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August 30, 2010

Kent State Opens 88th Season Thursday Night In Dix Stadium

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Complete Game Notes in PDF Format

 

Kent State vs. Murray State

Sept. 2, 2010 ~ 7 p.m.

Fan Experience begins @ 4 p.m. in the Field House

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Bras Across The Crooked River Donation Point
 Dix Stadium will serve as a donation point for the Bras Across The Crooked River event. Bring a new or slightly used bra to the Murray State game -- your donation will benefit women in battered women's shelters and natural disaster sites, where supplying bras for victims ranks pretty low on the priority scale. The receiving charity is Breast Oasis, an organization started by Akron plastic surgeon Dr. John C. Pederson. Bras Across the Crooked River is sponsored by the Celtic Club and will take place at Home Savings Bank Plaza in downtown Kent from noon to 10:30 p.m. Sept. 11.

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Family Four Pack Special
4 Tickets, 4 Cokes, 4 Hot Dogs -- $40

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Chick-fil-A Special
1 Game Ticket, Combo meal voucher from Chick-fil-A, a 90Ksu t-shirt & KSU football schedule magnet -- $10 

 

Kent State opens its 88th season of football intent on erasing more than three decades of futility. With a talented core of veterans and a solid blend of strength, speed and athleticism, the Golden Flashes have their sights set on earning the program's first bowl bid since 1972.

 

The Flashes welcome Football Championship Subdivision foe Murray State to Dix Stadium for a Thursday night contest as the teams meet for the first time. Just the fifth season-opener at home in the last two decades, the game will also be the 19th night contest since lights were installed at Dix prior to the 1990 season (the Flashes are 8-10 in those games).

 

Senior Salute

Kent State is putting a slight twist on a familiar tradition by introducing its 16 seniors before the season opener against Murray State. Being honored are DB Kirk Belgrave, WR Anthony Bowman, RB Andre Flowers, S Dan Hartman, RB Eugene Jarvis, LB Will Johnson, S Brian Lainhart, TE Nick Masters, LB Cobrani Mixon, WR Leneric Muldrow, DL Quinton Rainey, DE Monte' Simmons, DB Calvin Taylor, DL Zach Williams, LB Dorian Wood and student assistant Alan Vanderink.

 

Flash Facts

• Senior running back Eugene Jarvis enters the 2010 season 564 yards short of breaking Astron Whatley's career rushing record of 3,989 yards. After missing all but six quarters last season with a lacerated kidney, Jarivs was granted a sixth year by the NCAA. His 3,426 yards are tops among all returning FBS players.

• Sophomore quarterback Spencer Keith returns to direct the offense after a breakout freshman campaign that saw him set school freshman records with 2,147 yards and 14 touchdowns (both fifth in KSU single-season annals). He is fully recovered — including adding 15 pounds of muscle — from a season-ending shoulder injury suffered in week 11 at Temple.

• Defensively, first team All-MAC selection Brian Lainhart returns following a standout junior campaign that saw him lead the MAC with seven interceptions (4th in the nation). His 15 career interceptions are four shy of the school record and are the most among FBS returnees.

• Senior middle linebacker Cobrani Mixon was also a first team All-MAC selection after leading the team with 108 tackles (34th nationally).

 

A Glance At The Series

Murray State is the only opponent on this year's schedule that the Golden Flashes have never faced before.

 

KSU vs. FCS Opponents Under Martin

Year Opponent Result Score

2004 Liberty W 38-10

2005 Southeast Missouri W 33-12

2007 Delaware State W 38-7

2008 Delaware State W 24-3

2009 Coastal Carolina W 18-0

 

Television

None. However, the game can be seen on www.kentstatesports.com as part of the premium content on the K-Zone.

 

Radio

For the fourth straight year, the excitement of Golden Flashes football can be found on flagship station WNIR 100.1 FM in Northeast Ohio as part of the Kent State ISP Sports Network. Now in his third year in the play-by-play role (and his 12th as part of the broadcast), Tom Linder is joined once again in the booth by color analyst Rob Polinsky, while Ty Linder continues his fine work on the sidelines.

 

Web Site

Live audio for all Kent State football game broadcasts, live video of select games and live stats are available via the K-Zone on the official athletic department web site (www.kentstatesports.com).

 

The Coaches

• Doug Martin (Kentucky '85) is in his seventh season as a head coach, owning a 24-46 (.343) record at the helm of the Golden Flashes. He was promoted to head coach March 1, 2004, after serving as Kent State's offensive coordinator in 2003. (For a complete Martin bio see page 10.)

• Chris Hatcher (Valdosta State '95) was named the 17th head coach in Murray State history Dec. 21, 2009. The former Division II National Player of the Year has an overall record of 94-27 in his 10 years as a head coach.  Included in those 10 seasons are six trips to postseason, two appearances in the National Championship game and the 2004 Division II National Championship.

 

Up Next

The Golden Flashes take to the field again Aug. 11, as Kent State travels to Boston College for the second year in a row as the final game of a 2-for-1 deal that saw the Eagles travel to Cleveland Browns Stadium in 2008. BC won 21-0 in the first meeting and 34-7 last season. Meanwhile, the Racers host Southeast Missouri the same day.