One of the bright spots from the Kent State football non-conference has been the play of defensive end Kam Olds and the front seven for Kent State.
Olds, a 6-4, 245 pound Richmond, Virginia native stayed in the MAC after transferring from Buffalo. Olds prepped at Fork Union Military Academy and made an immediate impact at Buffalo as a true freshmen in 2022 with six tackles and a tackle for a loss appearing in 11 games for the Bulls. As a sophomore last year he appeared in 10 games.
Olds has flashed his athletic ability so far for the Golden Flashes, and given the team another dynamic pass rusher. So far he has 17 tackles, including 3.5 for a loss as well as three sacks. The three sacks rank first in the Mid-American Conference.
Olds flashes even more of his ability Saturday in a loss at Penn State when he was sent inside on a tackle/end stunt and it led him right in the direction of a Nittany Lion middle screen that Olds snagged with one hand before bringing it in for an interception.
“I think he’s a really special player,” Head Coach Kenni Burns said Tuesday at his weekly press conference. “I think you’re seeing a little bit of him getting singled up in protection as they slide to Stephen Daley on the other side, it frees up Kam a little bit and he’s been able to take advantage of it. You put him one on one with a tackle in protection, we’re expecting for him to win. We’ve moved him with some twists and some stunts to free him up and get him on guards as well, so he’s a special rusher and we got a couple of the, between him and Matt Harmon, Stephen Daley so our job as coaches is to find ways to single them and let them do what they do.”
Olds is part of a defensive line and front seven that has some experience. That group will really need to step it up and be dominant in MAC play for the Golden Flashes to compete.
With Kent State down two quarterbacks and an offense that isn’t expecting to lead KSU to shootout wins, complimentary football is even more paramount. If that front seven can be dominant and disruptive, the Flashes feel they can compete.
“I’ve challenged our front seven,” Burns said. “They’ve gotta be more impactful. They’re really good, I truly believe that. Every coach we’ve played up to this point talks about our front seven, how talented they are and we got to play up to that talent. Every once in a while they get a little antsy and want to make a play and get out of their gaps, they haven’t done much of that but it’s shown up here and there and the ball has spit out so they gotta just keep learning to do their jobs and when the ball gets forced to them make a play.”