Admit it, in August many Rocket Nation faithful looked at the Rockets schedule and penciled in a W next to KSU. As things have unfolded a bit east of the Cuyahoga River, this will probably be a close, tough fought football game.
Seventh year head coach Doug Martin, a former KSU offensive coordinator, has a defense that sits atop the NCAA statistical heap against the run allowing less than 60 yards per game (1.80 ypr) on the ground. They are second with 44 TFLs and tied for ninth with 16 sacks. Who saw that coming in August?
Kent State on Defense:
As the saying goes, defenses win championships. If so, the Golden Flashes are in a position to battle for the MAC East despite losing to the RedHawks by a touchdown. And that’s saying something given that the Golden Flashes last won the Mid-American Conference championship and played in a bowl game when Richard Nixon was president.
It’s LB Cobrani Mixon (6’1”, 240#), who’s leading the defensive unit in total tackles. With his fellow line backer Dorian Wood, third in tackles, they are plugging holes. Together, they’ve accounted for 20% of the TFLs. Adding in defensive linemen Roosevelt Nix, Lee Stalker, and Quinton Rainey along with DE Jake Dooley, and that figure jumps to 70%. And this is in spite of using an eight-man rotation on the DL.
Kent State has recorded at least two sacks in every game except against Penn State. They have 17 sacks to date with 44 tackles for losses. (The Rockets are 14 and 34 in these categories.) Roosevelt “Rosie” Nix (6’0”, 240#) has 6.5 sacks and 10 TFL placing him third in the nation in both categories. He’s making a case to be an All-MAC selection and a candidate for an All-American Freshman team.
The play of the Golden Flashes secondary has them ranked 76th nationally against the pass, better than five other MAC teams including the Rockets. CB Norman Wolfe has four interceptions in a four-game span tying him for 1st in INTs per game. Of his 26 total tackles, he has made 18 tackles in the last two games. DB Josh Pleasant has a team-high 6 passes broken up to go with his 27 tackles.
In total, KSU tops the MAC in fewest points allowed per game at 20.8.
Kent State on Offense:
Compared to the defense, the Golden Flashes offensive unit has been inconsistent. The Flashes are less than electrifying on the ground averaging a bit more than 81 yards per game. Losing Eugene Jarvis for the last five games to a groin injury, junior TB Jacquise Terry (6’0”, 183#) has taken over the running duties for KSU averaging just 3 yards per carry.
They are averaging just south of 197 yards per game through the air. Third down conversions have limited KSU drives converting just one-out-of-three on third down opportunities. They have, however, converted on four of five fourth down attempts.
Sophomore QB Spencer Keith (6’3”, 215#) became the seventh player in KSU history to record 3,000 career passing yards and in total completions with 263. He passed both marks against Akron. This year he’s completing less than 57% of his passes and has thrown for five TDs while being picked seven times.
More than 80% of Keith’s pass completions have been caught by five receivers. WR Sam Kirkland (6’1”, 191#) tops this group with 25 catches averaging nearly 14 yards per grab. WR Tyshon Goode (6’1”, 182#) has 19 receptions (9.4 ypc). RB Dri Archer has a dozen catches over the last four games (5.0 ypc) along with fellow RB Terry who has 11 receptions, 2 TDs (14.7 ypc). TE Justin Thompson has 10 catches.
Jacquise Terry has accounted for half of the Golden Flashes’ offensive touchdowns. In addition to running out of the TB position and catching passes out of the backfield, he has also taken direct snaps in the Wildcat formation.
The KSU offensive line, while not providing much in the way of running room, has allowed just 9 sacks and 42 TFL compared to 14 and 39 for the Rockets.
Part of the offensive struggles can be contributed to different starting combinations of running backs, receivers and tight ends in each game.
Kent State’s Special Teams:
Punt coverage has been solid holding opponents to less than six yards per return. P Matt Reinhart, All-MAC First teamer, is averaging 41+ ypp. He had a banner day against Akron with six of his nine kicks being downed inside the 20 yard line.
KO coverage is very good allowing opponents less than 18 yards per kick return. The Flashes’ KO return unit is averaging 23.05 ypr. which is about a yard less than the Rockets. WR Anthony Bowman and Dri Archer share return duties. Both weigh less than 170# with the ball but are fast and are capable of big returns.
Freddy Cortez is four-for-six on field goal attempts missing his last two. He is a perfect 13-for-13 on PATs.
What to Look For:
• A close game; early lines favor the Rockets by two to three points but one odds maker has KSU -1
• The play of our OL as the barometer; despite the score in Boise, our offensive line worked hard and did a decent job against the strongest defense we faced all year
• How well the Rockets offense handles #55 (Rosie the Divoter)
• The Rockets defense to yield less than 200 yards in passing yardage and less than 100 yards on the ground
• The Rockets to have fewer penalties than their opponents for the first time this year
• Rockets to pick off two KSU passes
• Look for the Rockets to return a kickoff more than 25 yards
• Rockets’ best home performance of the year
GO ROCKETS!
Game Info:
Kickoff at 7:00 pm (ET) with video via RocketVision and All-MACcess. Audio by Rocket Sports Network and www.wspd.com
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