Kent State 2012 Recruiting

Kent State Golden Flashes 2012... Head Coach: Darrell Hazell

Kent State Golden Flashes

2011 Record: 2-6

Sep. 3 at Alabama L 48-7
Sep. 10 Louisiana L 20-12
Sep. 17 at Kansas State L 37-0
Sep. 24 South Alabama W 33-25
Oct. 1 at Ohio L 17-10
Oct. 8 at Northern Illinois L 40-10
Oct. 15 Miami Univ. L 9-3
Oct. 22 OPEN DATE
Oct. 29 Bowling Green W 27-15
Nov. 5 Central Michigan W 24-21
Nov. 12 at Akron W 35-3
Nov. 19 Eastern Michigan W 28-22
Nov. 25 at Temple L 34-16

2010 CFN Prediction: 6-6
2010 Record: 5-7

Sept. 2 Murray State W 41-10
Sept. 11 at Boston Coll. L 26-13
Sept. 18 at Penn St L 24-0
Sept. 25 OPEN DATE
Oct. 2 at Miami Univ. L 27-21
Oct. 9 Akron W 28-17
Oct. 16 at Toledo L 34-21
Oct. 23 at BGSU W 30-6
Oct. 30 Ball State W 33-14
Nov. 6 Temple L 28-10
Nov. 13 Army L 45-28
Nov. 20 at Western Mich L 38-3
Nov. 26 Ohio W 28-6
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The Entire 2012 Recruiting Class

Top 5 Kent State Recruits To Care About
Player writeups by Scout.com

1. RB Julian Durden
Durden had an outstanding season against good competition after transferring from a smaller school. He is very patient and has great vision. His ability to stop and start on a dime and then to accelerate to top speed. he lacks ideal size, but it shouldn't hinder him in the right offensive scheme. He is a very capable receiver and a hard nosed kid who will block.

2. PK Anthony Melchiori
5-11, 185, Scout.com 14th ranked kicker.

3. DE Colton Kmetz
6-5, 220, Scout.com 142nd ranked defensive end

4. OLB Jake Kincaid
6-1, 245, Scout.com 159th ranked outside linebacker

5. TE Kyle Crum
6-45, 210, Scout.com 72nd ranked tight end.

The 2012 Class Is Heavy On … Skill players. The offensive line got some help and the stars might turn out to be at defensive end with the speedy Colton Kmetz and Reno Reda coming in, but the class is looking mostly to upgrade its offense with some instant help at quarterback with David Fisher out of California. Running back Julian Durden is a smallish, quick back who can be a factor right away , while the receiver combination of James Brooks and Jordan Italiano are quick prospects with good potential. Tight end Kyle Crum should grow into a good target.

The 2012 Class Was Heavy On... Talent. After bringing in a few lousy recruiting classes, the Golden Flashes have to find players and this class has them. There might not be any star power, but it’s a big class that has a little something for almost every spot. The highest-rated prospect is kicker Anthony Melchiori, and he’ll push Freddy Cortez for the starting job this year.

Team Concerns For 2012: The defense loses two good starters, meaning even more emphasis will be on Roosevelt Nix to carry the front seven. Both corners are gone, and it’ll be a fight for both jobs. The offense that’s been so inconsistent loses a few targets and center Chris Anzevino, but it should be among the MAC’s most experienced attacks.

Looking Ahead To The 2012 Season: Darrell Hazell’s first season was solid, and 2012 could be sensational with one of the MAC’s best defenses getting back pass rushing terror Roosevelt Nix and a slew of good players. However, five starters are gone from the D. The offense gets the backfield back including QB Spencer Keith, and Tyshon Goode could be among the MAC’s top targets. Four starters are back up front.

The 2011 Class Was Heavy On … Quarterback. Apparently, new head coach Darrell Hazell, an offensive coach, wants someone to get the anemic passing game moving. The last recruiting class came up with some strong receiver prospects, and now the hope will be for Evan Shimensky and Jordan Tarver to deliver the ball. They aren't big, strong passers, but they have good potential and nice mobility.

2010 CFN Recruiting Ranking: 115. That Class Was Heavy On ... The defensive front seven. After working on doing something for the passing game with last year's class, this year was all about the defense and especially the line with six decent prospects to try to generate even more of a pass rush. LB Steve Mehrer and safety Calvin Tiggle will play huge roles over the next few years. Offensively, quarterback got attention with the pickup of Gabe Henderson and Cedric McCloud.

2009 CFN Recruiting Ranking: 107. That Class Was Heavy On ... Wide receivers. There aren’t a lot of them, but a team that has been so reliant on the running game got a few decent targets to help the passing attack. Is Tyshon Goode a running back or a receiver? It doesn’t matter; he’s the best incoming playmaker who could make an impact right away in a variety of ways. The defensive line was all but ignored.

Nov. 25 at Temple 34 … Kent State 16
(AP) PHILADELPHIA -- Bernard Pierce ran wild in the second half Saturday and finished with 189 yards and three touchdowns in Temple's 34-16 victory over Kent State in Mid-American Conference play.

The Owls (8-4, 5-3) have won eight games or more for three straight seasons for the first time in school history. This marks the most victories by a first-year Temple coach, Steve Addazio.

With its third straight victory, Temple is bowl-eligible for the third straight season. Last year, Temple was the only program in the country with a winning record that was snubbed by the bowls.

The Owls led Kent State (5-7, 4-4) 10-6 at halftime despite losing quarterback Chris Coyer to an injury on the third play. In the second half, Pierce exploded for 167 yards and all three touchdowns, scoring on runs of 18, 25 and 69 yards. Pierce averaged 9.8 yards on each of his 17 second-half carries.

Kent State took a 6-0 lead early in the second quarter, capitalizing on the first of backup Temple quarterback Chester Stewart's two first-half fumbles. After recovering at the Temple 16, the Golden Flashes needed three plays to score on Jacquise Terry's 11-yard run. Temple's Kee-ayre Griffin blocked the extra point try.

On the ensuing kickoff, Matt Brown returned it 100 yards for the go-ahead touchdown and a lead Temple never relinquished. It was the second 100-yard kickoff return in school history. Five seconds before halftime, a 33-yard field goal by Brandon McManus made it 10-6 at the break. Then Pierce took over in the second half to end Kent State's four-game winning streak and keep Temple's hopes for a second bowl invitation in three years alive.

The Owls are one of six bowl-eligible teams from the MAC. The victory may have solidified a berth in the December 31st Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl in San Francisco's AT&T Park.

Nov. 12 Kent State 35 … at Akron 3

Nov. 19 at Kent State 28 … Eastern Michigan 22

Nov. 5 at Kent State 24 … Central Michigan 21

Oct. 29 at Kent State 27 … Bowling Green 15  

Oct. 15 Miami University 9 … at Kent State 3
CFN Analysis: Kent State might have outgained Miami, but the offense continues to be like pulling teeth. The passing game is the least efficient in America and the offense has a whole has nothing to rely on. The problem is that there’s no improvement. Spencer Keith can’t find anything that works down the field, and running backs Jacquise Terry and Traylon Durham weren’t able to find any room. With three home games in the next four, finding players to work around for next year is Job One, and if the Golden Flashes can come up with a win, that’d be a nice bonus. 

Oct. 8 at Northern Illinois 40 … Kent State 10
CFN Analysis: The offense went from bad to worse, and it’s all because of an offensive line that’s not giving the skill players a chance to breathe. Last in the nation in yards and last in scoring, KSU has scored just 39 points in five FBS games with no passing game down the field and nothing to count on consistently. With three home games in a road and four in the next five, it’s time to find something that works down the stretch and going into next year. The defense is doing what it can, but the pass rush isn’t anywhere near at the same level as it was last year and the D isn’t nearly disruptive enough. 

Oct. 1 at Ohio 17 … Kent State 10
CFN Analysis: Dead last in the nation in total offense, dead last in scoring, and dead last in passing efficiency, Kent State isn’t generating much of anything on offense. The Ohio game was there for the taking, but there wasn’t any semblance of a passing attack to move the ball on key third downs and there were way too many mistakes. With four turnovers and just 200 yards of total offense, it was impressive the Golden Flashes didn’t get blown away. The defense has been fine, but it’ll have to start coming up with more big plays and doing things on its own to make up for the problems on offense. 

Sept. 24 at Kent State 33 … South Alabama 25
CFN Analysis: The offense is still a concern and the defense hasn’t been nearly the aggressive force or the rock against the run it needs to be, but at least the team got a win. South Alabama moved the ball too easily through the air, but the biggest concern is the lack of passing game down the field with Spencer Keith only throwing for 94 yards on a 10-of-19 day, and the running game not doing too much to pick up the slack. The defense was fine, but not stellar. It did a good job of getting off the field, but it’s going to have to get into the backfield far more to have a shot against Ohio.

Sept. 17 at Kansas State 37 ... Kent State 0
CFN Analysis: Kent State has to find some semblance of an offense. Not doing much against Alabama is one thing, but the Golden Flashes haven’t moved the ball a lick against Louisiana or Kansas State over the last two weeks. The passing game is the least efficient in America by far, and it starts with an offensive line that’s not keeping quarterback Spencer Keith upright and isn’t getting any passing game. Worse yet, compared to last year, there’s little pass rush with just four in three games. Roosevelt Nix got a sack, but he’s not getting any help from the rest of the defensive front. The South Alabama game comes at a much needed time to see if something can start to click for the offense, but with road games at Ohio and Northern Illinois to follow, there’s little time to work. 

Sept. 10 Louisiana-Lafayette 20 ... at Kent State 12

Sept. 3 at Alabama 48 … Kent State 7
CFN Analysis: Kent State has to ignore this game as quickly as possible; no one is going to do anything against the Alabama defense. The Golden Flash D did a decent job of keeping the game from getting truly ugly, and Roosevelt Nix was Roosevelt Nix with six tackles, a sack, and two tackles for loss, and Calvin Tiggle came up with an excellent day with ten stops and a fumble recovery, but the offense will have to wait until the Louisiana game before it can get something to work. RB Jacquise Terry didn’t have anywhere to move, and Spencer Keith threw 47 times for just 99 yards.