Dustin Crum, is a 6-3, 190-pound Scout three-star quarterback from Grafton, OH. A 2017 commitment for the Flashes, Crum, much like Spencer Keith, put up video game numbers as a quarterback at Midview High School. In three seasons, he threw for 8,585 yards and 103 touchdowns. During his senior year, he also rushed for 1,557 yards, averaging nearly 8 yards per carry, and scored 14 touchdowns. Crum holds the Midview records for: passing yards in a season (3,323), career passing yards (8,366), passing touchdowns in a game (eight), season passing touchdowns (39), career passing touchdowns (101), season rushing yards (1,378), career rushing yards (3,268), and total career yards (12,032).
Former Kent State quarterback, Spencer Keith, was one of the nation's top prep quarterbacks in 2008. Statistically, he threw for an amazing 5,330 yards and 70 touchdowns during his senior year at Pulaski Academy in Little Rock, AR.
Although Crum and Keith both had incredible stats, Kent State was the only Division I school to offer them a scholarship. Keith was a preferred walk-on at Vanderbilt, but opted to play for the Flashes.
Nathan Strock was a Rivals three-star recruit in the 2013 recruiting class, who threw for more than 7,000 passing yards and rushed for another 1,700 in his career at Tri-Valley High School. He threw for 34 touchdowns and just four interceptions as a junior, then followed with 25 touchdowns and three interceptions as a senior. However at Kent State, Strock was a bust because the offensive line could not hold a block long enough for him to get a pass off. During the 2014 season, I remember Strock went down with a concussion at Northern Illinois. However, five weeks later, he ripped off the Flashes' longest play of the season with a 65-yard run on a zone read, then threw a four-yard touchdown to Ernest Calhoun in a 30-20 loss to the Toledo Rockets.
At 6-2, 185 pounds and operating behind a weak offensive line, defenses seemed to either sack him or hit him right after he threw the ball. Strock completed only 16 passes in 40 attempts for a 40% completion rate and was sacked 7 times. His relatively thin body simply could not take the brutal punishment. Strock only played one season and eventually decided to leave school altogether the following year. Had he put on more weight and muscle in the off season, perhaps he could have had a much better career at Kent State.
The reason Keith had much more success than Strock was because he was blessed with a much better offensive line. During Kent State's magical 2012 season, the Flashes had All-MAC first team offensive lineman Brian Winters and All-MAC second team offensive lineman Josh Kline. Winters started every game after joining the Flashes in 2009 and was named to the All-Mid-American Conference team three times during his career: third team as a sophomore, second team as a junior, and first team as a senior. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the third round of the 2013 NFL draft and is currently a starting offensive guard for the Jets.
Kline redshirted the 2008 season before playing in all 12 games of his redshirt freshman campaign in 2009. In 2010, he started in eight of 12 games, then started all 12 games in 2011, making seven starts at right tackle before sliding inside to right guard for the final five games. As a senior, Kline primarily played left guard. He was signed as a rookie free agent by the New England Patriots in 2013 and is currently playing as a starting offensive guard for the Tennessee Titans.
With the exception of tight end Casey Pierce, who was 2014 All-MAC second team offense, the Flashes have not had any other offensive linemen make All-MAC since Winters and Kline. Until the Flashes produce better offensive linemen, I believe a fleet-footed dual threat quarterback like Josh Cribbs or Julian Edelmanl will provide the offense with the best chance of success. Otherwise, Kent State's quarterback could either find himself rushing his passes or getting sacked.
Hopefully, Crum can fit the bill in due time but I expect to see him redshirt his first year.
http://www.hudl.com/profile/2893036/dustin-crum
http://highschoolsports.cleveland.c...b-dustin-crum-commits-to-kent-state-football/
http://www.morningjournal.com/article/MJ/20160722/SPORTS/160729795
http://www.chroniclet.com/sports/2016/07/23/Midview-quarterback-Dustin-Crum-picks-Kent-State.html
http://www.espn.com/college-football/player/stats/_/id/550246/nathan-strock
http://www.espn.com/college-football/player/stats/_/id/482099/spencer-keith
Former Kent State quarterback, Spencer Keith, was one of the nation's top prep quarterbacks in 2008. Statistically, he threw for an amazing 5,330 yards and 70 touchdowns during his senior year at Pulaski Academy in Little Rock, AR.
Although Crum and Keith both had incredible stats, Kent State was the only Division I school to offer them a scholarship. Keith was a preferred walk-on at Vanderbilt, but opted to play for the Flashes.
Nathan Strock was a Rivals three-star recruit in the 2013 recruiting class, who threw for more than 7,000 passing yards and rushed for another 1,700 in his career at Tri-Valley High School. He threw for 34 touchdowns and just four interceptions as a junior, then followed with 25 touchdowns and three interceptions as a senior. However at Kent State, Strock was a bust because the offensive line could not hold a block long enough for him to get a pass off. During the 2014 season, I remember Strock went down with a concussion at Northern Illinois. However, five weeks later, he ripped off the Flashes' longest play of the season with a 65-yard run on a zone read, then threw a four-yard touchdown to Ernest Calhoun in a 30-20 loss to the Toledo Rockets.
At 6-2, 185 pounds and operating behind a weak offensive line, defenses seemed to either sack him or hit him right after he threw the ball. Strock completed only 16 passes in 40 attempts for a 40% completion rate and was sacked 7 times. His relatively thin body simply could not take the brutal punishment. Strock only played one season and eventually decided to leave school altogether the following year. Had he put on more weight and muscle in the off season, perhaps he could have had a much better career at Kent State.
The reason Keith had much more success than Strock was because he was blessed with a much better offensive line. During Kent State's magical 2012 season, the Flashes had All-MAC first team offensive lineman Brian Winters and All-MAC second team offensive lineman Josh Kline. Winters started every game after joining the Flashes in 2009 and was named to the All-Mid-American Conference team three times during his career: third team as a sophomore, second team as a junior, and first team as a senior. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the third round of the 2013 NFL draft and is currently a starting offensive guard for the Jets.
Kline redshirted the 2008 season before playing in all 12 games of his redshirt freshman campaign in 2009. In 2010, he started in eight of 12 games, then started all 12 games in 2011, making seven starts at right tackle before sliding inside to right guard for the final five games. As a senior, Kline primarily played left guard. He was signed as a rookie free agent by the New England Patriots in 2013 and is currently playing as a starting offensive guard for the Tennessee Titans.
With the exception of tight end Casey Pierce, who was 2014 All-MAC second team offense, the Flashes have not had any other offensive linemen make All-MAC since Winters and Kline. Until the Flashes produce better offensive linemen, I believe a fleet-footed dual threat quarterback like Josh Cribbs or Julian Edelmanl will provide the offense with the best chance of success. Otherwise, Kent State's quarterback could either find himself rushing his passes or getting sacked.
Hopefully, Crum can fit the bill in due time but I expect to see him redshirt his first year.
http://www.hudl.com/profile/2893036/dustin-crum
http://highschoolsports.cleveland.c...b-dustin-crum-commits-to-kent-state-football/
http://www.morningjournal.com/article/MJ/20160722/SPORTS/160729795
http://www.chroniclet.com/sports/2016/07/23/Midview-quarterback-Dustin-Crum-picks-Kent-State.html
http://www.espn.com/college-football/player/stats/_/id/550246/nathan-strock
http://www.espn.com/college-football/player/stats/_/id/482099/spencer-keith
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