The headline in the Akron Beacon Journal after Kent lost to Iowa State was "Golden Flashes struggle to find identity." Four games later, I'm not certain I know the team's identity but one thing I have noticed is it plays hard and is physical on defense. Against Eastern Michigan and in other games, I have seen a lot of gang tackling and to me that is a good thing. It is good because each defensive player tackles as if he has no help whatsoever and the players behave as if the first guy to each tackle needs all ten of his teammates to help him make the tackle. In other words, the first guy to the ball carrier tackles as if he were the only guy and the other ten guys to the ball carrier tackles as if the first guy has never made a tackle in his life. I love Kent's gang tackling and believe that it could become the team's identity but as we saw in the last four minutes of the BG game, the players also need to become better solo tacklers. The Flashes best two tacklers are Cobani Mixon and Brian Lainhart who both should become All-MAC. Mixon's and Lainhart's stats are as follows:
Mixon- 75 total tackles, 42 solo tackles, 33 assists, and 2 sacks Lainhart- 61 total tackles, 36 solo tackles, and 25 assists
The link below is a classic photo of old-fashioned gang tackling from the '72 team led by none other than Jack Lambert. If this team continues to improve on defense, then perhaps it will develop the same identity of the '72 and '73 Golden Flashes.
The other element of the team is speed. Anthony Bowman returned a kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown against Miami that electrified the crowd. Several times Kent has been able to rely on its speed to score on trick plays. Along with Bowman, you will also find plenty of speed in the backfield with Dri Archer and Jacquise Terry, whose nickname is "Speedy." And at wide receivers, Kent has a lot of speed in Derek McBryde, Tyshon Goode, Sam Kirkland, Kendrick Pressley, and Jameson Konz.
With all of the penalties and turnovers, it is fair to say that the team is still not as smart as I would like it to be. But I believe that we're getting there. Even when the team makes mistakes, it can go back and deal with them, and then let them go and get ready for the next game. The team appears to take the "what did we learn" approach rather than get down and point the finger of blame at someone. After the BG game, the team could have done the latter but instead showed a lot of character by rebounding from a devastating loss and playing as a unified team.
That is how I see it. What do you think is the team's identity?
If gang tackling is the identity of this team, then hopefully we will see a lot of it in Athens on Saturday. In the photo below, you will see a swarm of Flashes tackling a Bobcat ball carrier in last year's Homecoming game in Kent. Since this year the Flashes will be wearing their away uniforms against Ohio University, I will expect to see a pile of white and gold defensive players on top of a green and white ball carrier.
As convoluted as this may sound, I think that the identity of this team is that they do not have and identity. And, that is a problem. I have complained for years that Martin's teams have too many uncalled for penalties at the wrong times. That was their identity. Being PC, let me just say that they were not smart and that is a terrible identity to have. Now, I see improvement in that area so I am happy to remove that identity. I am now looking for a more positive description. Two games does not an identity make. I enter every game holding my breath. Please do not regress.
Posted on 10/21 2:42 PM | IP: Logged
I agree gflash this team yet has an identity. They are improving and may have one by the end of the year, but I would like to see how they finish out the season.
Posted on 10/21 2:56 PM | IP: Logged
The team's identity in past years was Jarvis/Edelman pounding the football down the field, with a poor passing game, bad special teams, and the defense was up and down.
I think that this years team can be explosive offensively (if they can continue to jell, eliminate mistakes and penalties) and be tough on defense (play disciplined, simple football). This is obviously yet to be determined, but can be shown this weekend, if the coaches/players decide this is how they want to play.
Latest Team Rankings
Mobile
