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Struggling team to play undefeated Cardinals Saturday at Ball State
By Stephanie Storm
Beacon Journal sports writer
Published on Friday, Sep 26, 2008
Football teams often use the nonconference portion of their schedule to gauge how good they will play in their league.
After going 1-3 with a lone win coming against Delaware State in the Golden Flashes' home opener Sept. 13, the Kent State football team knows it has a mountain of work cut out for itself after falling to Louisiana-Lafayette 44-27 last week.
''[Defensively], we didn't play as well as we had been,'' Kent State coach Doug Martin said. ''But you have to tip your hat to [Louisiana-Lafayette]. The combination of their quarterback and running back, they were just better than us.''
Providing further challenge for the struggling Flashes this week is beginning Mid-American Conference play at noon Saturday at undefeated Ball State (WEWS, Channel 5).
The Cardinals are coming off a 42-20 win over Indiana last Saturday — their first victory over a Big Ten opponent. In addition, Ball State's 4-0 start is the school's first since the 1998 team began the season with five consecutive wins.
A big reason for Ball State's early success is its high-powered offense. Led by quarterback Nate Davis, the Cardinals are averaging 41.5 points and nearly 500 yards of offense — both of which rank in the top 15 nationally.
''It all starts with Nate Davis,'' Martin said. ''He's one of the best quarterbacks in the nation and I think he's playing better now than he ever has. His decision making is just impeccable.''
The Cardinals boast more than Davis.
Cardinals running back Mi-Quale Lewis tied a school single-season record with four rushing touchdowns and gained 166 yards on 29 carries. Safety Derrick Henry did his part on defense with a team-high nine tackles (including one for loss), while helping the Cardinals shutout Indiana in the second half. Both players were recognized as players of the week on offense and defense, respectively, in the MAC West Division.
For Kent State, junior running back Eugene Jarvis missed his second consecutive start last week, forced to sit out with a sprained ankle. Jarvis, whose status for Saturday is uncertain, ranks fourth on KSU career charts with 2,674 yards rushing.
''Right now, I'd list him as doubtful for this week,'' Martin said Monday. ''We'll just have to see how he is day-to-day. He's trying to come back, but he definitely couldn't have played Saturday.''
Likewise, the Cardinals' receiving corps suffered a huge blow last week when senior Dante Love sustained a cervical spine fracture and spinal cord injury during the game against Indiana. The injury required a five-hour surgery the next day.
The university reported earlier this week that Love had movement in his extremities, but that his football career is likely over. Love is ranked second in the country in receiving yards per game (115.0) and is tied for 19th in receptions per game (7.0).
Stephanie Storm can be reached at sstorm@thebeaconjournal.com.
Football teams often use the nonconference portion of their schedule to gauge how good they will play in their league.
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Posted 07:27 AM, 09/27/2008
What a shambles this program is!
