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Do IT this week: Layering
Terry and Archer are making up for the loss of running back Jarvis
By Stephanie Storm
Beacon Journal sports writer
POSTED: 08:18 p.m. EDT, Oct 05, 2009
KENT: And now we join our season already in progress.
Kent State football players and coaches are relieved the nonconference portion of the schedule is complete. The Golden Flashes lost all three of their BCS conference team games (Iowa State, Big 12; Boston College, ACC; and Baylor, Big 12) and lost their top running back in Eugene Jarvis for the season to a lacerated kidney. But now, they are on to the more important Mid-American Conference season.
''We're looking forward to getting into conference play this week and for the next seven contests,'' Kent State coach Doug Martin said.
The Golden Flashes (2-3, 1-0 MAC) already have a head a start in MAC play, having beaten Miami 29-19 on Sept. 26.
Despite the losses to such highly regarded teams, the Flashes were able to use the games to evaluate important positions on the field.
Against Baylor, sophomore running back Jacquise Terry rushed for a career-high 109 yards on 12 carries in his second consecutive 100-yard performance.
''Jacquise Terry has stepped up and really given us a lot of big plays offensively,'' Martin said.
The emergence of Terry and freshman Dri Archer is one of the reasons the loss of Jarvis hasn't devastated the Flashes.
''[Terry's] one of those backs who makes your offensive line better and makes people miss,'' Martin said. ''As long as we keep getting productivity from him and Dri Archer, we feel like we're hanging in there even though we lost one of the best backs in the conference.''
The Flashes also are switching their starting quarterback for the game at 3:30 p.m. Saturday against Bowling Green (1-4, 0-1) at Dix Stadium.
Although strong-armed sophomore Giorgio Morgan won the job out of camp, Martin is leaning more toward effective freshman Spencer Keith, who stepped in when Morgan was dealing with an ankle injury suffered in the season opener against Coastal Carolina.
''With us offensively, the key is maintaining the balance we had [against Baylor],'' Martin said. ''Spencer Keith came in and really played well for us. I think he kind of gives us our best option right now as far as how many plays he's making.
''We're going to start Spencer Saturday at quarterback with the hope that he can get a little more consistent. Giorgio hasn't played bad, but Spencer is just just making more plays and better decisions right now.''
Last week, Keith came off the bench and matched his career high with 21 completions on a career-high 39 attempts.
''I thought our players competed very well against Baylor, played hard and with a lot of passion,'' Martin said. ''Offensively, we were really well balanced [run-to-pass]. But we didn't perform as well as we would have liked in the red zone and obviously, the two blocked field goals hurt us quite a bit.''
Another area of concern for Martin is penalties.
''In the Iowa State game they were costly; in the Miami game we had some more but handled it well,'' Martin said. ''But this past week we had 10 penalties in the first half alone. We've got to improve there if we want to make a statement in our conference.''
Stephanie Storm can be reached
at sstorm@thebeaconjournal.com.
KENT: And now we join our season already in progress.
Kent State football players and coaches are relieved the nonconference portion of the schedule is complete. The Golden Flashes lost all three of their BCS conference team games (Iowa State, Big 12; Boston College, ACC; and Baylor, Big 12) and lost their top running back in Eugene Jarvis for the season to a lacerated kidney. But now, they are on to the more important Mid-American Conference season.
''We're looking forward to getting into conference play this week and for the next seven contests,'' Kent State coach Doug Martin said.
The Golden Flashes (2-3, 1-0 MAC) already have a head a start in MAC play, having beaten Miami 29-19 on Sept. 26.
Despite the losses to such highly regarded teams, the Flashes were able to use the games to evaluate important positions on the field.
Against Baylor, sophomore running back Jacquise Terry rushed for a career-high 109 yards on 12 carries in his second consecutive 100-yard performance.
''Jacquise Terry has stepped up and really given us a lot of big plays offensively,'' Martin said.
The emergence of Terry and freshman Dri Archer is one of the reasons the loss of Jarvis hasn't devastated the Flashes.
''[Terry's] one of those backs who makes your offensive line better and makes people miss,'' Martin said. ''As long as we keep getting productivity from him and Dri Archer, we feel like we're hanging in there even though we lost one of the best backs in the conference.''
The Flashes also are switching their starting quarterback for the game at 3:30 p.m. Saturday against Bowling Green (1-4, 0-1) at Dix Stadium.
Although strong-armed sophomore Giorgio Morgan won the job out of camp, Martin is leaning more toward effective freshman Spencer Keith, who stepped in when Morgan was dealing with an ankle injury suffered in the season opener against Coastal Carolina.
''With us offensively, the key is maintaining the balance we had [against Baylor],'' Martin said. ''Spencer Keith came in and really played well for us. I think he kind of gives us our best option right now as far as how many plays he's making.
''We're going to start Spencer Saturday at quarterback with the hope that he can get a little more consistent. Giorgio hasn't played bad, but Spencer is just just making more plays and better decisions right now.''
Last week, Keith came off the bench and matched his career high with 21 completions on a career-high 39 attempts.
''I thought our players competed very well against Baylor, played hard and with a lot of passion,'' Martin said. ''Offensively, we were really well balanced [run-to-pass]. But we didn't perform as well as we would have liked in the red zone and obviously, the two blocked field goals hurt us quite a bit.''
Another area of concern for Martin is penalties.
''In the Iowa State game they were costly; in the Miami game we had some more but handled it well,'' Martin said. ''But this past week we had 10 penalties in the first half alone. We've got to improve there if we want to make a statement in our conference.''
Stephanie Storm can be reached
at sstorm@thebeaconjournal.com.
Comments
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Posted 09:17 PM, 10/05/2009
The MAC east is wide open. C`mon Flashes, let`s play hard and smart. Go Kent!
Kandi, SL
Posted 03:40 PM, 10/06/2009
Way to kent state. Looks like you won't finish sixth this year. That should gain whatsisname a new five-year extension.
