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

I am tired of the crap we saw tonight. Although discussions occur within other threads they may get lost within. I want to just voice my displeasure and let it be known I am ready for a change. I hope Mr. Nielsen is ready to bring in his own guy that will finally right the ship.

This thread is for those who endorse a change. If you want to come on here and cite how we have won 12 games in the 7 years he has been here versus 7 the 7 years prior, I don't care (yes, I made up those numbers and am to embarrassed to count the real numbers). It's not good enough. We suck and it's an unacceptable that everyone can win the MAC East from time to time except us.

Doug Martin getting fired is a 1000% sure thing. Joel Nielsen didn't take the job to continue to allow KSU to wallow in the mire. Only a miracle season could have saved Martin and after tonight only an idiot still thinks that's going to happen. We all know that there are exceptions (Tony Dungy comes to mind) but in general, it appears Coach Martin is a testament to those who proclaim "nice guys finish last."

After the game, I was walking behind Joel Nielsen and he was chatting with I believe was Pete Mahoning. For the record, Joel Nielsen was NOT a happy camper in the slightest bit. I tried to lean in to listen what he was saying. I did not catch anything, but I am pretty sure he was questioning the play calling.

17-0 in the 3rd quarter?!?! That has to be placed solely on the coaches shoulders. I don't know if it was a lack of intensity coming out of the half time locker room or a complete failure to make any adjustments, but it seems bad 3rd quarters are becoming a trend with this team.

My favorite thing about fall is as the leaves start to change Kent State football season starts to fade into Kent State basketball season...

But hey, if there is one thing we can be happy about, at least we don't suck as bad as Akron.

I don't think there is any doubt that Coach Martin will be fired. It's more a matter of when. He probably will finish the season, because KSU is too cheap to pay two coaches. The performance we have witnessed this season, and especially the last two weeks, has been atrocious, considering what was expected of this team in the pre-season. Last night, Toledo made all the right halftime adjustments, and what did we do? Absolutely nothing! I really feel Coach is a great human being, but as a head coach, forget it.

(10-17-2010 10:05 AM)flashesfan21 Wrote:  I don't think there is any doubt that Coach Martin will be fired. It's more a matter of when. He probably will finish the season, because KSU is too cheap to pay two coaches. The performance we have witnessed this season, and especially the last two weeks, has been atrocious, considering what was expected of this team in the pre-season. Last night, Toledo made all the right halftime adjustments, and what did we do? Absolutely nothing! I really feel Coach is a great human being, but as a head coach, forget it.

Kent played a very solid first half so it was harder for the Flashes to make halftime adjustments.

Just a note ..... You do not have to pay 2 head coaches. You fire the head coach and continue to pay him. Then you elevate one of the existing remaining coaches to be head coach til the end of the season. You just operate with one less coach. It is done all the time.

(10-17-2010 01:50 PM)GFlash68 Wrote:  Just a note ..... You do not have to pay 2 head coaches. You fire the head coach and continue to pay him. Then you elevate one of the existing remaining coaches to be head coach til the end of the season. You just operate with one less coach. It is done all the time.

I don't see the benefit in either option. Will having an assistant work in an interim position get us 6 wins? I don't think so. The only thing firing Martin mid-season can do is give us an outlet for our disgust. However, and I usually give coaches more credit than I should, this is old. I don't even go to many games, but I support the program from afar. The sweet wins from 2006 over Iowa State and Akron are long gone. Time to find a new coach, and reinvent the wheel... again.

I have been unhappy with the team overall since DM has been here since I hate stupid penalties, undisciplined teams, and uninspiring play calling.

(10-17-2010 10:35 AM)Boca Rocket Wrote:  

(10-17-2010 10:05 AM)flashesfan21 Wrote:  I don't think there is any doubt that Coach Martin will be fired. It's more a matter of when. He probably will finish the season, because KSU is too cheap to pay two coaches. The performance we have witnessed this season, and especially the last two weeks, has been atrocious, considering what was expected of this team in the pre-season. Last night, Toledo made all the right halftime adjustments, and what did we do? Absolutely nothing! I really feel Coach is a great human being, but as a head coach, forget it.

Kent played a very solid first half so it was harder for the Flashes to make halftime adjustments.

I think the problem was they tried to adjust before it was necessary. They had great success running right at Toledo and then doing the sideways passes when guys were sucked in. They got cute the first few possessions of the third quarter and tried to get the big plays before re-establishing Terry inside.

And, you would think after seven years they would have figured out punt returns. An inability to catch punts helped wreck a promising 2004 season, and we are still watching guys drop punts and watching blockers get hit by short punts. Most HS teams play sophomores on their punt return teams and do a better job of that.

Sultan, I agree. Whenever kent State has a good play on either side of the ball I've come to almost expect a flag. And I've come to almost expect a fumble or interception to be coming up when they are driving teh ball.

I also agree about special teams. I am never more nervous about any team in football than Kent State kicking (previous years) or receiving (this year) a kick.

(10-17-2010 02:41 PM)AlphaFlash Wrote:  

(10-17-2010 01:50 PM)GFlash68 Wrote:  Just a note ..... You do not have to pay 2 head coaches. You fire the head coach and continue to pay him. Then you elevate one of the existing remaining coaches to be head coach til the end of the season. You just operate with one less coach. It is done all the time.

I don't see the benefit in either option. Will having an assistant work in an interim position get us 6 wins? I don't think so. The only thing firing Martin mid-season can do is give us an outlet for our disgust. However, and I usually give coaches more credit than I should, this is old. I don't even go to many games, but I support the program from afar. The sweet wins from 2006 over Iowa State and Akron are long gone. Time to find a new coach, and reinvent the wheel... again.

AF, you may be right, but Minn. just fired their coach. I have seen it done where it made no difference, and I have seen it done where a message seemed to have been transferred to the players and they got an early signal that the old way was over.
The one advantage that I see is that the AD can send the message to the coaching community that the position is available and we are looking. It takes a little pressure off the need for a quick hire.

Martin needs to be fired. I believe the only reason he got this year is because Kennedy wanted the new AD to hire his own guy. Sloppy play and dumb penalties kill us yet again.

I do support the firing of Martin, but I will also support the Flashes and will be there on Oct. 30th to cheer them on against Ball State.

Yea I will be there for the next home game as well. At least they have won when I see them in person. In the first game I got to teach some fans the beer song. It was great. I hope we can at least continue the good home atmosphere.

Martin himself I believe admitted this was a make-or-break year back in the spring. If they don't go at least 6-6 though I would prefer 7-5, the new AD needs to follow through and make a change. It doesn't have to be drastic. Maybe it is Rekstis. I was shocked he stayed around this long given he was a Pees hire.

What would firing Doug get us? Joel does not have the experience or connections to hire a competent coach. Anyone look at the situation in Akron? Reports out of Akron state Ianello's players hate him, but the school obviously can't make the change. Martin and the coaching staff are putting the players in a position to win football games. Did Doug Martin run onto the field and throw the interception to lose the Miami game? No. I do believe they should extend Martin with the agreement that he'll hire an offensive coordinator. When AJ Pratt was calling plays last season, the offense thrived. Martin was able to focus on developing Keith. This program is leaps and bounds ahead of where it was just a few years ago. When you walk onto a college campus in the other MAC schools, football is a big deal. We are just beginning to see that at Kent. Give Doug another year or two. He is an unbelievable recruiter and the players love him. They have bought into the program.

(10-21-2010 10:47 PM)PENSFAN37 Wrote:  What would firing Doug get us? Joel does not have the experience or connections to hire a competent coach. Anyone look at the situation in Akron? Reports out of Akron state Ianello's players hate him, but the school obviously can't make the change. Martin and the coaching staff are putting the players in a position to win football games. Did Doug Martin run onto the field and throw the interception to lose the Miami game? No. I do believe they should extend Martin with the agreement that he'll hire an offensive coordinator. When AJ Pratt was calling plays last season, the offense thrived. Martin was able to focus on developing Keith. This program is leaps and bounds ahead of where it was just a few years ago. When you walk onto a college campus in the other MAC schools, football is a big deal. We are just beginning to see that at Kent. Give Doug another year or two. He is an unbelievable recruiter and the players love him. They have bought into the program.

He has had 7 years and we are not better off than we were when he got here. Mr. Nielsen is 100% experienced enough and competent to hire a new coach. Quite frankly, that is a ridiculous comment towards a guy that was head and shoulders above everyone else when it came time to find a new AD. Comparing Akron's awful hire to whatever Nielsen would bring to Kent is dumb unless we offer Ianello the job. Doug Martin is pretty much cooked.

How is Nielsen prepared to hire a division I football coach? If you look at this history as an AD and the one hire he made, you would disagree. The hire he made before coming to Kent has been a losing coach at a losing program. Martin took over a program that won one or two games a year. He's produced a level of talent we haven't seen at KSU in decades. Have you been watching the games? He turned an overlooked, scrawny safety into one of the best at his position in the nation (Brian Lainhart). He's plucked overlooked prospects that came to Kent with a chip on their shoulder. Do you think Monte Simmons or Quinton Raineys just grow on trees? What about Roosevelt Nix, who was not given a shot by most schools? Look at the big picture. Unless you're hanging out with Doc Brown and know something we don't, you have no idea that Nielsen will make a good hire. My guess would be no. There's always a transition period when hiring a new coach at a mid-major school. Do you want to wait another five years? That's what you're asking for. A coach isn't going to walk onto campus, run the same system and win a MAC Title in his first year. He's going to completely rework the offense and we're going to see a much worse version of Spencer Keith. Martin has to stay.

Saying he was head and shoulders isn't saying much. He has big shoes to fill and it's still early, but Nielsen still has a lot to prove.