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Time off proves invaluable for struggling kicker Reed. Running back Jarvis gets added rest after high-ankle injury. Flashes eye end to 4-game losing streak
By Stephanie Storm
Beacon Journal sports writer
Published on Saturday, Oct 25, 2008
There might not have been a more welcomed bye week in all of the Mid-American Conference than the one Kent State embraced last week.
It was a time to regroup after starting the year 1-6 in what appeared to be a promising 2008 season.
It was a time of added rest for standout running back Eugene Jarvis, who has spent a majority of the season nursing a high-ankle sprain suffered Sept. 13 against Delaware State. He returned to action Oct. 11 but rushed for only 50 yards on 14 carries in a loss to Ohio University.
Mostly, the time off was invaluable when it came to working with struggling kicker Nate Reed, who quickly went from clutch last season to unreliable this year — with little explanation as to why.
''We had a real physical week of practice,'' said KSU coach Doug Martin, whose Golden Flashes (0-3 in the MAC) travel to Yager Stadium in Oxford today take on the Miami RedHawks (2-5, 1-2) in a game to be televised by ONN. ''We did two full days of live-speed scrimmaging to try and get a physical nature back to our team on both sides of the ball.''
That also includes in the kicking game, on which Martin said the Flashes conducted ''a lot of live work'' with Reed.
''It's not an issue of can he do it, because he's done it before when he broke records here last year,'' Martin said. ''He has got to step up and just do it and handle pressure situations.''
Despite Reed's struggles, Martin said he will continue to stick with the junior from Wadsworth.
''It's like I told Nate, 'If you miss a field goal, you're going right back out there to kick the next one because you are the guy who is going out there to kick it. So you can either go out there and embarrass yourself in front of everybody, or you can learn how to kick the ball in pressure situations.' ''
While the Golden Flashes were idle last week, Miami managed to snap a three-game losing streak with a 27-20 win at Bowling Green. The RedHawks' victory was their first versus an FBS (Division I-A) opponent this season and came with two freshmen leading the way.
In his first extended playing time of the season, running back J.R. Taylor gained 127 yards on 18 carries and scored the game-winning touchdown. In his first start, quarterback Clayton Belton completed 11-of-23 passes for 123 yards, including a 53-yard touchdown.
''The win gave us some confidence, something we've been lacking a little bit,'' Miami coach Shane Montgomery said. ''To go on the road like that and come away with a big win, it'll hopefully replenish a lot of confidence, especially for the young guys who've stepped up and picked up the team.''
The Flashes hope to snap a four-game losing streak and a six-game road losing streak.
''Right now we just need to regroup and play a real good five-game season from here on out,'' Martin said.
Flashes
• Miami leads the overall series 44-11, but the teams have split the past two meetings: Miami won last year 20-13; KSU won 16-14 in 2006.
• Flashes senior quarterback Julian Edelman ranks third in the MAC in rushing (89.0 ypg) and has 249 yards on 39 attempts the past two games . . . KSU's 205 rushing yards per game leads the MAC, but the team's 168.9 passing yards per game ranks 12th out of 13 MAC teams.
• In their first five games, the RedHawks averaged 80.4 yards rushing. In their past two, they've increased their average to 181.5. That does not bode well for the Flashes, whose defense has allowed 19 rushing touchdowns this season.
A leg up
Miami kicker Nate Parseghian, a native of Sylvania, was named the MAC East Division Special Teams Player of the Week. With the RedHawks trailing 20-14 in the second half, Parseghian connected on field goals from 37 yards in the third quarter and 36 yards in the fourth quarter to pull Miami even. He also kicked three extra points.
He has made 12-of-13 field goals this season.
National leader
KSU senior linebacker Derek Burrell recently was named to Phil Steele's Mid-Season All-MAC first team. Through seven games, Burrell leads the nation in tackles with 76, and his 10.86 tackles per game tops the MAC and ranks fifth nationally.
He has had double-digit tackles five times this year, including twice totaling a game-high 14.
The Flashes also placed five players on the publication's second team: senior wide receiver Shawn Bayes, senior left tackle Augustus Parrish and redshirt freshman center Chris Anzevino, senior cornerback Rico Murray and sophomore free safety Brian Lainhart.
Stephanie Storm can be reached at sstorm@thebeaconjournal.com.
There might not have been a more welcomed bye week in all of the Mid-American Conference than the one Kent State embraced last week.
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