Kent State 2018 Roster | Kent State 2018 Media Guide | Kent State 2018 Schedule
KENT, Ohio – Kent State first-year head coach Sean Lewis is charged with rebuilding the Golden Flashes program after being named the program’s 22nd head football coach on Dec. 21, 2017. Lewis inherits a program that finished last year with a 2-10 overall record, 1-7 in the MAC, and hasn’t finished with a winning record since the 2012 season (11-3 overall).
Kent State returns 49 letterwinners from last year, including 14 starters (6 offense, 6 defense, 2 special teams). The Golden Flashes have a difficult non-conference schedule with road games against two Big Ten opponents and one SEC. Kent State opens the season with a road game at Illinois on Sept. 1, then returns to Dix Stadium to host Howard on Sept. 8. Kent State travels to Penn State on Sept. 15 and Ole Miss on Sept. 22.
Offensively Kent State will return three starters from last year’s offensive line as offensive tackle Bryce Gibbs (8 games) and offensive guard’s Adam Gregoire (6 games) and Nate Warnock (12 games) build a baseline for Lewis. Skill position targets include junior wide receiver Mike Carrigan (281 yards, 2 touchdowns) and senior receiver Raekwon James, while running backs Justin Rankin (490 yards, 3 touchdowns) and Will Matthews (188 yards, 1 touchdown) will carry the load in the backfield. Sophomore quarterback Dustin Crum will be pushed by Woody Barret, Marquez Glover, Will Phills and Pryce Taylor.
Senior linebacker Jim Jones (98 tackles, 8 sacks) will be the centerpiece of the Golden Flashes defense. Senior defensive end Theo Eboigbe (39 tackles, 5 tackles for loss) and junior defensive end Nick Faulkner (28 tackles) will anchor the defensive line and junior defensive back Jamal Parker (57 tackles, 12 passes defensed), junior safety Mandela Lawrence-Burke (76 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss) and senior safety Juantez McRae (30 tackles) will lead the secondary.
September
1 at Illinois, Noon ET (Big Ten Network)
8 Howard, 3:30 pm ET (ESPN+)
15 at Penn State, Noon ET (FS1)
22 at Ole Miss
29 *at Ball State
October
6 *Ohio, 3:30 pm ET (ESPN+)
13 *at Miami
20 *Akron, 3:30 pm ET (ESPN+)
30 *at Bowling Green, 8:00 pm ET (ESPN2/ESPNU)
November
6 *at Buffalo, 7:30 pm ET (ESPNU)
15 *Toledo, 6:00 pm ET (CBS Sports Network)
23 *Eastern Michigan, TBA
