From 1987-2018, Kent State football had five winning seasons. In its most recent five seasons, the team recorded some of its best performances in program history – including its Frisco Bowl win in 2019.
This year, Kent State was selected to finish last in the East division in the 2023 MAC Football Head Coaches Preseason Poll. The team enters the season with a new head coach and near brand-new roster.
Five-year coach Sean Lewis installed the ‘Flash Fast’ methodology, and during his tenure, his offense ranked in the top half of the Mid-American Conference every season, with two No.1 offenses in two of three last seasons.
After winning 22 games over the past four years and making two bowl appearances, the Flashes became a must-see team when they took the field – and then Colorado coach Deion Sanders, a two-time Super Bowl champion, came calling.
As Sanders began to build his coaching staff in his first year with Colorado, Lewis accepted the job opportunity, leaving Kent State to find its next coach.
KSU was hit the hardest by the transfer portal of all mid-major schools this year, as the team returns only two starters from the 2022 season – graduate student defensive back D.J. Miller Jr and senior defensive lineman CJ West.
In total, KSU had 14 players enter the transfer portal, and saw 22 players make their way to the team as transfers, which is the most in the MAC.
The Flashes will look to replace wide receivers Devontez Walker, who transferred to North Carolina, and Dante Cephus, who transferred to Penn State.
The former Flashes combined for 1,665 yards receiving and 14 touchdowns. The rest of the team totaled 917 yards and three touchdowns.
Quarterback Collin Schlee transferred to UCLA, and Kent State’s new head coach has yet to name a new starting QB.
On Dec. 13, 2022, Kent State announced the hiring of Kenni Burns as the football program’s next head coach.
Burns had been a staple in Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck’s staff since 2016, when they coached together at Western Michigan. Burns took the running backs job while Fleck was head coach.
“ [Fleck] does a great job of connecting people, and I think he prepared me to do that– to connect our football team to each other, play with each other, and get the coaches to buy into a system and a belief,” Burns said.
Burns was the architect of the Golden Gophers No. 11 rushing offense in the nation last season.
The Gophers have run for over 2,000 yards every full season under Burns, while running back Rodney Smith recorded the second-most rushing yards in Minnesota history.
Former Gopher running back Mohamed Ibrahim earned All-American honors during Burns’s tenure.
After coming over with Fleck from Western Michigan, Burns was promoted to Minnesota’s assistant head coach in 2019.
“For the last three years, I’ve been as assistant head coach, so I was able to get some insight into how he [Fleck] does it and how he builds it,” Burns said. “And I think it’s definitely helped me this first year, getting my staff right, getting the players aligned, and really putting a vision in front of everyone.”
Burns saw how to succeed in the MAC, as Fleck led the Broncos to 30 wins in three seasons at WMU.
The Flashes’ season kicks off Aug. 31, when they travel to take on the University of Central Florida.
Three of the team’s first four games are on the road, with the home opener coming Sep. 16 against Central Connecticut State University.
The matchup with the Zips takes place Nov. 1, with the game taking place in Akron.
Toledo and Ohio were selected to win their respective divisions in the preseason poll. – The Rockets were selected to win the MAC Championship at Ford Field in Detroit on Dec. 2.
Akron was picked to finish fifth.
After being selected to finish last in the East division, Burns said he does not put a lot of stock in the preseason poll.
“This conference always has a different winner,” he said. “If I could’ve voted for us, I would’ve voted last, too, because we are the most inexperienced team in America.
“There’s a lot of unknown when you look at our roster. But when I look at our roster, we have the pieces in place to be a winning football team.”
Brand new offense works to connect
After losing every starter from the 2022 season, the Flashes’ offense will look different when the season kicks off Aug. 31. – including a new starting quarterback.
“We’ve got some terrific young men fighting for that battle, and it’s not done yet,” Burns said. “I told those guys I’m looking for one thing: leadership. I need leadership at that position so the team can rally around you. The one who gravitates to take charge and lead the offense is the guy we’re going to go with.”
Sophomore Tommy Ulatowski, senior Griffin Brewster, sophomore Devin Kargman and redshirt junior Michael Alaimo are competing for the job.
“They’re all gonna have an equal opportunity to present themselves,” Burns said. “I think all four of those guys have had a great offseason so far.”
Last season, Kargman completed 29 passes for 348 yards and three touchdowns in limited time with Kent State.
Ulatowski appeared in two games last season for KSU, throwing for 102 yards and connecting on a game-winning touchdown pass against Buffalo in overtime.
Brewster has appeared in one game for the Flashes, coming in the 2021 contest against Virginia Military Institute.
Alaimo has spent the past three seasons at Purdue, appearing in four games and throwing for one touchdown.
The offensive line will see five new faces after losing two players to Colorado and one to UCF.
“It’s a young group, but it’s an exciting group, and the development that group has had this offseason has been great,” Burns said. “I think [offensive line coach] Matt Weinberger has done a great job with that group.”
After losing over 60 percent of the receiving yards, the Flashes will have more new faces receiving the ball.
“We have a lot of talent in that room, but it’s just going to come down to how quickly everyone is able to develop,” Burns said. “Everyone needs to be able to learn from mistakes they’re making in the first couple of games and use that for progress and knowing what to work on.”
The running back room is the team’s “deepest” according to Burns.
“They’ve got a big test until we have figured out this quarterback situation,” he said.
Graduate student Xavier Williams and redshirt junior Ky Thomas will lead the running backs.
Williams missed all of last season due to injury.
Thomas spent one season under Burns at Minnesota, recording 824 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground.
“Thomas, who I think is a terrific young man, fits in well, and we had success in Minnesota together when we got the chance to work together,” Burns said. “There was already good depth in the room with Williams. I mean, you talk about an electric player; he’s a guy who can take and hit a big play instantly.”
Sophomore running back Gavin Garcia is one player Burns thinks KSU fans should get to know this season.
“Nobody really knows about Garcia yet, but I’m excited about him,” he said. “I’ve been around football long enough to see a really good football player. He’s a very good football player.”
During the 2022 season, Garcia totaled 211 yards for one touchdown, averaging six yards per carry.
The 2023 offense for the Flashes will be inexperienced, but Burns is looking for ways for his players to connect.
“The biggest thing I’ve found is to put them into situations where they have to meet adversity together,” he said. “This summer, we created environments where they had to rely on each other to have success. I believe that to have success, you have to play for each other.”
Defense becomes team’s new strength
Throughout Sean Lewis’s tenure at KSU, the team’s offense operated at high tempos, leaving the defense vulnerable and unable to get rest throughout a game.
The Flashes ranked last in the MAC in total defense and finished ninth in scoring defense.
“I think this year might look a little bit different than years past,” Burns said. “Because I think our defense is actually the strength of our football team right now.”
Even though the defense is returning only two starters, Burns said the unit has experience.
“They just need to learn how to play together,” he said. “That’s why the work we are all doing now is so important.”
Burns sees the defensive line being able to lead his defense.
“The common theme with every group is just gaining time together,” Burns said.
Senior defensive linemen CJ West, who finished last season with 26 total tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and one fumble recovery, leads the D-line.
“Everybody has a good connection with each other,” West said. “So we’ve been a really good group this year, and I’m looking forward to seeing what we can accomplish.”
Kicker stays the same
Junior Andrew Glass will be the Flashes’ starting kicker.
Glass has attempted 54 kicks in his two-year career at Kent State, converting 38.
His longest kick is 50 yards, which was the fourth successful kick of 50 or more yards in program history.
The punter decision will be made between sophomores Johan Silver and Charlie Durkin.
Neither player has recorded a collegiate punt.
“I’m really excited about this football team,” Burns said. “The thing to me is how quickly can we grow up and become the most connected team in the country.”
New coach, new motto: Kent GRIT
Burns said it starts with “Kent Grit” when it comes to growing together as a team.
Burns brought with him to the team the motto Kent Grit – Growing, Responding, doing it with Integrity and doing it Together.
“It’s pretty much putting that into what we do every day,” West said. “So when the time comes, we can put that on tape and show everybody what we’re really about.”
Burns’ team got to experience the physicality he expects from his program in the recent spring game.
“I heard from many players that this is the most physical spring, and that was the purpose of that game,” he said. “We need to establish an identity early and find out who we are, and find that tough mindset.”
Burns has emphasized the importance of his players being prepared for every situation.
“That was something I learned from P.J. Fleck,” he said. “We are constantly putting them in situations, whether it is in the red zone, fourth down, or needing to create a turnover. I want them to be able to always feel comfortable no matter what is taking place on the field.”
Throughout practice, there is a time called ‘narrow,’ which is all about putting a situation that is going to come up in games.
“So there’s stuff that we create– it could be to win again, two-point play or even the defense having to come back on the field quickly,” Burns said. “Trying to create those and doing your best, but like anything, they don’t really know when these situations are going to come up.
“They get into the pressure and situation of a game, but I think everything already with repetition, and the more times we are doing something, the more comfortable we should feel.”
Sophomore standouts
Sophomore defensive linemen Stephen Daley and Garcia are two players who have caught the coaching staff’s eyes.
Daley appeared in 10 games as a freshman, recording four tackles and one sack.
“Once you’re able to see him play, you’ll see how big he is, and the plays he makes can jump off the screen,” Burns said.
“Looking at the numbers from the summer
on what each guy did individually, he was able to have the biggest growth out of everyone.”
Burns said Garcia reminds him of former Minnesota All-American running Mohamed Ibrahim.
“They both want to be coached every day, coming into the building like they are a freshman and wanting to learn something new,” he said. “That is what excites you about being a coach; I’m excited to see where his season can go.”
Burns’s goals for the season are to grow together and be the most connected team in the country.
“It’s really about how quickly can this team connect,” he said. “Because there is talent here, it’s just inexperienced talent, and we need to develop it to get it here sooner rather than later.”
Test one: Central Florida on the road
Kent State’s season begins Aug. 31, when the team takes on the University of Central Florida at 7 p.m. in Orlando.
Last season, the Knights finished 9-5, averaging 42 points per game in their wins.
UCF ended its season, losing the American Athletic Conference championship game (Tulane) and the Military Bowl (Duke) by an average of 17 points.
“This is always a fun start to the season for me and our staff,” Burns said. “We’ve seen these players put in work, and we’re so excited just to get back on the field and start the season.”
Turn to the next page to read a profile on new coach Kenni Burns.
Jacob Shondel is sports editor.
Contact him at [email protected].
