is to be intentional every single day that we take the field, Stadler said. In this game, you either get better or you get worse. I think we're taking steps forward every day in order for us to compete for a championship. So the energy level has been good. Execution has to continue to rise, but the energy level is in a good spot.
Stadler said the line's first live scrimmage of camp offered a valuable gauge of how the group performs away from a controlled practice setting.
It was good seeing guys, seeing really what guys can do from a live game situation, Stadler said. Getting them put into the different situations from a down-and-distance perspective, and then putting them in the fire and seeing how they compete. They had a next-play mentality. I thought there was energy, effort, and enthusiasm, something to build off of for sure.
At the center of that group is Dustyn Morell, a Preseason All-MAC honoree whose experience Stadler said is difficult to find at the Group of Six level.
The guy started 28 games, and especially at the Group of Six level, the chances of having a 30-game starter coming back for his fourth or fifth year is rare, Stadler said. We're lucky to have him back in the fold, and having his leadership in the room is certainly big.
Beyond Morell, Stadler pointed to tackle Tyler Meadows as a returner who has taken a notable step forward through camp.
Dusty's having a solid camp, Tyler Meadows is having a really solid camp at tackle for us, gaining confidence, Stadler said.
Newcomers have also made an early impression, according to Stadler, who highlighted Mofe Adewole and Ben Midea among the group's fresh faces working into leadership and starting roles.
In terms of guys that are new into the program, Mofe Adewole is a very good football player, competing, finding a leadership role, Stadler said. Ben Midea is playing center again, and he's having a really good camp.
Stadler said the room's competitive balance extends across the depth chart, from established veterans to first-year players pushing for snaps.
Our guys are competing. Older guys, Cecil Wilson's competing, we got new guys, Will Johnson is a true freshman playing his tail off right now, competing for playing time, Stadler said. It's a good mix of some veterans and some younger guys in the room.
With camp entering its final two weeks, Stadler said health and continuity remain the group's top priorities as the staff works to settle on its top options up front.
Obviously, staying healthy, first and foremost, Stadler said. But it's finding the continuity, it's finding the right set of five guys, really five to eight guys, that can go into a game. We're now through 12 camp practices, getting ready to kick this thing off here in just over two weeks. Really finding and defining our edge before we kick it off against South Carolina.
The Golden Flashes open the 2026 season on the road at South Carolina, on September 5, at 12:45 p.m. Eastern. Season tickets for the 2026 season are available now at KSUtix.com.
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