Kent State was able to add depth and help solidify their offensive line on Friday as they head into the 2024 season. And to do it, all they had to do was go down the road.
Tony Georges committed to the Flashes Friday as a graduate transfer, after playing the last four seasons with the Akron Zips. Georges is a 6-1, 295 pound center who played at tradition rich St. Ignatius out of Cleveland, in high school.
“I’m excited to join Kent State and for the opportunity to finish out my college career”, Georges said Friday.
With the Zips he made 20 career starts and appeared in 33 games. Georges entered the portal in January and had offers from Duquesne, Illinois State, Gardner-Webb, Bryant, Rhode Island, Kennesaw State and a chance to walk on at Washington State.
For the Flashes, he will be one of the older heads in the offensive line room and will be thrown into the mix to compete on an offensive line with several returning, young guys who Head Coach Kenni Burns is banking on coming back bigger, faster and stronger.
Burns talked about the offensive line during his Flash Bowl press conference back in April.
“It’s created competitiveness,” Burns said. “We started seven or eight guys last year and they’re all back. We’ve got to use some different rotations with some guys at tackle and some guys at guard and really try to find our best five. Last year, there wasn’t a sense of competitive nature within that room. We had what we had, and it was what it was, but now we’ve got seven or eight guys that can go in a game and play. I know people looked at me crazy when I didn’t take all these guys out of the portal at the O-line position, but we have everyone coming back, we’re going to be a year better, and you can see it now. And I think we’re doing things offensively that fit their skillset and that’s a big part of it.”
Georges adds more veteran leadership, ability and depth to the group. All he had to do was put the correct version of blue and gold on.