Each passing day, I'm more convinced that Paul Haynes is the right person to lead the Kent State football program. Ever since he was hired, I have always liked Coach Haynes but now more than ever have come to appreciate him for what he is doing for our young players. Christian, husband, father, mentor, building men, and head football coach is the order of priorities on his Twitter account. And as a Christian with biblical wisdom, Haynes has more than secular, intellectual insight; he has a spiritual perspective that far exceeds the secular outlook.

During last week's post-game press conference, Haynes talked about giving April Goss the opportunity to play in a game after a reporter asked him about her getting a chance to play.

"Before this year's out, she'll get out there. I promise you that," Haynes said following his team's loss at Illinois.

"She works her tail off. She's the first one out there in practice and the last one off the field," he said. "Every time someone gets up and talks, one of our players gets up and talks, they always talk about they've got brothers, and a sister."

Recognizing Goss as "a 4-point student" and a "great woman of faith," Haynes understands the role that she has on the team and the importance of rewarding her for all her hard work.

And last night against Delaware State, Haynes gave Goss her “Rudy” moment when after four years on the team, she finally got the chance to kick an extra point.

By making the kick, Goss became just the second woman to score in a major college football game. Katie Hnida, of the University of New Mexico, was the the first woman in the record books when she converted two extra points in 2003. And just like in the movie, Rudy, Goss' teammates celebrated by carrying her off the field.

I respect Coach Haynes for giving Goss the opportunity to kick an extra point in last night's game. Of course not everyone agrees with me. One person commenting on the Cleveland.com article, "Kent State's April Goss kicks extra point in historic feat for female player," said, "She is there NOT because she is good, which she isn't, but b/c it is now very PC to let her play." This person clearly misses the point. Haynes didn't give Goss the chance to kick to be politically correct but he did it to reward her with a brief moment of glory for her years of effort.

I'm just glad that Coach Haynes "gets it" when apparently others don't. As a former walk on himself, he understands the amount of time and dedication it takes for most walk-ons just to be on the team, let alone put themselves in a position to contribute. Giving Goss that chance last night shows his ability to relate to every player on the team and that understanding is precisely why he will ultimately succeed at Kent State.

Delaware State, the Flashes' next opponent, lost to Liberty last Saturday 32-13. The loss spoiled the debut of coach Kenny Carter, previously an assistant at Florida, Louisville and Youngstown State. Liberty is coached by Turner Gill, who won a MAC championship at the University of Buffalo in 2008, giving the school its first MAC championship.

http://www.dsuhornets.com/SportSelect.dbml?SPID=5798

Head Coach Paul Haynes is joined by senior defensive lineman Nate Terhune and junior wide receiver Ernest Calhoun.

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When you lose 52-3, there really isn't much that a coach can say. When you make several turnovers and give up big plays, the game can quickly get away from you just like it did against Kentucky in 2012 when the Flashes lost 47-14.

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If football were politics, Kent State fans would be happy with the current football program since, I would venture to say, the overwhelming majority of them still continue to support Obama. However, since football has a scoreboard that is not subject to interpretation or debate, most fans believe the final score of a game tells them everything they need to know. And if that is the case, the final score of the Kent State-Illinois game tells them Kent State is a terrible football team. When the final score is 52-3, I admit it's difficult to convince Kent State fans that things are not as bad as they seem. Actually, it would be much easier to show that if Obama were a football team, he would lose every game based on statistics. But in politics Obama gets away with everything since his supporters believe whatever he says is true. It doesn't matter whether it's unemployment, the deficit, or Obamacare, the real numbers tell us what's really going on regardless of the plethora of liberals who think the truth is whatever Obama, Hillary, or Jon Stewart tell them.

Unlike politics, there is no mercy in sports for losers. When a team loses by a large margin or to a team that it is suppose to beat, fans want to fire the coach and get somebody new. It's that hope of something better but in many cases a coaching change is not always the answer. Kent State fans yearn for another 2012 season when the Flashes went 11-3 and won the MAC East title under Darrell Hazel. However, since his departure, Hazel has won only four games in two seasons at Purdue and unless the Boilermakers see major improvement this season it's fair to say his job will be in serious jeopardy. But after losing 41-31 in the season-opener to Marshall, it doesn't appear that Purdue will win more than three games this year.

At Vanderbilt, Commodore fans will tell you how much they miss James Franklin, who led Vanderbilt to a bowl game in all three of his seasons as head coach at Vanderbilt, a program that had never previously participated in a bowl game in consecutive seasons. In Franklin's second season, the Commodores finished 9-4 and ranked in both the Associated Press and USA Today end-of-season coaches' top 25 for the first time since 1948. Franklin's fifteen combined wins in his first two years at Vanderbilt was the Commodores' highest total since 1926–1927. In his third season at Vanderbilt, the Commodores again finished 9-4 and were ranked in the AP and USA TODAY top 25 poll.

But much like the struggles that Hazel is experiencing at Purdue, Franklin is having to defend his record at Penn State after the Nittany Lions lost to Temple for the first time since 1941. In yesterday's post-game press conference, PennLive columnist David Jones questioned Franklin's ability as an offensive strategist with the preface: "I don't know that there's a diplomatic way to ask this." Jones stated, "I think the perception out there is you are a really good recruiter, a really good motivator, maybe not such a good offensive strategist...If someone said that to you what would you say? A fan, we are talking about fans being disappointed, they are saying that a lot."

It's amazing how a coach can be successful at one program and then struggle at another. Did they forget everything they learned or is it possible the circumstances that led to their success changed? Hazel had the benefit of Doug Martin's recruits including All-American Dri Archer. Franklin had the benefit of coaching at Vanderbilt during down years in the SEC East and the Commodores padded their win/loss records with games against weak non-conference teams. Upon further examination, Franklin only beat four teams with winning records and the program's best win was in his last year against a beat-up Georgia team.

Too often, fans assume a coach who made a bad program competitive can make a traditionally strong program great, but that isn't necessarily the case. We are now seeing that with Franklin at Penn State.

With respect to Paul Haynes, I don't know if he will be successful at Kent State or not. I certainly hope Haynes is successful because he is a good man. I can't deny that the Flashes' performance against Illinois was abysmal but so was Hazel's 47-14 blowout loss at Kentucky in 2012, the year Kent State posted a 11-3 season. The truth of the matter, the Flashes just don't have enough fire power on offense to win consistently. And historically, Kent State has never been competitive without playmakers like Josh Cribbs, Julian Edelman, and Dri Archer.

In 2001, Cribbs led the Flashes to their first winning season since 1987 with a 6-5 overall record, 5-3 in the MAC. Cribbs is one of only two true freshman in NCAA history to both rush and pass for 1,000 yards.

In 2006, Edelman's first year at Kent State, the Flashes were a respectable 6-6 team with Edelman passing for 1859 yards and rushing for 658 yards.

And the year Kent State went 11-3, Dri Archer rushed for 1,429 yards and had 561 yards in receiving and 591 yards in kick returns.

Coaches like to say defense wins football games, but until Kent State recruits playmakers like Cribbs, Edelman, and Archer, the Flashes will continue to struggle regardless of who Kent State hires as its head coach.

Christian- Husband- Father- Mentor- Building Men- Head Football Coach. That is the order of priorities on Coach Paul Haynes' twitter account. As a testimony of his faith, Haynes said in his introductory press conference back in 2012, "I’m a Christian guy and I truly believe that God will put me where he wants me. Timing is everything and this is a perfect time for me now.”

Haynes' priorities are much like that of the late Tom Landry, who said, "The thrill of knowing Jesus is the greatest thing that ever happened to me ... I think God has put me in a very special place, and He expects me to use it to His glory in everything I do ... whether coaching football or talking to the press, I'm always a Christian ... Christ is first, family second and football third."

In contrast to Haynes and Landry is Jimmy Johnson, who succeeded Landry as the coach of the Dallas Cowboys. But unlike Landry, Johnson divorced his wife of 26 years the day Jerry Jones hired him to become the Cowboys new head coach. In the article, "Jimmy Johnson wanted to win with Cowboys, so he fired his wife," Cheryl Hall recounts her memorable interview with Johnson. She writes,“ 'Above everything else, the thing that matters most to me as CEO is that we win,' Johnson said. 'There is only one goal. If anyone in the organization doesn’t have that goal, then I get somebody new in the organization.' "

"That apparently included his personal life. The day Jerry Jones hired Johnson, the new coach took his wife to dinner and fired her."

" ' I told her, 'I can either be head football coach of the Dallas Cowboys or married to you. I’ve decided to be head football coach of the Dallas Cowboys.' "

"That was the most shockingly blunt thing anyone has ever told me," writes Hall.

In the article, "New Redskins coach Jay Gruden really did want to spend more time with his family," Mike Bianchi addresses the conflict that football coaches have with their families. Bianchi writes, "So many football coaches talk about priorities but rarely have any. They become missing husbands and nonexistent fathers, skipping piano recitals and soccer games, missing wedding anniversaries and family funerals so they can tirelessly prepare and plan and try to figure out which way a silly ball's going to bounce next."

'' 'You hear football coaches list their priorities, and they always say religion first, then family and then football,' former Miami Dolphins and Miami Hurricanes head coach Jimmy Johnson once said. 'And yet they work at football 15 hours a day, seven days a week. And they spend an hour a week at church and two hours a week with their family. To me, that tells me football is first and everything else is second.' "

"Johnson came to a life-changing awakening late in his NFL career, but by then it was too late. He'd already ruined his marriage and missed his kids' entire childhood."

"I remember seeing an interview after Johnson's mother Allene passed away several years ago when the coach became distraught when talking about what a pathetic figure he'd become. You see, he wasn't there on the day his mother died because he was too busy with his team. And he wasn't there at the wake either because he was preparing for an upcoming game. And when he finally arrived at the funeral and saw his two grown-up sons and his cancer-stricken father, that's when it hit him."

" 'My mother's funeral made me realize that I need to spend some time with the people I care about,' an emotional Johnson said then. 'Coaching is 15 hours a day, seven days a week. And I've done that for the last 34 years. It cost me spending time with my sons, and it cost me a marriage.' "

Just as Johnson claims, Paul Haynes, like most football coaches, spends a substantial amount of his time with football but that is not always at the expense of his wife.

In the article, "His family make most of time they get with Kent State football coach Paul Haynes," Stephanie Storm explains how Haynes is able to include time with his wife. She writes, "Danita Haynes has a routine early Monday afternoons during the football season, that goes unnoticed by most, but means a lot to her in starting each week out right: spending time with her husband."

"That would be Kent State football coach Paul Haynes, whom she meets at the Water Street Tavern for lunch in downtown Kent. After a quick hello, she settles in, off to the side, and eats quietly by herself in a booth, selflessly sharing her husband of 10 years with a handful of die-hard fans and a small group of media for the next hour."

"When it’s over and Haynes gets ready to head back to his office on campus, she’s lucky to have gotten five minutes alone with him as he walks her to her car — just the two of them. But it’s five minutes of time well worth it every week."

"That’s how being the wife of a football coach works: a lot of support behind the scenes and taking advantage of a little bit of alone time whenever possible."

“ 'It’s just a little bit of time, but we’ve learned to take what we can get,' ” she said.

Certainly during football season, it's not easy being the wife of a head coach but as Danita will tell you, when it comes to her husband's priorities, she knows that the only priority greater than her is God. And as a Christian myself, I greatly appreciate a coach who has his priorities in the right order. Because a coach who puts football before God, wife, children, and parents will do anything to win even if it is unethical or against NCAA rules.

Paul Haynes checks in from Dix Stadium with an update from preseason training camp. The head coach of the Golden Flashes discusses a new-look offense and player improvement heading into preparation for next week's season opener at Illinois.

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The Golden Flashes football team paid their respects with a Kent State tradition on the anniversary of the passing of Jason Bitsko.

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Western Michigan University uses onside-kick drill to SURPRISE walk-on with scholarship!

https://www.facebook.com/WhistleSports/videos/1018398178206473/?fref=nf

When you look at the football coaches at Kent State with winning records, what characteristics do they share? For those who might have forgotten, Kent State actually had winning records in ‘72, '73, '74, ’76, ’77, ’87, 2001, 2012 and went to the Tangerine Bowl in 1972 and the GoDaddy.com Bowl in 2012. The Golden Flashes also had winning seasons in all but one year from 1946-56, but because college football has changed so much since the 40s and 50s, for purpose of this discussion, I will look at KSU's coaches who had at least one winning record since the 70s. Don James had winning seasons in ’72, ’73, and ’74. Dennis Fitzgerald had winning records in ’76 and ’77. Glen Mason had a winning season in ’87, Dean Pees had a winning record in 2001, and Darrell Hazell had a winning season in 20012.

Most fans would agree that Don James was KSU's finest football coach. James compiled a 25-19 record in three years at Kent. From 1974-1992, James was head coach for the University of Washington. Highlights include guiding his Washington teams to the national championship in 1991, six Rose Bowls (4 wins, 2 losses), an Orange Bowl title in 1985 and fifteen bowl games (10 wins, 5 losses) in eighteen years. In all, James compiled a 153-57-2 record, including a conference record 99 wins in Pac-10 conference play. James was named national college coach of the year in 1984 and 1991. In 1997, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Fitzgerald had two winning seasons but many people would say that he won in ’76 and ’77 on James’ recruits and that he did not live up to the expectations set by James while he was at Kent. Although the Flashes were favored to win the MAC in ’77, Fitzgerald went 5-4 in the MAC that year. James was head coach when Jack Lambert helped the Flashes win their only MAC title, however it was Fitzgerald who Lambert picked to present him in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. In Lambert’s Hall of Fame speech, Lambert said, “I could have chosen any one of these men to be my presenter today, because they were all so instrumental in my success. But I chose Coach Fitzgerald because I thought he, more than anyone else, taught me the techniques and the fundamentals I used throughout college and professional football. But maybe more importantly, he took a raw talent and raw toughness in me and refined it into a mental discipline -- a discipline that is necessary to excel."

Glen Mason’s career record as a head coach is 123-121-1 in 21 seasons. After coaching two years at Kent State, Mason became the head coach at Kansas and Minnesota. If you remember, KSU beat the Jayhawks in ’87 the year before he became the head coach at Kansas. At Minnesota, Mason's record is 64-57 and 5-4 in bowl games.

Dean Pees had one winning season while he was at Kent. Despite all the criticism of Pees, you have to give him credit for recruiting Josh Cribbs, who is the all-time total offense leader with 10,839 yards and also holds school records in rushing touchdowns (38), pass completions (616), pass attempts (1,123), passing yardage (7,169), touchdowns scored (41), and points scored (246). And despite his poor overall record at Kent State, Bill Belichick thought enough of Pees to hire him as a defensive coach at New England.

Darrell Hazell's career record at Kent State is 16-10. He guided the Flashes to a 11-3 record in 20012 before taking the head coaching position at Purdue. Although Hazell was highly successful in his second year, I will argue that he was able to win because he was the beneficiary of Doug Martin's recruits. Martin's last two recruiting classes (2009 and 2010) were ranked 1st and 2nd in the MAC respectively. Hazell's current overall record at Purdue is 4-20 and 1-15 in the Big Ten. Despite Hazell's success in 2012, he has not been able to win with his own recruits and his coaching position at Purdue appears to be in serious jeopardy.

Now when you look at these coaches, do you see any commonality among them? Let’s look at personality. With exception of Glen Mason and Darrell Hazell, none of the other coaches had what you call charm, glamour, vigor, vitality or charisma. Certainly Don James didn’t have much pizzazz about him, being a bland sort of guy. And Dean Pees had about as much charisma as Bill Belichick.

So what was it about these coaches that made them different from all the others who coached at Kent? What about their coaching backgrounds?

Although James played quarterback for the University of Miami, where he set five school passing records, he was a defensive backs coach under Bill Peterson at Florida State and a defensive coordinator for Eddie Crowder at Colorado.

Mason was an offensive and defensive coach when he was an assistant at Ohio State. Although Mason played linebacker at Ohio State, he served as the outside linebackers coach and the offensive line coach at Ohio State before he was later promoted to offensive coordinator.

Pees was the defensive coordinator at Miami University and served as the secondary coach at the United States Naval Academy. He then became the defensive coordinator under Nick Saban at the University of Toledo and was the secondary coach for Lou Holtz at the University of Notre Dame. Pees then worked as the defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach again under Saban at Michigan State before earning his first head coaching job at Kent State.

So with the exception of Mason, who served as a defensive and offensive coach at Ohio State, and Hazell, who was a wide receivers coach at Western Michigan, Rutgers, and Ohio State, the other coaches mentioned above were defensive coaches. And since all but Hazell were defensive coaches at one time, one might conclude that defensive oriented coaches have the best chance of winning at KSU. One could even make that argument in college football.

Although Nick Saban was never a head coach at Kent State, he was an assistant coach for four years. During the ’75 and ’76 seasons, he coached linebackers. With a career college record of 177-59-1, Saban is considered the best coach in college football today leading the LSU Tigers to the BCS National Championship in 2003 and the Alabama Crimson Tide to BCS and AP national championships in the 2009, 2011 and 2012 seasons.

Like James, Fitzgerald, Mason, and Pees, Paul Haynes is a defensive minded coach. He was the defensive coordinator at Arkansas and also served as the secondary coach for the Razorbacks. Prior to that Haynes served as the co-defensive coordinator and as the defensive backs coach at Ohio State.

Although his first two years at Kent have been difficult, I believe Coach Haynes has the background and character to be successful. What I like most about Haynes is his ability to find players who play with a lot of heart. Two players who exemplify this are Nate and Nick Holley. Nate Holley, a Jim Thorpe Award Watch List candidate, is one of 42 players on the preseason list that honors the nation's best defensive back. The Mid-American Conference's leading tackler last season, Holley ranked third in the nation in tackles per game (12.5) in 2014 and sixth in solo tackles (6.8) and became just the second Kent State sophomore in five years to be named to the all-conference first team. Running back Nick Holley, led the team with 516 rushing yards and made 27 catches for 199 yards and one touchdown last season. Despite their competitiveness Haynes was the only one to offer the Holley's a scholarship. So what did Haynes see in them that other coaches didn't see? As a player's coach, Haynes knows that great competitors like Nick and Nate Holley want to be challenged and want to be coached. Players like them are never complacent and enjoy hard work.

Certainly, it will take more players like the Holley's to become competitive again but like the defensive minded coaches who preceded him, I believe Coach Haynes has the qualities and background to be successful at Kent State.

The Kent State football team reported to campus this afternoon, where they left for Xenia, Ohio and will stay for eight nights to begin preseason camp at the Athletes in Action Sports Complex and Retreat Center. After practicing daily at 9 a.m. through Aug. 15, the team will return to Kent and resume camp at Dix Stadium on Aug. 16.

The most important aspect of going away to camp is building the relationships with the staff and the team. Certainly it would be much easier to hold camp at Dix Stadium than traveling 200 miles away but building cohesion might not be accomplished as successfully staying in Kent.

http://www.recordpub.com/sports/201...ball-team-departs-for-camp-in-xenia-on-friday

http://www.aiasportscomplex.com/football-field/

http://www.aiasportscomplex.com/retreatcenter/

The 2015 Homecoming Parade Grand Marshal is Kent State alumnus and Super Bowl champion Julian Edelman! Details:www.ksualumni.org/homecoming

https://video-atl1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/h...=e26d0f3a2ae11a3c797a4ee9eed86ad3&oe=55BFFD81

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Kent State looks to brush off tough season, Golden Flashes ranked No. 110

The Orlando Sentinel's college insider Matt Murschel ranked all 128 Football Bowl Subdivision teams in the country entering the 2015-16 season. The Sentinel staff takes a closer look at a new team daily, counting backward from No. 128 to our projected No. 1 team.

Today at No. 110: Kent State

Coach: Paul Haynes (6-17, entering third season, 6-17 overall)

2014 record: 2-9, 1-6 in Mid-American Conference, sixth in East Division

Look back: It seemed a gray cloud hung over the Kent State program right from the start last season. Catastrophic injuries to star players like Trayion Durham left the team reeling before the untimely death of offensive lineman Jason Bitsko shook the program to its core. The Golden Flashes never seemed to recover. The team opened the season with six straight losses and won just two of its next five games to finish with one of the program's worst seasons since 2005.

Offensive starters returning: 8

Offensive starters lost: 3

Defensive starters returning: 8

Defensive starters lost: 3

Key losses: WR Chris Humphrey, TE Casey Pierce, RB Anthony Meray, DB Malcolm Pannell

Top returnees: QB Colin Reardon, RB Nick Holley, RB Trayion Durham, WR Kris White, WR Ernest Calhoun, OL Reno Reda, OL Wayne Scott, OL Alex Nielsen, OL Nathan Puthoff, DE Terence Waugh, DE Jon Cunningham, DL Nate Terhune

Strengths: Don Treadwell's move to offensive coordinator provides a spark for an offense ranked next-to-last in both scoring offense (16.4 points per game) and total offense (315 yards per game) in the Mid-American Conference last season. Luckily for Treadwell, he'll be working with Colin Reardon. With 21 career starts under his belt, the junior quarterback provides the program with an extended period of continuity. Reardon was one of four quarterbacks in the conference last season to attempt at least 400 passes, completing 57 percent of them for 2,466 yards with 13 touchdowns. His growing confidence in the offense provides the Golden Flashes with a valuable asset in 2015.

Despite losing reliable receivers in Chris Humphrey (51 receptions, 635 yards, 5 TDs) and tight end Casey Pierce (60 receptions, 641yards, 6 TDs), the offense returns valuable production at the receiver position thanks to juniors Ernest Calhoun and James Brooks. Kent State's secondary ranked one of the best in the MAC in 2014, allowing just 216 yards per game through the air. Safeties Nate Holley (137 tackles) and Jordan Italiano (96 tackles, 3 INTs) led the group that also returns defensive back Demetrius Monday (40 tackles, INT).

Weaknesses: Kent State's ground game was abysmal last season, with the Golden Flashes finishing last in the MAC in rushing offense (88 yards per game), rushing touchdowns (6) and average yards per carry (3.3) last season.

The defense, as a whole, ranked last in the league in sacks with just nine. If the team expects to improve on its performance from last season, it needs more production up front.

Outlook: In just two seasons, Kent State went from a program fresh off an 11-win season to two wins in 2014. It's normal in the MAC, where programs walk a paper-thin line between success and failure. The Golden Flashes survived so much as a team last season, it's impossible not to believe better things are on the horizon. If Kent State stays healthy, the schedule should allow the team to net more than two wins in 2015.

2015 schedule

Sept. 4 at Illinois

Sept. 12 Delaware State

Sept. 19 at Minnesota

Sept. 26 Marshall

Oct. 3 Miami

Oct. 10 at Toledo

Oct. 17 at UMass

Oct. 24 Bowling Green

Nov. 5 Buffalo

Nov. 10 at Ohio

Nov. 18 Central Michigan

Nov. 27 at Akron

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/spor...ll-countdown-no-110-kent-state-2015-post.html

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Kent State held its 15th and final spring practice Saturday morning in front of its fans at Dix Stadium. Live
scrimmage scenarios were followed by the presentation of its spring awards and a youth football and cheer clinic.


Cornerback Quan Robinson received the Jack Lambert Award as the defensive player who made the biggest
improvement during spring practice. Entering his redshirt freshman season, Robinson has made the adjustment
from his days as a high school quarterback at Glenville.


Offensive lineman Stefano Millin and tight end Brice Fackler received the Don Nottingham Award as the
offensive players who made the biggest improvement during the spring. Millin will be a redshirt freshman this
fall. Fackler heads into his junior season, looking to take on a bigger role as a pass catcher.


Defensive lineman Nate Terhune and wide receiver Connor Arlia earned the Gerald and Victoria Read
Award, which is given each spring to the player who exemplifies hard work and dedication beyond the call of
duty. Terhune, who can play both tackle and end, will anchor the defensive line, heading into his fifth season.
Arlia sat out last season due to NCAA transfer rules, but could be among the Flashes top receivers in 2015.


Safety Jordan Italiano received the Leo Strang Award given to the upperclassman with the highest cumulative
grade point average. The two-time Academic All-American carries a 3.98 GPA.


Offensive lineman Anthony Pruitt and cornerback Najee Murray claimed the Matt Ramser Award, given to
members of the football team who best exemplifies the qualities of "courage, dedication, attitude, and
commitment" that Matt did during his fight with cancer. After an impressive offseason in the weight room, Pruitt
has taken over the starting role at right guard. Murray bounced back from injuries in this past fall and looks to
be the Flashes' top cover corner.


"Our motto's 2-9 to greatness," quarterback Colin Reardon said of the team's play this spring. "We have a lot
of potential to do great things. If we reach our potential, everything will take care of itself."


Along with an optimism throughout the team, new players have taken on new leaderships roles.


"Being one of the older guys on the defense brings a certain responsibility," said fifth-year senior Nate Terhune.
"Getting out here (on the field) first, making sure we're on pace, doing the right stuff and not letting people slack
off. I have to assume that role. The best leaders first lead by example. We're a much closer group. I won't feel
complete in my career without a MAC Championship."

The Golden Flashes season begins Friday, Sept. 4 at Illinois.

Flashes Close Out Spring Practice

Coach Paul Haynes uses the term "unity" to describe his current team because he believes the players have become a more tight-knit football team (see link).

Unity

https://rivals.yahoo.com/michiganstate/football/recruiting/player-Kaleel-Gaines-152387
This post was edited on 3/31 10:30 AM by JDMEvergreen

This post was edited on 3/31 10:33 AM by JDMEvergreen

This post was edited on 3/31 8:37 AM by JDMEvergreen

Kaleel

No NIT now

IMO.

KENT: A consulting firm is not recommending that Kent State cut any sports programs, but it says the university needs to boost private donations for athletics and has concluded that Dix Stadium and the MAC Center "are tired and outdated."


President Beverly Warren and Athletics Director Joel Nielsen provided an update Wednesday morning for the board of trustees on an ongoing athletics study being conducted by Collegiate Sports Associates of West End, N.C.


The university hired the firm to see where it fits in the changing collegiate sports world that includes devoting more money for athletes.



A final report is expected in June.


Earlier this year, Nielsen said "everything is on the table" when it comes to evaluating the athletics program, including the option of chopping sports. Last year, the University of Alabama-Birmingham shut down its football program for financial reasons, leading to questions about whether that could happen at Kent State.


"It really makes no sense to talk about adding sports, eliminating sports ... while we're trying to figure out where we want to go with the athletics program," Warren said.


Kent State offers 18 sports programs involving about 380 student-athletes.


The consultant has suggested that the university form a unified vision and brand for its sports programs. And despite the conclusion about the university's sports facilities, there are no immediate plans to renovate them.

The consultant recommended focusing first on improving athletic safety and performance at facilities, such as the weight room.


Warren also said the description of Dix Stadium and MAC Center as "tired and outdated" was generous.


"Certainly we have not made the investments that other institutions, some very close by, who have invested millions of dollars in new facilities," Warren said, alluding to the $65 million InfoCision Stadium at the University of Akron.



There is a critical need for private donations to support athletics and capital sports projects because Kent State shouldn't use institutional money and student fees for athletics, she said.


"That is not the right way to invest those funds," Warren said. "You must have private support to really renovate Dix Stadium, MAC Center or other kinds of capital outlay."



Kent State receives about $4.5 million a year in private donations for athletics.



Nielsen noted that the NCAA changes, such as providing the full cost of attendance for athletes, offering unlimited food and
ying for travel for parents to postseason games will cost money.


"It's safe to say that everything coming down the pike will cost more money," he said.



Kent State competes in the Mid-American Conference and has averaged eight championships a year for the past 10 years. The conference requires members to maintain Division I/Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) status, along with offering men's and women's basketball and volleyball.



Providing the full cost of attendance could cost the university as much as $1.1 million additional a year. That's a lot of money for a school with an athletics budget of $27 million, Nielsen said.



Meanwhile, the trustees heard a report from 160over90, a Philadelphia consulting firm, on its effort to rebrand the university.

The firm showed examples of its work with Ferrari, American Eagle Outfitters, AAA, Philadelphia Eagles, University of Hartford and University of Florida. The examples included print ads, radio advertising and promotional videos.



160over90 is on campus trying to determine what makes Kent State unique as it develops a branding strategy for the school.



The trustees also were briefed on an ongoing effort to boost research and development money coming into the university. KSU wants to become one of the top 200 research universities in the nation.



The university is spending about $27 million a year on research, officials said. That figure roughly would need to double for KSU to move into the top 200 (see link).


KSU not looking to cut sports programs

2015 MAC Men's Basketball Tournament Bracket

Kris Brewer scores on a layup at the buzzer to win game, 79-77 over the Zips. The Flashes earn the 3 seed and will play the second game at the "Q" on Thursday versus the winner of Akron/Northern Illinois or Ohio/Western Michigan.

Go Flashes!!!

















This post was edited on 3/6 9:08 PM by nashvillegoldenflash

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2015 Spring Boy's Clinics
For Girl's Clinic Information Click HERE

Over the past 10 years Maximum Exposure Basketball has helped thousands reach their dream of playing college basketball. Our clinics are divided into 2 Divisions, one for 5th-8th graders and one for 9th grade - Post Grad players. Will you join our impressive list of event alumni? Don't miss your chance to participate in one of the top exposure events in the country!

SPRING CLINICS INCLUDE

- Every Clinic is run by a former Division I Coach!

- Each player gets valuable recruiting information, participates in an advanced skill session, plays 3 games in front of college coaches and recruiting services, and is evaluated by our staff with those evaluations along with your contact information being sent out to EVERY coach in the country!

- See how you match up against some of the top players in your region and across the country!

- Have a chance to play your way into our Summer Invitational Events. Last year over 200 Division I coaches were present at these events including coaches from almost every Division I conference in the country as well as numerous Division II, III, and NAIA coaches.

- These events will fill up extremely fast and the only way to secure a spot is by getting your deposit in! Last year we turned away over 150 players because they waited too late to register!

REGISTER ONLINE HERE![/B]


MAIL-IN REGISTRATION FORM




WHY OUR EVENTS INSTEAD OF OTHERS?
WHAT PARENTS & PLAYERS ARE SAYING ABOUT OUR EVENTS
WHAT COLLEGE COACHES ARE SAYING ABOUT OUR EVENTS


2015 Spring Clinic Dates & Locations

Click on Event for directions, times, hotel information, etc.

Sat. March 28 - Charlotte, NC Sun. March 29 - Baltimore, MD
Sat. March 28 - Phoenix, AZ Sun. March 29 - Las Vegas, NV

Sat. April 4 - Chicago, IL Sun. April 5 - Indianapolis, IN
Sat. April 4 - Dallas, TX Sun. April 5 - Houston, TX

Sat. April 11 - Miami, FL Sun. April 12 - Orlando, FL
Sat. April 11 - New Orleans, LA Sun. April 12 - Nashville, TN

Sat. April 18 - Greensboro, NC Sun. April 19 - Birmingham, AL
Sat. April 18 - Seattle, WA Sun. April 19 - Portland, OR

Sat. April 25 - New York, NY Sun. April 26 - Boston, MA

Sun. May 3 - Bay Area CA
Sat. May 2 - Washington, DC Sun. May 3 - Philadelphia, PA

Sun. May 10 - Columbia, SC
Sat. May 9 - Detroit, MI Sun. May 10 - Columbus, OH

Sat. May 16 - Kansas City Sun. May 17 - St. Louis, MO
Sat. May 16 - Richmond, VA Sun. May 17 - NYC Area


Clinic Cost is $125.00 per player. A $45.00 deposit is required to reserve a spot. There is a $25.00 late registration fee (if spots are still open) if you are not registered 10 days prior to the event, thus increasing the total cost to $150.00 per player. All deposits / payments are non-refundable.


Can't attend an event? Click HERE!




Questions? Email us at info@maximumexposurebasketball.com or call or text our office at (704) 664-9845







Maximum Exposure Basketball is now hiring select positions. For more information click HERE.

CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION ON OUR REFERRAL PROGRAM!



[/B][/B]
Click Here for a list of former participants in our Events and the schools they have signed with!
[/B]
[/B]
Click here for a list of College's that have attended our Events!

Over 250 coaches attended our 2014 Events!!!

Proud partner with the NCSA... the ultimate source for all your recruiting needs!

2015 Spring Girl's Skills Clinics
Boy's Clinic Info

Over the past 10 years Maximum Exposure Basketball has helped thousands reach their dream of playing college basketball. Our girls clinics are for 6th graders - Post Grad players. Will you join our impressive list of event alumni? Don't miss your chance to participate in one of the top exposure events in the country!

SPRING CLINICS INCLUDE

- Every Clinic is run by a former or current College Coach!

- Each player gets valuable recruiting information, participates in an advanced skill session development workout, and is evaluated by our staff with those evaluations along with your contact information being sent out to EVERY coach in the country!

- Put yourself through a college level workout... learning what it takes to make it to the next level and what you need to improve on.

- Have a chance to play your way into our Summer Invitational Events. Last year over 200 Division I coaches were present at these events including coaches from almost every Division I conference in the country as well as numerous Division II, III, and NAIA coaches

- These events will fill up extremely fast and the only way to secure a spot is by getting your deposit in! Last year we turned away over 150 players because they waited too late to register!

Register Online HERE!

Mail-in Registration Form[/B]




WHY OUR EVENTS INSTEAD OF OTHERS?
WHAT PARENTS & PLAYERS ARE SAYING ABOUT OUR EVENTS
WHAT COLLEGE COACHES ARE SAYING ABOUT OUR EVENTS


2015 Spring Clinic Dates & Locations


Click on Event for directions, times, hotel information, etc.



Sat. March 28 - Phoenix, AZ
Sun. March 29 - Las Vegas, NV
April 4 - Chicago, IL
April 4 - Dallas, TX
April 12 - Orlando, FL
April 18 - Greensboro, NC
April 18 - Seattle, WA
April 19 - Portland, OR
April 25 - New York, NY
April 26 - Boston, MA
May 2 - Southern California
May 2 - Washington, DC
May 3 - Bay Area California
May 9 - Atlanta, GA
May 10 - Columbus, OH
May 16 - Kansas City
May 17 - New York City Area
May 17 - St. Louis, MO


Clinic Cost is $85.00 per player. A $45.00 deposit is required to reserve a spot. There is a $25.00 late registration fee (if spots are still open) if you are not registered 10 days prior to the event, thus increasing the total cost to $110.00 per player. All deposits / payments are non-refundable.

Can't attend an event? Click HERE!







GIRL'S SKILLS CLINIC SAMPLE SCHEDULE

All Skill work will be done by current or former college coaches!

9:30 Registration
10:00 Orientation
10:30 Skill Work
11:30 Lecture (Recruiting)
11:50 Ball Handling Work
12:10 Offensive Moves Work
12:30 Lecture (Strength & Conditioning)
12:45 Defensive Work (guarding the ball)
1:00 Shooting off the dribble
1:15 Shooting off the screen
1:30 One on One / Two on Two / Three on Three
2:00 Event Ends

Questions? Email us at info@maximumexposurebasketball.com or call or text our office at (704) 664-9845

CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION ON OUR REFERRAL PROGRAM!




Click Here for a list of former participants in our Events and the schools they have signed with!
[/B]
Click here for a list of College's that have attended our Events!

Over 250 coaches attended our 2014 Events!!!

Proud partner with the NCSA... the ultimate source for all your recruiting needs!