Kent State football’s spring game will be held this Saturday, April 27 at 6:00pm inside Dix Stadium. Men’s Basketball Head Coach Rob Senderoff and Women’s Basketball Head Coach Todd Starkey will serve as the honorary coaches. Sendy will take the Blue while Starkey will be coaching the Gold.
Below are some Lightning Strikes on spring ball, looking ahead to the upcoming season.
NIGHT AND DAY
As expected, Burns said the difference between spring ball this year and last year has been “night and day.” Last year players were learning what to do and how to do it. This year they are learning how to compete at the highest level so they can “play harder, longer.” Burns said in a coach’s first year you are coaching everyone up on the culture and in year two players can take that culture and make it a player led team.
MEETING WITH SENDY
Kenni Burns said he met with Men’s Basketball Head Coach Rob Senderoff in the off-season about what type of student athletes to bring to Kent State. Senderoff told Burns in this era of the portal, it’s more important than ever to try and find players who truly want to be at Kent State. With twenty years of experience at Kent State and the Mid-American Conference, Senderoff is a very interesting and useful resource for Burns to tap into.
Senderoff will be the honorary coach of the Blue squad Saturday night and plans to air it out. If you missed the “Ballin’ with Burns” segment with Burns, Sendy’s J-E-T-S went down to defeat in Madden on the PlayStation 4.
NOTABLE NEWCOMERS
Burns singled out several newcomers that flashed during spring ball. Mason Woods is a transfer linebacker from FCS Towson, and Burns singled him out. Dallas Branch, transfer from San Diego State, figures to compete for one of the open cornerback spots. Connor Muldowney is a transfer from Tiffin who is playing tight end and Jaylen Dotson is a defensive back transfer from Monmouth. Burns tapped into lower levels of college football, bringing in some players from the FCS including Woods and Muldowney. Burns has talked about getting players with a “crack” on their shoulder to come to Kent.
Burns said he anticipates more Flashes potentially hitting the transfer portal, but not starters. He said usually by the end of May is when he knows what the team will fully look like.
STAFF TOO…
Kent State didn’t just bring in notable players as newcomers, there are several new faces on the coaching staff as well this year. And those changes are ongoing.
New coaches to a staff bring new energy and new ideas. It’s also hard to have stability, continuity and consistency of philosophy if new changes are coming in, especially after a coach’s first year.
“We brought in three guys with great experience,” Burns said back on March 18. “Some people look at coaching chances as a sad thing because you lose guys and there is some truth to that but also you get new ideas, new experiences and new personalities.”
Clay Patterson was named Co-Offensive Coordinator, inside receivers coach and tight ends coach.
“Coach Patterson and I go back a long ways. We were together in Minnesota and had three good seasons there. I’ve always respected his offensive mindset and what he’s done up to this point. He’s also been a head coach at the junior college level so he’s good relationships and he knows how to lead a room.”
Spencer Rymiszewski was hired to coach the cornerbacks. Rymiszewski comes from Wisconsin where he coached the nickels. He was an All-Ivy League performer at Yale at cornerback in his playing days.
Bill Teerlinck comes to Kent as the new defensive line coach with over twenty years of coaching experience in high school, college and professional football. Teerlinck was a graduate assistant at Indiana when Burns played for the Hoosiers.
It will be interesting to see what the offense looks like in year two with some of the staff changes and turnover that is ongoing.
DEFENSIVELY SPEAKING
Burns said they are in the final stages of hiring a new Defensive Coordinator to replace Dave Duggan who recently stepped down to take the Head Coaching Position at Jackson Academy in Jackson, Mississippi near his family.
Burns said the DNA of the defense won’t change with a four man front being the base alignment. Burns said the new coordinator will be able to disguise and design coverages in the back end that they see fit.
Burns highlighted the linebackers as being a very talented room. The massive loss of CJ West on the defensive line is huge, and not the type of guy you simply replace. West had Power Five hours within minutes of going into the portal.
Burns said that junior linebacker Rocco Nicholl has been the MVP of camp thus far. Nicholl is a 6-4, 221 LB from Philly.
O-LINE OKAY
Burns talked about the offensive line. He said they have 7-8 guys that can play that are returning from a year ago. He said guys are being shuffled between tackle and guard to find the best combination. Burns remarked that there is actual depth this year and actual choices to be made on who should play and where. They may add another linemen in the portal, and will add their high school recruits to the mix as well. Offensively they are trying to run more concepts that cater to the line’s skill set under coordinator Marc Carney.
“The position I’m really excited for is offensive line,” Burns told the media on March 18. “Everybody kind of looked at me crazy when I didn’t go into the portal and get more O-linemen. That’s because we have five guys come back. We had a ton of young guys play last year, all freshmen that are sophomores now. They look better, bigger, faster, stronger. They looked more confident as a unit.”
IF YOU GO
The first 500 fans will receive a customized KentGRIT backpack cooler. If you missed our article on Kent State Associate AD of Marketing & Fan Engagement Scott Peace, read it here.
Admission to the spring game is free. Fans can make a day of it by watching the baseball team host front running Bowling Green in a key MAC baseball series. It’s Hero’s Weekend and Military Appreciation Day on Saturday at Schoonover Stadium.
Burns has said the coin toss for the spring game will be unique and have a basketball theme.
MEDIA DAY
The Mid-American Conference announced Tuesday that MAC Football Media Day is set for July 19 at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton. The league will hold their football kickoff event at the HOF for the first time since 2017.