Kent State University
Ohio University
Flashes Host Ohio Saturday at Dix Stadium
10/18/2016 2:32:00โฏPM | Football
Game Notes ย ESPN3 ย Golden Flashes Radio
Kent State looks to get back into the thick of the of the MAC East race Saturday, hosting division rival Ohio inside Dix Stadium. The Golden Flashes and Bobcats will be meeting for the 69th time.
Facts In A Flash
โข In three of its losses this season, Kent State has held leads in the latter half of the fourth quarter.ย
โข With six touchdowns in his last two games, junior quarterback Nick Holley ranks 14th in the FBS in total touchdowns.ย
โข The Flashes rank 34th in the FBS in total defense.
โข Academic All-American, and senior linebacker Nick Cuthbert has made 31 tackles in his last four games with a recovered fumble. He was recently named a Campbell Trophy semifinalist.
โข Senior safety Nate Holley leads the nation in solo tackles per game (8.7) and ranks second in total tackles (13.1). ย
โข Senior apache Najee Murray ranks fourth in the nation in pass breakups.
โข The Flashes have not lost a fumble in their last three games and rank 26th in the FBS in fumbles recovered.ย
โข The Flashes' 44 points at Buffalo were their most against an FBS opponent since 2013.
โข Five of Kent State's offensive linemen have made a combined 121 career starts.
โข Sophomore center Stefano Millin was chosen to wear the No. 54 jersey.ย
โข Kent State's 7.6 yards per rush at Buffalo is the second best single-game performance by a MAC team this season.
โข Senior defensive end Terence Waugh ranks 24th in the nation in sacks (6.0) and 37th in tackles for loss (9.0).
โข Kent State returned 10 Academic All-MAC selections and three MAC Distinguished Scholar-Athletes.
All-Time Series
Ohio leads the all-time series with Kent State 41-25-2 and has won the last two meetings. Last season, the Bobcats rushed for 333 yards in a 27-0 victory in Athens. ย The last time the teams met in Kent, Josiah Yazdani kicked a 44-yard field goal as time expired to give Ohio a 17-14 victory. Nate Holley made 18 tackles, forced two fumbles and recovered a fumble, while Ernest Calhoun made a career-high 11 catches.
TV/Video/Radio
Saturday's game can be seen on ESPN3 with Michael Reghi (play-by-play) and Dustin Fox (analyst). ย The game can be heard live on 640 WHLO and Golden Flashes Radio on iHeartRadio. Ty Linder will handle the play-by-play duties and is joined in the booth for the seventh year in a row by color analyst Rob Polinsky. ย Jacob Pavilack will be the sideline reporter. iHeartRadio can be heard on a computer, smart phone or tablet.
The Coaches
โข Paul Haynes is in his fourth year at his alma mater. ย In 2013, Haynes became the first Flashes' head coach to win his debut since 1988. He was a two-time All-MAC safety at Kent State from 1987-91, despite joining as a walk-on. He returned as an assistant in 1999 and was promoted to assistant head coach in 2000. After seven seasons on an Ohio State staff that won six Big Ten titles (2005-11), Haynes spent 2012 as defensive coordinator at Arkansas. ย His current tenure has also brought Kent State's academic achievements to new heights with the highest term and cumulative team grade point averages in program history.
โข Frank Solich (Nebraska '66) is in his 12th season at Ohio and 18th season as an FBS head coach. ย Solich has led the Bobcats to seven bowl appearances, including the program's first bowl victory. ย Ohio is currently on a streak of seven straight seasons with six or more wins. Solich is 6-5 all-time against Kent State. He owns the rare distinction of being named both MAC Coach of the Year and Big 12 Coach of the Year. ย A Northeast Ohio native, Solich was an All-Big 8 running back at Nebraska. ย He spent 16 seasons as an assistant on the Huskers' staff before taking over as head coach in 1998.
WebSite, Twitter & YouTube
For Kent State football stories, statistics, photos, video and more, visit KentStateSports.com. ย For daily football updates follow @kentstathletics and @kentstfootball on Twitter and Kent State Golden Flashes Football on Facebook. ย For an extensive video library visit GoldenFlashesTV on YouTube.ย
Making Them Play Catch Up
Kent State's defense has not allowed a first half touchdown in 4-of-7 games this season. ย In each of the Flashes' two victories this season, its defense has not allowed a touchdown in the first three quarters.
Stopping the Run
The Flashes held Miami to just 79 rushing yards, marking the second time this season an opponent has been held under the 100-yard mark. ย
One week earlier, The Flashes held Buffalo to 58 yards rushing in the first three quarters (116 total).
Monmouth's 67 yards rushing were lowest by an opponent in the Flashes' previous 13 games.
Twin Threat
Nick and Nate Holley are one of six sets of twins on FBS rosters and are the most experienced duo among that group. ย As freshmen, they made their mark on special teams then played pivotal roles on offense and defense in 2014.ย
Although Nate has earned more career accolades, Nick was the team's leading rusher in 2014 with 516 yards. ย Last year, a season-ending injury in week 3 allowed for a medical hardship from the NCAA.
Prior to the Akron game, Nick led the Flashes with 13 catches and 135 receiving yards.
This past spring, both Nate and Nick threw javelin for Kent State in a pair of track & field events.
Position Change
Kent State discovered a new and effective offensive identity when Nick Holley moved to quarterback for the first time since his senior year of high school in 2012 against Akron. Holley became the first Kent State player since 1973 (Larry Poole) to be named MAC Offensive Player of Week in consecutive weeks. ย At Buffalo, Holley tied a program record with four rushing touchdowns in a game. ย Holley had Kent State's two longest runs of the season in the first two series, going 65 yards on the first play and 67 yards on a second possession touchdown.ย
Holley became the first Kent State player since Dri Archer in 2012 with over 200 yards in a game and the first player since Archer with a pair of carries over 60 yards in the same game.
Holley Cracks Career Top 10
At Buffalo, senior safety Nate Holley became Kent State's 10th player in program history to reach 400 career tackles and the first to do so since Sean Patterson in 1993. Showing why he's on the Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List, Holley made 43 solo tackles in a four-game span this year. ย He is the FBS active career tackles leader with 407.ย
Last week, College Football News rated him No. 10 among its FBS Midseason Top Players.
Holley had a sack and 1.5 tackles for loss at Alabama and is on pace to have the most tackles by a Kent State player since 1981.
His career tackles are on pace to pass head coach Paul Haynes who is at at No. 7 with 440 tackles. After making 17 tackles at Penn State, Holley was named MAC East Defensive Player of the Week.ย
The senior ranked in the nation's top five in tackles per game in 2014 and 2015, claiming All-MAC First Team honors in both seasonsย
Cribbs Brings Karma
When Nick Holley finished with 402 yards of total offense against Akron, it was the first time a Kent State player hit that mark since Josh Cribbs in 2004. Earlier that day, Cribbs served as grand marshal of Kent State's homecoming parade and conducted the coin toss prior to kickoff.ย
Hynes Piling up Points
Sophomore kicker Shane Hynes ranks 12th in the nation in field goals per game (1.71).
Prior to a blocked kick against Monmouth, Hynes had made nine straight field goal attempts from inside 50 yards. In wet conditions against NC A&T, Hynes went 3-for-3 on field goals, including a pair of clutch field goals in overtime from 40 and 42 yards out. In strong winds at Buffalo, he went 3-for-3 on field goal attempts, matching his career long of 43 yards. ย In two seasons, Hynes is 30-for-30 on career PATs.
Ohio Kent State Ties
โข Nine players on Kent State's roster, including six Northeast Ohio natives had a high school teammate that now plays at Ohio University.
โข Kent State running backs coach and recruiting coordinator Mark Spencer played at running back for the Bobcats for four seasons (1991-94). Spencer joined as a walk-on and earned a scholarship as a senior.
Foster Breaks Through
Junior cornerback Jerrell Foster played in 10 games in 2014, but missed the entire 2015 season. Foster got his first start of the year in game 3 against Monmouth and has started in five straight games. ย Foster made his first two career interceptions in the first half against Akron.
Rankin's Immediate Impact
Running back Justin Rankin is second among all FBS freshmen in all-purpose yards per game at 119.3. He entered the Akron game ranked seventh in the FBS among freshmen in rushing yards.ย
Before missing the Miami game, Rankin had 436 all-purpose yards in two games.
In his debut at Penn State, Rankin rushed for 82 yards on 13 carries, the most rushing yards by a Kent State back in the team's previous six games. Rankin scored his first career touchdown in overtime against NC A&T.
Facing one of the nation's best run defenses at Alabama, Rankin raced 47 yards on the Flashes' first play from scrimmage. ย His 54-yard catch against Akron was the Flashes' longest offensive play of the season.
His 181 yards receiving against Akron were the most by a Kent State player since 2009.
