This week, football coach Kenni Burns told the team all he is “looking for is growth” following the 56-6 loss to the University of Central Florida in week one.
“We just have to grow and get better,” he said. “We’ve identified what we do well, we’ve identified things we need to fix and get better at, and some of it is fundamentals, some is schematics and some of it is personnel.”
The team will travel to Fayetteville, Arkansas, to take on the Razorbacks Saturday for its second match-up against a Power 5 team in as many weeks.
“I can’t control the schedule, so what we can do as a team is keep getting better as we go,” Burns said. “Obviously, they’re two really good opponents, but it also lets you know where you stack against quality opponents and where you have to get yourself to as a program.”
Arkansas comes into the battle with Kent State following a 56-13 victory over Western Carolina University in its only game this season.
The Razorback forced five turnovers and totaled 379 yards in the win.
It was the team’s largest margin of victory since Sept. 6, 2014, where it beat Nicholls State 73-7.
“They’re a really impressive football team,” Burns said. “They have a really disciplined football team, and they play really hard and play together – they’ve done a good job of building up.”
Arkansas will be led by redshirt senior quarterback KJ Jefferson.
“He’s a phenomenal player – he’s big, he’s strong, he’s got a big arm and he’s a guy we have to bring down and have to really suffocate him and really put some pressure on him,” Burns said. “If you let him sit back there and do what he does, he’ll eat you alive.”
The 2023 preseason Coaches All-SEC Second-Team quarterback threw for 246 yards and three touchdowns while completing 18 of his 23 passes.
Supporting him will be junior running back Raheim Sanders, who is a preseason First-Team All-SEC selection from the coaches. He ran for two touchdowns last week.
“He’s a guy we have to do a good job of tackling and getting him down in space. If we don’t, he’s a guy that can have a big day as well,” Burns said. “He’s elusive in space, he can break tackles and he runs downhill. As the game goes on, he gets better.”
Burns also made note of “a couple of linemen that anchor it down.”
“Their center (Beaux Limmer) and left guard (Brady Latham) are really good players, as well,” he said. “You can see how physical they are and how big they are.”
Arkansas was ranked No. 7 in rushing yards per game and No. 8 in total rushing yards last season.
The team ran for 148 yards and scored three times on the ground in week one.
Kent State had trouble with the running game against UCF last week.
The team allowed a nation-high 389 rushing yards, surrendering five rushing touchdowns and an average of 8.46 yards per carry.
“Obviously, we have to play better,” Burns said. “Week one is about learning where exactly you are and then adjusting to it. We didn’t play well enough to win, but I still feel really good about our team.”
Burns said the “Defensive side of the ball starts with their strong safety,” who is junior Jayden Johnson.
“He’s kind of all over the place when it comes to where they put him, but he’s a guy that jumps out at you on tape,” he said. “He does a good job tackling and getting to the ball.”
Johnson had five tackles, a forced fumble and an interception in the team’s win last week.
Burns mentioned two other players that make an impact on the Arkansas defense.
“Up front, they are anchored down by their defensive end Landon Jackson, a captain,” he said. The guy plays the game the way it should be played; he plays hard, he plays physical and he does a really good job. The other guy that stands out on defense is their corner, Dwight [McGothern], who is also a really good player and a guy who’s played a lot of football for them and has done a great job so far.”
KSU will look to give the Razorback defense trouble under the direction of redshirt junior Michael Alaimo.
Alaimo threw for 145 yards and ran for an additional 23 against UCF.
“He started the game rolling pretty well, and then they did some things to trick him up a little bit, and he threw a couple balls he shouldn’t have, but Mike is a new starter,” Burns said. “He has a ton of ability, he has a strong arm – Mike is somebody I want to build this off of. He consistently works at his craft.”
Burns said, “Mike took a leadership role in practice” this week.
“Mike is a leader, and he has a great presence about him,” Burns said. “He was leading the offense and getting after them to perfect their craft. I love his energy and the work he’s putting into it.”
The Arkansas defense saw three quarterbacks in week one but allowed only 227 yards through the air while forcing four interceptions.
Burns, however, noted the importance of the rushing attack in the offensive game plan.
“We have got to be able to run the ball,” he said. “I believe in possessing the ball and controlling the clock and protecting your defense. The key to us is getting the first first down, and then that allows you to get into your tempo stuff.”
In recent years, Kent State has been one of the best rushing teams by yards per game, ranking in the top 25 in the 2020 (No. 3), 2021 (No. 3) and 2022(No. 22) seasons.
The Flashes saw a new group of offensive linemen for the first time this season, as no starting linemen returned from the previous season.
The new line helped produce 95 total rushing yards and allowed three sacks.
“We have to run the ball better, but we’re breaking in five new offensive linemen,” Burns said. “I think that showed in the game a little bit. They’re a talented group; they just have to play together more.”
Last season, Arkansas allowed an average of 170.5 rushing yards per game, which was the 38th-highest amount in the nation and allowed an average of two rushing touchdowns per game.
Against Western Carolina, the Razorbacks allowed 99 rushing yards and one touchdown on the ground.
For Burns, the key to bouncing back is in the team’s response to last week’s loss.
“We talk about responding in three different ways,” he said. “First, is to be creative and positive in your response – there’s no need to get negative or get down on each other. How can we get better with getting creative with what we do and staying extremely positive? Then we talk about being better, not bitter. Let’s not be bitter towards each other because we lost the game. Let’s find a way to get better. And then we have to continue to be us –we’re Kent State, we know what we can do well.”
Despite the loss to UCF, Burns is “still encouraged by [his] football team.”
“I loved the way they came out last night and worked,” he said. “This program is all about responding to whatever result – the result does not matter. It is about responding to it and making it better than it was the past week, and that’s what I am looking forward to with our football team.”
Kickoff will be at 4 p.m. Saturday in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
“We just have to do what we do better,” Burns said. “That is tackling in space, suffocating the quarterback and stopping the run. That is what we hold our hats on as a defense, and we have to do it better..”
John Hilber is a reporter. Contact him at [email protected]
