GFR Reflection: Flashes waste opportunity

Let’s tell it like it is. The Kent State football program was out played, out coached, out competed, out toughed and ultimately beaten on the scoreboard against FCS St. Francis (PA) Saturday in the home opener at Dix Stadium by a score of 23-17 in a game that didn’t even feel that close.

It was St. Francis’ first ever win against an FBS opponent and dropped KSU to 20-2 all time against FCS opponents, and 1-13 overall in the Kent GRIT era, including 0-12 against FBS opponents in the last two years.

Kent State wasted an opportunity Saturday. Many opportunities. Let us count the ways. First, on the field. Kent State didn’t get better Saturday. There’s a couple old coaching cliches in football. One is you make your greatest improvement between weeks one and two. You know the answer to that one. Also, they say you’re either getting better or getting worse everyday, there’s no in between. Did Kent State get better today? You’re two for two.

Let’s talk about it being the home opener. It was a nice crowd. The student section was packed, at one point. Parents Day. Family Day. Greek Day. The band, cheerleaders, dance team. Everybody did their part. The team didn’t fulfill their end of the deal. Kent State wasted a huge opportunity to make an impression on their community. To do it together. You know the ‘T’ in GRIT stands for together. Oh, they made an impression alright, not the one they wanted to make.

Let’s talk about GRIT. Did Kent State grow today? Did they respond? I’ll be nice, and wait for later in the season to ultimately decide that. I didn’t expect this type of adversity until around game number six. Integrity? OK. They limited penalties. They didn’t do anything after the play to embarrass themselves. Together? Nah. Complimentary football? Please. The three units couldn’t appear more far apart.

Let’s tell it like its. St. Francis pushed Kent State around today. Up front especially, and all over the field. They looked like the FBS team, Kent State looked like the FCS program. They physically punked the Flashes in their house. What happened to the new strength program and new strength coach that Kenni Burns raved about? All we heard this offseason is how Kent State didn’t look like a MAC team last year, and now they do. Did you see it?

Kent State was out rushed today 207-78. To an FCS team. Let that sink in. St. Francis set the tone. They played more physical, and celebrated on the turf at Dix Stadium, like they should have. After all, Kent State did very little during the game to limit that celebration.

I’ve got some credibility in the KSU suffering now. I have watched a lot of losing over the decades. So I have some perspective. People paid their hard earned money today to watch that. People gave up three or four hours of their life to watch that. What’s the return investment for people?

KSU goes to Tennessee and Penn State the next two weeks. We know how that goes. MAC play begins September 28 against Eastern Michigan. Speaking of the MAC, every single team in the MAC is better than St. Francis. Much better. Northern Illinois won at Notre Dame today. Bowling Green competed for four quarters at Penn State today. KSU starts league play September 28. I’ll be tuning in. Will our program be ready?

I’m not going to dive into the football part. I will leave that out of this. I’ll leave that to the coaches, the people that go home with this stuff. Some fans believe it or not also take it home with them, but at least we have other outlets. It was a tough day to be a Kent State football fan, sadly, like so many before. But this one hurt a little more.