Until the results change, the culture will still remain the same
- The Flash Point
- 1 Replies
Below is an article written by Elton Alexander of The Plain Dealer, along with my rejoinder.
Kent State football can change its culture, but can it change the results?
KENT, Ohio - Kent State's Sean Lewis, 32, the youngest head coach in Division I football, begins his first season facing the same issues many past KSU coaches inherited; a lack of size, a lack of experience and a lack of talent comparable to other teams in the Mid-American Conference.
That perception was solidified with a last-place prediction for KSU in the MAC preseason poll.
None of that bothers Lewis, former quarterback coach at Syracuse and Bowling Green, who closed preseason practices to the media.
"Everybody is entitled to their opinion,'' he said. "We're going to have our blinders on. We're going to have our heads down, and we're going to get better, day in and day out and let the chips fall where they may.''
Kent's defense remains experienced and solid, anchored by returning senior linebacker Matt Bahr.
Lewis looks to tilt the scales with an offensive style designed to generate better than 80 plays per game. Last season the Golden Flashes averaged less than 65.
For junior tailback Justin Rankin, who led Kent last season in rushing (490 yards, 3 TD) and was second in receiving (311 yards, 2 TD) the challenge is simple.
"We've got to change the culture,'' he said. "You have to change the culture and that is what we are working on right now.''
Yet, to paraphrase former boxer Mike Tyson, ''Everybody has a plan until they get hit.''
If there is one thing Kent football has proven over the years, it is the Flashes take more than their fair share of hits, especially on offense.
Since graduating two offensive linemen into the NFL after the 2012 season, that unit has been consistently undermanned, and hit by the tragic misfortune of two preseason deaths.
That several true freshmen, a senior transfer and a juco recruit are in the mix for the starting five line spots says the problem remains for Lewis and Co. to fix.
In conjunction with those offensive line woes, understand, KSU's starting quarterback in the first game of the 2015, 2016 and 2017 seasons failed to make it to the end of the season due to injuries. The starting quarterback in 2016 and 2017 did not make it to October.
Kent has not had the same starting quarterback for two straight seasons since 2014 and 2015 (Colin Reardon). That trend will continue for 2018, as sophomore Dustin Crum and junior college transfer Woody Barrett have battled for the starting spot since spring (click web address below for full article).
https://www.cleveland.com/sports/co...e_football_can_change.html#incart_river_index
One can say that Coach Lewis has changed the culture of the football program, but until the results change can you truly say that there is a culture change? Certainly, Coach Lewis has brought his likable personality and positive attitude to Kent State but at the end of the day it is the results that really matter.
If there truly is a culture change, then why is the perception still the same? I understand that Coach Lewis has introduced a different way of doing things and hopefully will bring a more entertaining brand of football to the program. But until the team wins, the culture will still remain the same.
The brain trust of the university thought a change was needed because Paul Haynes didn't win enough games. Tomorrow we will see the first results of the change and whether a new culture has really been implemented.
I would have liked to see what Nick Holley and Stefano Millin could have done in their final year of eligibility but thanks to Nielsen we will never know. What we do know at this writing is Holley is still on the Los Angeles Rams roster as a running back and Millin is anchoring the Pittsburgh Panthers offensive line at left tackle.
Culture change or not, you don't lose talent like that and have it not impact the team.
Unfortunately at Kent State, the more things change, the more things stay the same.
Kent State football can change its culture, but can it change the results?
KENT, Ohio - Kent State's Sean Lewis, 32, the youngest head coach in Division I football, begins his first season facing the same issues many past KSU coaches inherited; a lack of size, a lack of experience and a lack of talent comparable to other teams in the Mid-American Conference.
That perception was solidified with a last-place prediction for KSU in the MAC preseason poll.
None of that bothers Lewis, former quarterback coach at Syracuse and Bowling Green, who closed preseason practices to the media.
"Everybody is entitled to their opinion,'' he said. "We're going to have our blinders on. We're going to have our heads down, and we're going to get better, day in and day out and let the chips fall where they may.''
Kent's defense remains experienced and solid, anchored by returning senior linebacker Matt Bahr.
Lewis looks to tilt the scales with an offensive style designed to generate better than 80 plays per game. Last season the Golden Flashes averaged less than 65.
For junior tailback Justin Rankin, who led Kent last season in rushing (490 yards, 3 TD) and was second in receiving (311 yards, 2 TD) the challenge is simple.
"We've got to change the culture,'' he said. "You have to change the culture and that is what we are working on right now.''
Yet, to paraphrase former boxer Mike Tyson, ''Everybody has a plan until they get hit.''
If there is one thing Kent football has proven over the years, it is the Flashes take more than their fair share of hits, especially on offense.
Since graduating two offensive linemen into the NFL after the 2012 season, that unit has been consistently undermanned, and hit by the tragic misfortune of two preseason deaths.
That several true freshmen, a senior transfer and a juco recruit are in the mix for the starting five line spots says the problem remains for Lewis and Co. to fix.
In conjunction with those offensive line woes, understand, KSU's starting quarterback in the first game of the 2015, 2016 and 2017 seasons failed to make it to the end of the season due to injuries. The starting quarterback in 2016 and 2017 did not make it to October.
Kent has not had the same starting quarterback for two straight seasons since 2014 and 2015 (Colin Reardon). That trend will continue for 2018, as sophomore Dustin Crum and junior college transfer Woody Barrett have battled for the starting spot since spring (click web address below for full article).
https://www.cleveland.com/sports/co...e_football_can_change.html#incart_river_index
One can say that Coach Lewis has changed the culture of the football program, but until the results change can you truly say that there is a culture change? Certainly, Coach Lewis has brought his likable personality and positive attitude to Kent State but at the end of the day it is the results that really matter.
If there truly is a culture change, then why is the perception still the same? I understand that Coach Lewis has introduced a different way of doing things and hopefully will bring a more entertaining brand of football to the program. But until the team wins, the culture will still remain the same.
The brain trust of the university thought a change was needed because Paul Haynes didn't win enough games. Tomorrow we will see the first results of the change and whether a new culture has really been implemented.
I would have liked to see what Nick Holley and Stefano Millin could have done in their final year of eligibility but thanks to Nielsen we will never know. What we do know at this writing is Holley is still on the Los Angeles Rams roster as a running back and Millin is anchoring the Pittsburgh Panthers offensive line at left tackle.
Culture change or not, you don't lose talent like that and have it not impact the team.
Unfortunately at Kent State, the more things change, the more things stay the same.