Click the link for a story and video interview with Josh Cribbs on the James Harrison hit.

Link

Quick...tune to ESPN for the Jim Rome Show. Josh Cribbs will be on wearing his KSU gear! (Friday, 4:30 p.m.)

KENT, Ohio -- Seventh-year Kent State head baseball coach Scott Stricklin announced the program’s 2011 schedule today (Oct. 21).

The 55-game slate features contests against two 2010 NCAA Tournament qualifiers and trips to six different states. KSU will play 21 games from the friendly confines of Olga A. Mural Field at Schoonover Stadium and 34 contests on the road.

“I think our first five weekends are our most challenging yet,” said Stricklin. “Every single weekend is going to be a challenge for our guys. Our goal is to put our players in great venues against great teams to try and prepare them for the postseason.”

The season opening series (Feb. 18-20) will have a distinct Kent State feel to it as the past three head coaches of the Golden Flashes will be on the same field in Atlanta when Kent State and Georgia Tech clash in a three-game set. Georgia Tech skipper Danny Hall led the Flashes from 1988-93 and is assisted by former Kent State head coach Rick Rembielak (1994-04).

“It’s going to be fun,” said Stricklin of facing his predecessors. “We’re all very competitive, and having Coach Hall and Coach Rembielak in that opposing dugout is going to make it even more competitive. Having the three latest Kent State coaches all on the same field is going to be special.”

KSU then heads to the Palmetto State (Feb. 25-27) for the Johnny Gill Memorial Tournament, hosted by Winthrop. The Flashes will take on the Eagles twice and play two against Wagner.

Next up for the Golden Flashes is a weekend series (March 4-6) at defending Big East regular season champion Louisville. The two squads will meet up again on March 22 in Louisville.

Kent State travels to the Carolina shore to partake in the Coastal Carolina Tournament (March 11-13). In addition to squaring off with the host Chanticleers -- a 2010 NCAA Super Regional participant -- Kent State will play Alabama-Birmingham and Notre Dame.

“(Head Coach) Gary Gilmore does an outstanding job with his team year in and year out,” said Stricklin of Coastal Carolina. “They were on the doorstep of the World Series last year. They’ve broken through the regionals, and now they’re trying to take that next step. We’re trying to get to where they are as far as being a team that’s a perennial Super Regional contender.”

Kent State then makes its longest road trip of the season when it travels to Houston for a weekend series (March 18-20) against the Cougars.

The Flashes have scheduled 12 midweek non-conference games. In addition to playing Louisville, Kent State has scheduled home-and-homes against Pittsburgh (March 16 at Pitt, April 6 at home), Xavier (March 23 at Xavier, May 10 at home), Penn State (March 30 at home, April 5 at Penn State), Youngstown State (April 12 at home, April 13 at Youngstown State) and Cleveland State (April 19 at Cleveland State, April 27 at home). Kent State will also host Niagara (April 26).

Kent State’s quest to repeat as Mid-American Conference East Division champions begins with the Flashes’ home opening series against Toledo (March 25-27). Kent State is also slated to host Eastern Michigan (April 8-10), Buffalo (April 22-24), Miami (May 6-8) and Akron (May 19-20). The series against crosstown rival Akron is highlighted by KSU serving as the host team for the Fifth Annual Diamond Classic at Canal Park in Akron on April 20, a contest which benefits Akron Children’s Hospital. Conference road series include Western Michigan (April 1-3), Central Michigan (April 15-17), Ohio (April 29-May 1) and Bowling Green (May 13-15).

“Our conference is always very balanced,” said Stricklin. “From the West Division, I think Toledo and Central Michigan are going to be very good. In the East, Miami is going to be much improved this year.”

The season culminates in the MAC Tournament (May 25-28) in Chillicothe, Ohio. Kent State will be seeking its ninth conference tournament crown and third straight.

“Those first couple games of the tournament, you’ve got to survive,” said Stricklin. “You’ve got to try to get through those first couple games without a loss. We didn’t do a very good job of that last year, but we were able to come back. Our starting pitching was outstanding, and that’s what enabled us to get to the championship game.”

The winner of the tournament receives an automatic bid to the 2011 NCAA Regionals, which are scheduled to be held June 3-6. The survivors of the regionals advance to the NCAA Super Regionals (June 10-13) and set their sights on earning a trip to the College World Series (June 18-29) in Omaha, Neb.

The Golden Flashes earned a second consecutive NCAA Tournament berth in 2010. After wrapping the regular season up with a 39-25 (18-9 MAC) mark and its fourth MAC East Division crown in five years, Kent State won five elimination games in three days to capture the MAC Tournament title and punch a ticket to the NCAA Los Angeles Regional. The Flashes welcome back seven starting position players and three starting pitchers from last year’s squad.

2011 Baseball Schedule

Mel Mellis, a strong supporter of Kent State Athletics, has made a significant donation towards scholarships to be given away at each of the Golden Flashes’ next three home football games.

“I was tremendously impressed by the passion and enthusiasm of the Kent State students at the first two football games this year,” says Mellis, who is an active member of Kent State’s National Athletic Development Council. “This gift gave me an opportunity to reward some of those very students by helping fund their academic pursuits. Student support of athletics is essential to any thriving college campus and this is my way of saying ‘Thank you.’”

Thanks to Mellis’ generous $6,000 gift, any Kent State student who registers through FLASHPerks will be eligible to win a $2,000 scholarship at the Ball State (10/30), Temple (11/6) and Army (11/13) games. That is in addition to the $3,500 that Coca-Cola has already committed to book scholarships over the remainder of the season.

“Mel has been a long-time supporter of our student-athletes and coaches and this is another shining example of his dedication to Golden Flashes Athletics,” says Kent State Director of Athletics Joel Nielsen. “I couldn’t agree more with Mel ? our students have been unbelievable in their support so far this season. They are a vital component as we strive to create a championship atmosphere at Dix Stadium.”

Both the Mellis and Coca-Cola scholarships will be given away prior to the start of the fourth quarter, with the only stipulation being that the winner must be present to claim the award. To register, students must present a valid Kent State ID at the FLASHperks booth located in the pregame Fan Experience in the Field House and in Dix Stadium during the game.

Kent State returns home Saturday, Oct. 30 to host Ball State at 3:30 p.m. as the Flashes celebrate Joshua Cribbs Day. Tailgating lots open at 12:30 p.m. and the Fan Experience begins at 1:00 p.m. At halftime, Cribbs will have his #9 retired in an on-field ceremony.

Iowa State has canceled game with Kent State in 2016, 2017 and 2019. Link below.

Iowa State canceled 3 games with Kent State

The Schedule:

Sept. 3 Kent State

Sept. 10 @ Penn State

Sept. 17 North Texas

Sept. 24 Arkansas

Oct. 1 @ Florida

Oct. 8 Vanderbilt

Oct. 15 @ Mississippi

Oct. 22 Tennessee

Oct. 29 Open

Nov. 5 LSU

Nov. 12 @ Mississippi State

Nov. 19 Georgia Southern

Nov. 26 @ Auburn

Dec. 3 SEC Championship Game

PITTSBURGH (AP) ? Steelers linebacker James Harrison states his objective matter-of-factly: He's out to hurt any opposing player who roams into his vicinity.

If he sees players down on the turf ? as he did Sunday when he sidelined Browns wide receivers Joshua Cribbs and Mohamed Massaquoi with punishing hits only minutes apart during the second quarter ? he feels as if he's done his job.

Harrison said he doesn't want to put any player out of a game or jeopardize his career. The former AP Defensive Player of the Year also realizes it can be difficult to draw a line between merely hurting a player and badly injuring him as plays take place at full speed and hits are delivered with little time to consider the consequences.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

I never played organized football but share the same view as Harrison and Lambert. When I had an opportunity to hit someone, I hit him as hard as I could and that was without wearing a helmet or pads. When Lambert was tossed out of the game for hitting Brian Sipe too hard, I thought it was ridiculous. I know Browns fans hated Lambert but I always loved the way he would annihilate opposing players.
This post was edited on 10/19 7:13 AM by nashvillegoldenflash

Steelers' Harrison: I don't care if I hurt players

Temple beat Bowling Green 28-27 today to move to 5-2.

Check it out here:

Temple vs. Bowling Green photos

Today's press conference with Josh Cribbs was to announce the retiring of his #9 KSU jersey.

Can you feel the spirit? Go Flashes!!!

Kent State Homecoming 2010 Highlights

It's not listed on the schedule yet, but Kent State is working to tap into Toledo's video feed tomorrow to provide the feed for K-Zone subscribers.

Elyria High School's Jake Neuschaefer and Wooster Triway's Sawyer Polen have verbally committed to play for Kent State starting in the 2012 season.

Full story

For their efforts in Kent State's 28-17 win over Akron, freshman defensive lineman Roosevelt Nix and junior punter Matt Rinehart have been named MAC East players of the week.

Defensive Player of the Week: Kent State DL Roosevelt Nix

Freshman defensive lineman Roosevelt Nix (Reynoldsburg, Ohio) continued his dominating play along the defensive line, recording five tackles, 3.5 sacks, 3.5 tackles for loss, a forced fumble and a pair of hurries in a 28-17 win over Akron. With the Flashes holding on to a slim four-point lead with just under four minutes remaining in the game, Nix sacked Zips QB Patrick Nicely and forced a fumble that Kent State fell on in the end zone for a touchdown. Meanwhile, his 3.5 sacks tied for the third-most in school history. His 6.5 sacks and 10.0 TFL on the year both rank in the top 10 in the nation.


Special Teams Player of the Week: Kent State P Matt Rinehart

Junior punter Matt Rinehart (Dover, Ohio) had a solid day averaging 41.2 yards on nine punts in a 28-17 win over Akron. More importantly, six of the nine kicks were downed inside the 20 yard line, including a season-long 64-yard blast that went out of bounds at the two yard line. Three plays later, the defense picked off a pass and went 12 yards into the end zone for Kent State's opening touchdown.
This post was edited on 10/11 10:59 AM by stevehare Rivals

Click the link below for photos from Kent State's 28-17 win over Akron on Saturday, Oct. 9, 2010.
Sorry for the confusion on the link...the correct one is listed.

This post was edited on 10/11 2:40 PM by stevehare Rivals

Photo Gallery

KENT, Ohio ? Kent State is holding a press conference on Tuesday, Oct. 12 to make a special announcement regarding former Golden Flashes standout Joshua Cribbs.

Kent State Director of Athletics Joel Nielsen and Cribbs will both be available for comment that day. The announcement pertains to events surrounding Joshua Cribbs Day, which is set for Saturday, Oct. 30 when the Flashes host Ball State.

Kent State hosts rival Akron this Saturday (Oct. 9) for Homecoming at 3:30 p.m. in Dix Stadium.

For Immediate Release?October 6, 2010

Cleveland, Ohio ? The Mid-American Conference (MAC) announced today the presentation of the Cartwright Award to Kent State University for its program excellence in academics, athletics and citizenship during the 2009-10 school year. The Cartwright Award will be presented to Kent State this Saturday, Oct. 9 during their home football contest against Akron at Dix Stadium.

“Everyone associated with the MAC is proud of the many student-athletes that compete in all of our universities and each of our 23 championship sports,” said Dr. Jon Steinbrecher, commissioner of the MAC. “MAC member institutions value excellence in the classroom, on the field of competition and in society. I commend Kent State University for their recognition by its peers. This is indeed a high honor.”

The Cartwright Award is an institutional award presented annually to one university in the MAC. A committee with representation from all 12 institutions selected the Cartwright Award winner from nominations submitted based upon the criteria of excellence in academics, athletics and citizenship.

“This award is about excellence in academics, athletics and citizenship, and I’m so proud of our student-athletes who demonstrate Kent State’s excellence in action in the classroom, in sport and in our community,” said Kent State President Lester A. Lefton. “I commend our student-athletes and Kent State’s Athletics Department for a remarkable year as we celebrate our centennial, earning both the Reese and Jacoby Trophies, and now adding the Cartwright Award to our impressive list of achievements.”

The Cartwright Award is named in honor of Dr. Carol A. Cartwright, one of the most highly respected voices in higher education. Dr. Cartwright served as the President of Kent State University from 1991-2006. Following her retirement, Dr. Cartwright served as President of Bowling Green State University on an interim basis beginning in July of 2008, before being named President in 2009. Dr. Cartwright previously was the vice chancellor for Academic Affairs at the University of California at Davis and dean for undergraduate programs and vice provost at The Pennsylvania State University. She has served on the NCAA Board of Directors and is a member of the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics.

“An honor such as the Cartwright Award further illustrates that our coaches, student-athletes and staff members continue to live up to our championship-caliber expectations on the field, in the classroom and in the community,” said Kent State Director of Athletics, Joel Nielsen. “Our entire university community can take pride in this award because without the strong support from President Lefton, the rest of our administration and our outstanding faculty and staff, none of this would be possible.”

Below is a brief summary of the accomplishments by Kent State University in each of the three areas of academic, athletic and citizenship excellence:

Kent State Academic Summary (2009-10):

-Kent State achieved a department GPA of 3.0 for the first time ever and over 50% of the student-athletes maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above.

-Kent State produced a pair of Academic All-Americans in Martina Gavier (third team, women’s golf) and Jacquise Terry (second team, football).

-Kent State also had six CoSIDA Academic All-District honorees, 33 All-MAC Academic selections, six Honorable Mention All-MAC Academic selections and Kent State student-athletes were recognized 16 times as MAC Scholar-Athletes of the Week.

-Two athletic teams, women’s soccer and softball, received national recognition for their team GPAs, as the softball team’s GPA of 3.43 ranked seventh in the nation, and the women’s soccer team’s GPA of 3.52 ranked eighth in the nation.

-Kent State student-athletes outperform the general student body by 14% in the four-class graduation rate, and the exhausted eligibility graduation rate continues to be 94%.

-Kent State women’s basketball team leads the MAC earning a 100% GSR for the last four years.

-Every Kent State athletic team has an APR (Academic Progress Rate) score above 925, with six teams ranked in the top 30 percent nationally when compared to all other sports, and the baseball and women’s cross country teams were publicly recognized in the NCAA Top 10% of their sports.

-Nine teams improved their APR score from the previous year and five teams earned a perfect 1,000 score last year.

-Kent State led the conference in APR scores with 12 of the 18 teams ranking in the top five in the conference.

Kent State Athletic Summary (2009-10):

-Kent State won both the Reese (top men’s athletic program) and Jacoby (top women’s athletic program) Trophies for the first time in the history of the program.

-Kent State had 10 different programs combine to win 11 MAC championships.

-Men’s cross country claimed its first-ever title, women’s track swept the indoor and outdoor competitions, women’s golf earned its 12th consecutive title, the men’s golf team claimed their 18th championship and baseball rounded out the haul with an amazing run through the postseason bracket that included five victories in three days.

-During the regular season, men’s basketball, field hockey and gymnastics claimed overall titles, while baseball and softball finished as the top teams in the East Division.

-Kent State was the top MAC school in the Directors’ Cup (an indicator of success at the NCAA level) for the 10th time in the last 11 seasons and for the 13th time in the 17 years since the award’s inception.

-Diana Dumitrescu (women’s indoor & outdoor track & field), Dustin Kilgore (wrestling), Danny Mitcheff (wrestling), Anthony Gallas (baseball), John Hahn (men’s golf) and Rachel Miller (field hockey) earned All-America accolades.

-Kent State finished first in the nation in the Excellence in Management Cup, conducted by the Laboratory for the Study of Intercollegiate Athletics at Texas A&M University, the Cup ranks athletic departments in accordance to financial expenditures, rewarding departments that win the most conference and national championships, while at the same time keeping expenditures low.

Kent State Citizenship Summary (2009-10):

-In 2009-10, Kent State student-athletes raised over $30,000 to benefit Akron Children’s Hospital, the American Cancer Society and the United Way.

-Each individual team sponsored its own community service project and spent hundreds of volunteer hours in the Kent community. Service projects ranged from the gymnastics ‘Flip for the Cure’ to baseball’s Diamond Classic for Kids to football’s trips to the Family Child Learning Center.

-The eighth annual JOCK JAMS competition was once again a success, as all athletic teams performed on stage to a sold-out crowd and raised $3,700 for cancer research.

-Thirty-two student-athletes were accepted into the Leadership Academy, a program to train student-athletes on communication techniques, conflict management, media training and valuable information on being a leader on their teams and in life.

-The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) experienced a surge in participation from all athletic teams last year, as meetings topped 40 student-athletes in attendance. Football’s Leneric Muldrow led the committee as president as football student-athletes created a student organization, Uplifting Athletes, and are developing a Lift for Life fundraiser for Spring 2011.

-Career Night for junior and senior student-athletes were reorganized and created a career guide and resume-reviewing process.

-Winning Combination courses were also remodeled, as a one-credit introductory course covering issues relevant to student-athletes, such as money management, nutrition and academics.

-The Greeks vs. Jocks competition was created in an effort to spark a healthy community service competition between Greek Life and Athletics. The first event, ‘Who Can Collect the Most Socks, Greeks or Jocks’ was very successful as over 3,000 pairs of socks were collected for relief efforts in Haiti.

I heard Justin Manns was running around the big fight last week with his shirt off and it was at Justin Green's apartment.

Walsh Jesuit senior baseball player Tim Faix will continue his academic and athletic careers at Kent State, Walsh Jesuit announced this week.

Faix, a left-handed pitcher, is the first Warriors player to commit to a college this season and is the 41st Walsh baseball player in 15 years to commit to a Division I school.

Click a link below for a preview of the Miami RedHawks:

Offense
Defense
Special Teams

Stay tuned for the KSU-Miami match-up and official KSR prediction.

KENT, Ohio ? The Kent State field hockey team is one of only two programs in the country to have wins over two top 10 teams this season. That distinction did not go unnoticed in the latest edition of the Kookaburra/NFCHA Division I National Coaches Poll which ranked the Golden Flashes as the No. 17 team in the country.

The top 20 national ranking is the first for Kent State since the program finished the 2008 season at No. 19. Its the highest ranking for the Golden Flashes since the 2002 team was ranked No. 7 at the end of the year.

Kent State vaulted its way into the top 20 this week on the strength of a 2-0 shutout of No. 5 Michigan State on Friday. Behind a strong defensive effort that included nine saves from senior goalie Caroline Suitch (Mountain Top, Pa./Crestwood), the Golden Flashes handed MSU its lone loss of the year and shut down and offense that entered the weekend ranked 12th in the country in goals scored per game. On Sunday despite holding a 1-0 lead, KSU wrapped up the weekend with a 2-1 loss to No. 13 Boston U.

The team has been listed under the ‘Also Receiving Votes’ category all season and had earned the 24th most votes in the poll the past two weeks.

Earlier this season Kent State defeated No. 8 Syracuse 2-1 in overtime. The Golden Flashes have a 4-4 overall record including six games against teams ranked in the top 20. KSU’s strength of schedule currently ranks as the 17th toughest in the country while the team’s RPI sits at No. 22.

Kent State returns to action on Saturday when the program completes a six-game home stand by hosting Ball State on Saturday and Miami on Sunday. Both games are slated for a 1:00 pm start.

2010 Kookaburra / NFHCA Division I National Coaches Poll (Week of Sept. 21, 2010)
school (record) total points previous week
1. North Carolina (7-0) 1033 1
2. Maryland (7-0) 1014 2
3. Virginia (7-0) 964 3
4. Princeton (5-0) 900 4
5. Connecticut (6-1) 795 6
6. Ohio State (6-2) 738 10
7. Michigan State (8-1) 703 5
8. Wake Forest (6-2) 667 7
9. Syracuse (5-3) 634 8
10. Louisville (6-2) 518 12
11. Boston U. (6-2) 475 13
12. Boston College (6-2) 461 11
13. Duke (4-4) 457 9
14. Penn State (5-2) 358 15
15. American (5-2) 301 18
16. Drexel (3-3) 216 14
17. Kent State (4-4) 158 Unranked
18. Stanford (5-2) 126 16
19. Albany (4-2) 123 19
20. James Madison (3-5) 108 17
Kent State opponents in bold italics

Tickets for the 14th Annual Marathon MAC Football Championship, scheduled for Friday, Dec. 3 at Detroit’s Ford Field, are on-sale today - Tuesday, Sept. 21 through the following outlets ?Ticketmaster.com or charge by phone at 800.745.3000 and the Ford Field Box Office located at Gate G between 10am - 6pm Monday - Friday.

The 7 pm game, which will match the champions of the Mid-American Conference’s East and West Divisions, will be the seventh hosted by Ford Field since 2004. Ticket prices are all in the lower level: $20 sideline, $15 corner, and $10 end zone.

Last year’s game saw West Division champion Central Michigan defeat Ohio University 20-10 to claim 2009 MAC title and an invitation to the GMAC Bowl, where the Chippewas defeated Troy 44-41 in double-overtime. CMU finished the season ranked No. 23 in the final Associated Press poll, No. 24 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll.

********************************************

MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE
Founded in 1946, the Mid-American Conference is an NCAA Division I, 12-member conference that sponsors 23 championships and is one of 11 members of the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). With total enrollment of nearly 300,000 students, the league represents institutions of higher learning in six (6) states ? Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New York, and Ohio. In addition a 13th school ? Temple University in Philadelphia, Pa. -- is an affiliate member for football only.

Current MAC schools that hold full membership and the year they joined are -- East Division: University of Akron (1992), Bowling Green State University (1952), University at Buffalo (1998), Kent State University (1951), Miami University (1947), Ohio University (1946). West Division: Ball State University (1973), Central Michigan University (1971), Eastern Michigan University (1971), Northern Illinois University (1975-86, rejoined in 1997), University of Toledo (1950), Western Michigan University (1947). Temple University (2007) competes in the East Division in football only. The conference office is based in Cleveland, Ohio.

Here's the story:

Josh Boyle

NEED TO KNOW:

* Eliminated any doubt that Robert Bolden is Penn State's man at the moment. Suggested they might have asked him to do too much against Alabama and that he's done well so far considering the circumstances. He's looked good in practice so far this week, and Joe sees no need to change quarterbacks at this time.

* On Gerald Hodges' injury: "How long he'll be out, I don't know. But he's got a broken (bone)... I imagine, I don't know, I'm not a medical guy, but it's going to be a while. It will be a while. Whether it's four weeks, six weeks, eight weeks, I couldn't tell you. But he's got a slight break there (lower left fibula). And he's going to be out for a while."

* Reaffirmed Evan Royster and Stephfon Green's status as Penn State's top two backs. Silas Redd is a "good back" but isn't as ready as the other two to carry the load.

* Believes the offensive line has made progress.

* Said Penn State needs to sure up not only it's tackling, but it's ability to force turnovers, pointing to the big zero the Nittany Lions have posted in that column through the first two games. Also said Penn State needs to be more aggressive.

SHOULD KNOW

* On Punt Coverage: "Well, I think we've got a chance to get a little better coverage. We've used that spread punt years ago. And then we got out of it when Floyd Little ran three back for touchdowns up at Syracuse, before you guys were born. I can still see him running by Joe Bellas right in front of us. So we're back to the three deep guys and the spread and the lineup up front."

* Pointed out that the frequent defensive rotations on Saturday had as much to do with the heat/fatigue as anything else.

* Told that Garry Gilliams hasn't been expected to carry the load at tight end because of his age, thus, he hasn't been doing a whole lot in the offense.

* Said Nick Sukay played well Saturday.

* On Evan Royster's performance so far: "Well, I think the effort's fine. I don't know whether we've really established the kind of running game that Royster would do well in. Royster is a kind of a "pick 'em and spot 'em, give me a crack and I'll go" guy. He's not a guy that's going to run over you. He doesn't have great speed; has good speed. But he's got good instincts. He obviously catches the ball well when we use him as a receiver. We haven't used him yet as a receiver. But I think he's doing all right.

* Complimented Kent State's special teams. Also said the Kent quarterback has a lot of, you guessed it, poise and that the Flashes have a talented linebacker as well. He expects Kent to come in and be tough.

Sparring With The Press

A couple of interesting exchanges with the press today:

* First talking about Evan Royster

Did you notice, were the holes there that the offensive line was making for Royster, did he maybe miss a few opportunities?

COACH PATERNO: I don't think there were any big holes no, I think he did all right. I think we've got to start... let me put it this way: We have too many people that are analyzing everything and sometimes they don't know what they're talking about. And in your particular case right now, I don't want to be rude, but I don't think you're being fair.

* Later talking about the mess at left guard.

Both left guards we saw (in the game) on Saturday. What have you seen from both of them so far? And is that still a spot that you're undecided with?

COACH PATERNO: They're fighting it out. But right now (Johnnie) Troutman is a little bit ahead.

And why do you say that he's ahead of (DeOn'tae) Pannell? What has he shown more of to you? What has he done to separate himself?

COACH PATERNO: He's playing better.

Nothing specifically?

COACH PATERNO: He's playing better. You want me to give you a clinic? Got a blackboard here? I'll show you, for crying out loud. No, it's as simple as that.

Full story and video

1. BOYS II MEN. That would be an accurate comparison between the Penn State and Alabama programs after watching the two sides bang heads Saturday night in Tuscaloosa. Actually, one side did all the hittin' and the other did all the catchin' in the Crimson Tide's 24-3 win. Alabama backup tailback Trent Richardson ? is it really fair to call someone this talented a backup? ? pulverized Joe Paterno's 'D'. And PSU could not match up physically with the defending champs.

2. PULLING THE PLUG? What's up with JoePa sitting QB Rob Bolden (in favor of Kevin Newsome) for about half of the fourth quarter against 'Bama? The true freshman played better than his final numbers indicated (13 of 29, 144 yards, two interceptions) and very much appears to represent the future for the Lions' offense. We say let him endure some bumps in the road. He'll be better off in the long run.

3. COVER 2? Those Alabama wideouts ? Julio Jones and Marquis Maze, in particular ? are going to give every secondary problems this season. But we didn't like what we saw from a few of the Lions' defensive backs when they attempted to A: run with them and B: tackle them. Paterno believes in zone coverage because it is easier to prevent a big play when you align the free safety 15 yards deep. But in theory, the safeties should have the foot speed to close quickly on the receivers in front of them. In theory. Didn't see it Saturday.

4. A TOUGH CLIMB. The Lions were probably fortunate to drop only four spots in the AP rankings (from No. 18 to No. 22) and with murderous road dates looming against Iowa and Ohio State later in the season, you have to wonder if there is ANY chance of Paterno's team finishing in the top 15. Because you can forget about the top 10. Or as our friend Sheena likes to say (what a name-dropper …), Fuhgettaboutit.

5. LIGHTNING CRASHES. Has anyone seen Graham Zug? Penn State's senior wideout, a returning starter who led PSU in TD receptions last season with seven, has yet to catch a pass. The player we (affectionately) call “Amish Lightning” also had a key third-down drop in 'Bama territory in the third quarter with PSU down 17. The Zugger needs to get his act together Saturday against Kent State.

6. MISSING IN ACTION. Time to call out a couple of PSU defensive players who have not gotten the job done in the early stages of the season ? defensive ends Jack Crawford and Eric Latimore. Neither was credited with a solo tackle in the loss to the Tide (Crawford was tagged with a quarterback “hit”) and these guys have too many physical tools to be pulling an El-Zippo on the post-game stat sheet. Our question ? when 'Bama went to the 'empty' set with five receivers and just five linemen blocking, where were you guys?

7. INSTANT OFFENSE. Wouldn't hurt to get young wideout Shawney Kersey more involved Saturday. The 6-1, 197-pound redshirt freshman motored 24 yards with his only touch ? a reverse ? against 'Bama. And remember, he was the one who caught a pair of TD passes from quarterback Paul Jones in the Blue-White game.

8. CHANGING OF THE GUARD? Enough already with the left-guard rotation system. For continuity's sake, the Lions must settle on one guy. And that guy does not appear to be DeOn'tae Pannell. Tag, you're it, Johnnie Troutman.

9. ALMOST FAMOUS. Penn State sophomore outside linebacker Mike Mauti made his first career start against Alabama and was credited with three solo tackles and three assists. This dude can play and he looks close to 100 percent after tearing the ACL in his right knee two Augusts ago.

10. HERE'S TO YOU, MR. ROBINSON. No one is more exciting and there may not be a better player in college football than Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson, the dual-threat who has run-thrown Connecticut and Notre Dame (he hung 502 on the Fighting Irish) into defeat. If he stays healthy, he is a job-saver for Rich Rodriguez and he may be the one to beat for the Heisman Trophy. (Also on our radar: Alabama running back Trent Richardson, South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore, Ohio State defensive lineman Cameron Heyward and Mila Kunis … oops, Kunis is on another list of ours that would be inappropriate to talk about.).

Full Story

DURHAM, N.C. -- Kent State senior right-handed pitcher Brennen Glass (Springfield, Ohio) has been named to Baseball America’s 2010 top prospects list for summer collegiate leagues.

Glass competed for the Grand Lake Mariners of the Great Lakes Collegiate League. The sixth-rated prospect in the GLCL recorded one complete game and two saves in 11 appearances for the Mariners, fanning 26 in 38.1 innings of work.

Glass appeared in 23 games with six starts for the Golden Flashes in 2010, posting a 4-0 record with 44 strikeouts.

Kent State earned its second consecutive NCAA Tournament berth and 10th in program history in 2010. After wrapping the regular season up with their fourth Mid-American Conference East Division crown in five years, the Flashes won five elimination games in three days to capture the MAC tournament title and earn a trip to the NCAA Los Angeles Regional.
This post was edited on 9/14 11:18 AM by stevehare Rivals