Football
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- football@kent.edu
- Phone:
- 330-672-3350
Sean Lewis became Kent State University's 22nd head football coach on Dec. 21, 2017. Lewis also works with the Golden Flashes' quarterbacks. He is entering his third season as head coach and remains one of the youngest coaches in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).
In 2021, Lewis led the Golden Flashes to a 7-7 overall record and a 6-2 mark in the Mid-American Conference. The Golden Flashes captured their first East Division title since 2012 and played in the conference title game for the third time in program history. Lewis and the Golden Flashes also played in its second bowl game in three seasons, taking on Wyoming in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.
Year four of the FlashFAST era set numerous program records under Lewis’ watch. Kent State set the program record for plays (1,052), yards (6,907), first downs (362), rushing yards (3,482) and passing yards (3425). The rushing offense was ranked third in the Bowl Subdivision at over 248 yards per game and was the top non-service academy rushing attack. The Golden Flashes ranked fourth in the Bowl Subdivision in total offense, rolling up over 495 yards per game.
Kent State was rewarded with seven players earning All-Conference status, including three first team honors. Quarterback Dustin Crum was named the Vern Smith Leadership Award winner for MAC Most Valuable Player. The senior quarterback was the first Kent State recipient of the award since 1987 and only the second player in program history to earn the distinction. Lewis also helped Crum to one of the finest senior seasons and overall career at Kent State. In his senior year (2021), Crum became the first Kent State quarterback to throw for over 3,000 yards in a season and is one of two players to cross 9,000 yards of total offense in his career (7,420 passing, 2071 yards rushing), joining Josh Cribbs. He is one of two Kent State quarterbacks to toss at least 50 touchdown passes, finishing his career with 55.
In a shortened 2020 season, Lewis guided the Golden Flashes to a 3-1 record, securing the first back-to-back winning seasons at Kent State for the first time since the 1976-77 seasons. The FlashFAST offense took another big stride in the four games, leading the FBS in total offense (606.5 yards per game) and scoring offense (49.75 points per game). Highlighting the record-setting season was when Kent State tied the program single-game record in points (69) and touchdowns (10) in the Wagon Wheel rivalry victory. The win gave Kent State back-to-back wins in the rivalry game for the first time since 2012.
In just his second season, Lewis orchestrated one of the best turnarounds in college football. Kent State’s five-win improvement to 7-6 was tied for eighth-best in the FBS in 2019. Capping the turnaround was a 51-41 victory in the Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl. It was the first bowl win in school history and the fourth bowl in program history and first since 2012. Kent State went 5-3 in Mid-American Conference play, the five wins in conference play were the most since that magical 2012 season.
Highlighting the five victories was a 30-27 comeback win at home versus Buffalo. The Golden Flashes trailed 27-6 with under eight minutes remaining and won the game in regulation. It marked the largest comeback in Kent State history and the largest fourth-quarter comeback this season.
The Flashes placed six players on the All-Conference list, headlined by sophomore kicker Matthew Trickett who was named Special Teams Player of the Year.
The offense continued to take big strides in 2019, improving from 22 points per game in conference play in 2018 to over 34 points in 2019. The Flashes had two games with over 600 yards of total offense including a 750-yard outburst against Bowling Green. The 750 yards are the most in an FBS regulation game in the 2019 season.
Highlighting that turnaround was the emergence of junior quarterback Dustin Crum. The signal caller led the MAC in quarterback rating (159.2) and completion percentage (69.3) while posting a 20:2 touchdown to interception ratio.
In his first season at Kent State, Lewis engineered a drastic offensive improvement from the previous season. The 2018 campaign saw the Flashes improve in scoring offense by 11.2 points per game and also a whopping 108.4 yards per game. He recorded his first career win in the home opener with a 54-14 triumph against Howard. Kent State posted more than 50 points for the first time since 2008 and the first time at Dix Stadium since 2004. Lewis also guided the Flashes to a road victory over Bowling Green, the first since 2012, in his return to the school where he served as co-offensive coordinator.
Recruiting has also taken an uptick since Lewis arrived in Kent. After he was hired in December, Lewis immediately hit the recruiting trail and put together the fifth ranked recruiting class in the MAC according to 247sports in just over a month. His 2019 class was ranked by 247sports as the fourth best in the conference.
Lewis brought an extensive coaching résumé to Kent State and has been one of the fastest-rising coaches in the nation over the last decade. He came to the Golden Flashes after serving as the co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach under Dino Babers at Syracuse. Lewis’ background stretches from his four-year playing career at the University of Wisconsin under Barry Alvarez, to winning the 2015 Mid-American Conference (MAC) Championship as the co-offensive coordinator at Bowling Green.
That ascension led Lewis to becoming the youngest Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) head coach in the nation at the age of 31. That distinction was previously held by the University of Oklahoma’s Lincoln Riley at age 34.
Lewis spent his previous six seasons alongside head coach Babers at Syracuse (2016-17), Bowling Green (2014-15) and Eastern Illinois (2012-13).
“We are thrilled to bring Sean to Kent State,” Director of Athletics Joel Nielsen said. “Sean brings an innovative style of football to Kent State with an offensive system that is proven in the MAC. We are confident Sean can build broad support and engagement in our program along with competitive success.”
In 2017, Syracuse put up 40 or more points in three games and knocked off defending national champion Clemson 27-24 on Oct. 13. Syracuse’s offense averaged 456.3 yards and 24.4 first downs per game.
Those numbers were fueled by a fast-paced offense that led the nation in offensive snaps per game (87.8). Wide receiver Steve Ishmael broke the single-season program records for catches (105) and yards (1,347), earned second-team All-America honors and was a semifinalist for the Biletnikoff Award. Wide receiver Ervin Philips earned All-ACC Second Team honors and was named Walter Camp Connecticut Player of the Year after making 89 catches for 904 yards.
During Lewis’ first season with the Orange in 2016, its offense set or tied over 40 program records including most passing yards in a season (3,855). Syracuse quarterbacks ranked 11th in the nation in passing. Its 5,290 yards of total offense were the second most in program history.
In 2015, Bowling Green ranked fourth in the nation in total offense (546.8) and sixth in scoring offense (42.2 ypg). Lewis served as co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for Matt Johnson, that season’s MAC Offensive Player of the Year. Johnson finished second in the nation in both passing yards (4,946) and touchdowns (46). All-American wide receiver Roger Lewis finished second in the nation in receiving yards (1,544) and third in touchdown catches (16). One year earlier, the Falcons won a MAC East title and the Camellia Bowl.
Lewis coached tight ends and inside receivers at Eastern Illinois. The Panthers made the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) playoffs both seasons and reached the quarterfinals in 2013 with a 12-2 mark. Eastern Illinois’ offense was led by San Francisco 49ers’ quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.
A tight end and quarterback at Wisconsin, Lewis was a two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection under Alvarez. Current Wisconsin Badger head coach Paul Chryst served as his offensive coordinator and position coach.
Lewis’ coaching career began as the offensive coordinator for his alma mater, Richards High School in Illinois. Richards was led by veteran Gary Korhonen, who earned National High School Coach of the Year honors from both the National Football Hall of Fame and the National High School Coaches Association. Lewis transitioned to the college level in 2010 as tight ends coach at Division II Nebraska Omaha. He made his first MAC stop in 2011 as a graduate assistant for Akron.
Lewis earned a bachelor’s degree from Wisconsin in agricultural sciences in 2007. He and his wife, Sarah, have two children.
