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

In the following article, “Flashes Quarterback Machen Learning on Job,

Is this guys answers and excuses beginning to remind you of Butch Davis. I see a clone here.

The more recent comparison to Machen would be Cribbs.

In JC's second year, the Flashes averaged 334 yards of toal offense, 120 passing and 214 rushing yards. ( Just think of how many of those rushing yards were credited to Josh.) The Flashes were 3-9 in 2002. BTW, just how long has it been since the Flashes had a 100+ YPG rusher over the season?

So far in his sophomore year, Machen's led an offense averaging 321 yards of total offense per game, 245 yards passing and 76 yards rushing.

Given the improvement in Josh's performance and that of the total offense after 2003, it's realistic to expect progress from Machen over the next two years. For the last two years of Cribbs' career, the problems were defense and special teams, but not offense. MM's not starting from an awful base at 321 YPG., so if progress can be shown on the O line and on defense, we should get better.

As I pointed out two weeks ago, 2002 became an even bigger disaster than this year once Cribbs went down. It still boggles my mind how KSU can go from the 2002 offense to what they had the last two years, yet people still think Martin can't coach offense.

I still think this team is more talented at every position than that team except QB if you factor in a healthy Cribbs. Obviously, they have more depth at quarterback. Like Martin, I expected more out of Machen. But then again, his numbers aren't horrible. As we all know, more running and better OL will make the QB better, and Najah Pruden is turning into a #1 receiver.

So many ifs and injuries, who knows how things could have actually turned out. I am still willing to give Martin more chances, but like most of you, there are still some things that are bothersome.

The biggset thing that stuck out to me during the WMU game, was how we had a 4th and goal at the two and didn't score. I understand going for it, but it was the fact he chose to go for it by running it up the middle. (enter bad Browns memories). Since our running game hardly exists, it seems to me silly that we would run the ball in that situation. I would have felt a little better had we at least attempted to pass it in that situation.