No, the Flashes couldn’t finish on Saturday. In their Mid-American Conference opener at Dix Stadium in front of a nice sized crowd, and a national TV audience, Kent State lost a heartbreaker 31-28 against Buffalo, with the Bulls scoring in the final minutes to take the lead.
23.5 point underdogs, the Flashes took a 14-0 lead, before UB answered with 24 unanswered. Then, something unexpected happened. The Flashes came back. Kent State responded with two more scores to take a 28-24 lead with a marathon drive that was impressive, and took 12 minutes off the clock.
Buffalo is supped to be an upper echelon MAC team this year. They’re big, physical and went toe to toe with the Big Ten’s Minnesota in week one. The Flashes went toe to toe with the Bulls Saturday.
No, KSU is not 1-0 in the MAC today. But, the Flashes were prepared. They had solid game plans and playcalling on both sides of the ball, and they competed. They looked like a Division 1, MAC program that can win games and continue to get better.
No, there are no moral victories. But at Kent State at the current time, not all losses are created equal. This was a loss that stings for different reasons than the losses of the last two years did. Those losses stung because the team was so far away. This one stung because of how close they could be.
Kent State interim Head Coach Mark Carney’s first job when he took over was to help the players love the game of football again. To help them realize they are good football players and good people, and they are desirable. They may have lost, but they aren’t losers.
Defensive communication issues, coaching breakdowns according to Carney, and finishing and executing in late half situations need to be cleaned up, no doubt. The mental side of believing is also a work in progress. Kent State hasn’t played a ton of close games the last two years. Learning how to win and finishing games is a skill just like blocking and tackling is. The more close games KSU plays, eventually they will knock that door down and hopefully get that signature win.
The H in HAB1Ts, the acronym (don’t get mad Kent State fans, this acronym isn’t GRIT, this one the team seems to actually exhibit) this team had adopted, stands for honesty. Carney and his staff have seemingly been honest with the players, fans and media.
Compared to the last two seasons, Carney is an absolute breath of fresh air. He is candid with the media, talks football, and doesn’t talk like he invented football. Being the interim coach at Kent, it’s nothing but a great opportunity for him. Administration wise, not all losses can be created equal. Saturday was an example of why Carney may retain this job long term. Carney said one of his goals is for his son’s to attend tradition rich St. Edward’s in Lakewood like he did. If progress continues to be made on the field, Carney may get to see his boys in green and gold someday.
Then there’s Dru DeShields. Three ACL injuries on the same knee. The son of a legendary Ohio High School basketball coach, DeShields has been through a lot. Three major knee injuries, and three head coaches at Kent State. Recruited by previous coach Sean Lewis, DeShields has rehabbed like crazy, as the CBS Sports Network broadcast showed Saturday, and KSU may have found their QB for the near future. Can DeShields be Carney’s renaissance QB, similar to what Dustin Crum was for Lewis? That would be fun.
Kent State came up short Saturday, and it stung. But the feeling was different for fans after the game. Maybe, just maybe, there is light at the end of this tunnel. Is Carney the coach moving forward? Will DeShields be the QB that ignites a KSU football turnaround? Was Saturday just a good performance on one day, or a sign that improvement will continue? Let’s find out.