The unofficial online home for fans of the Kent State University Golden Flashes. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

Actually, I am starting this topic because I do not think that we KSU fans should be commenting on a thread on our bbs started by a OU idiot. :chair: :chair:
My first reaction was that this class was a total bust. However, after more review, I believe that Martin did a pretty good job. Our needs may be a little different from other MAC teams. We have been redshirting during the entire Pees tenure. We should have a stockpile of 3rd, 4th, and 5th yr. returnees. Also, do not over look the JC players. The QB is very big time, and DBs from Cal. JCs usually turn out to be very talented. I am assuming that Linemen were not a big need, although Parrish looks like a winner. Speed is a big need and it is obvious that if you can not run, you are not going to be recruited by KSU. That is OK by me.
I see 6 to 8 recruits in the class that would become players for any team in the MAC. At this point, that probably defines a good class for us. Martin is obviously laying ground work that has been neglected in the past. I am referring to Ohio kids. Pees did nothing to cultivate a good image for KSU in Ohio. Martin may have taken some marginal talent because he could afford the risk, and at the same time, open the door to future consideration.
An interesting concept is that there is a limit to the number of grants you can allocate to Ohio recruits. My thought is that if a MAC school signs more than 10-15 players from Ohio, that would make a weak overall class. The reason is that the talent pool in Ohio has dropped in quality numbers over the years. The B10 and ND will get the top. The MAC must recruit nationally to be competitive. Most MAC schools seem to be subscribing to this concept.
All in all, this class is mid MAC and things are looking up. We had a long way to go.

FWIW....Nice Article in today's Record Courier on the class.
<a href='http://www.recordpub.com/article.php?pathToFile=/articles/sports/&file=_sports1.txt&article=1&tD=' target='_blank'>Record Courier Recruiting Article</a>

We stil have two spots avaliable to offer so maybe Martin is hoping to pick up some fallout. All in all a fair class. I like the story on the RB Keys. I think Martin got what he was looking and I think he is satisfied for this year. Martin deserves a chance to see what he can do and I think his classes particularly the Ohio ones will get stronger as time goes on. The JUCO players look like they will be able to step in pretty quick especially if they have Spring Ball to learn.

On a related note I think it's pretty clear that Bobcat Fred aka Flashy aka Realist are the same person with an identity crisis. Over on the MAC board Fred got confused when he replied to the Akron recruiting thread. Flamebaiting trolls all....

Okay, I've looked at the recruits and let's face facts, in general, a program like Kent is not going to get "blue chip" prospects. We are going to get kids that are hard working overachievers . If we get enough kids like that with a few gems like a Cribbs and, hopefully, this JC QB to fill in, we can have a successful MAC program with solid coaching. I really don't get too worked up over recruiting in football. These are 18-19 year old men who have a lot of growing up to do very quickly.

This is Martin's first class. He is tryng to build up contacts in Ohio and build on those set up before, like with Hargrave Academy, in order to get the good kids in the future. Let's give him and these kids the benefit of the doubt.

All of the "great recruiting classes" everyone on the main board is crowing about mean nothing if these young men can't transition to college life, sports, and academics. Historically, many won't even make it with the athletic dept support strucutre that most of us didn't have.

Welcome to Kent State young men! Do your best and we'll all see how it works out in 2-3 years.

Looks like we did pretty decent; I hope this Machen kid can play QB(he sure has the size). Big plus in getting the Parrish (Justin's
brother) kid also and we do need some big fast defensive tackles (6' 5" 290 and quick).

The one little guy ,Shawn Lewis (5' 8" 165 lbs), you would think might be too small for the MAC; but I remember a little
guy who did pretty well named Patrick Young (played for Mason) who did pretty well before injuries got the best of him.


Overall some needed speed and a few big guys......not bad......not bad :D

You guys hit it right on. I am not going to judge a class by heights, weights, some flashy (or not so flashy) stat lines, and hype on recruiting websites. It all really means nothing.

You don't know anything about any player until the first day of camp when they strap the pads on and start banging. Some really great aka "hyped" recruits can come into the program and for a lack of a better word .. be pansies all the way around. If you can survive, take your lumps (on the field and in college in general) and start contributing then you will really find out, 3-4 years down the road. Like you said Flash, they still got a lot of growing to do.

I will wait until the spring game for the JUCOs and either a 2 a day scrimmage or the first game, when I can see them in person, to make any initial judgements.

By the way, think SPRING!

I do not care about quantity. 24 "great" recruits never all pan out. It's important to immediately build on the momentum from the four-game winning streak in September. By adding a quarterback and two safeties from JUCO, this team will have a solid two-deep by the end of spring. No hoping and praying about starters come late August. Keys is from my area. He will see time next year. He is big and one of the top sprinters in Ohio, so we know he is fast. As GFlash said, we also have to factor in the recruiting classes from the past two years which were fruitful in receivers and line play.

I think the Flash posters have pretty much nailed it. And GF is right, don't over react to Fred. I think Solich will be good for OU. But does anyone think with the mania for "savior coaches" in the BCS, that if a BCS program believed Frank had their number, he'd be out of coaching for a year and get passed to go to the MAC? Besides, given the OU has battled for last in the MAC East inthe last few years, almost anything looks brighter.

I like the potential immediate impact of Machen and Brown. We hung onto Keys and Parrish. It's a small moral victory, but usually we just read about who passed up Kent for antoher MAC school ( Like Jarvis, who took Akron over Kent after the BCS offers were withdrawn, according to Insiders). This year, we actually hung on to a few, like Parrish and Keys, who went to Illinois for visits last week. ( Then again, if they would pass up MAC football for illinois, I'd wonder about their judgement.)

Other than that, we'll see. Like FIDO reminds us, think spring.

Keys might also be able to help out the defending MAC outdoor championship mens' track team. I hear he wants to do both in college. Maybe he can be like our man Brian Hallet who was an achiever in two sports (and In life!)!

GO FLASHES!!!