It was time to start hitting on Wednesday morning when the Golden Flashes wore shoulder pads for the first time at preseason football camp.
“It feels good to have the pads back on,” senior defensive end Nate Vance shouted, slapping his hands together as he sprinted out of the locker room and onto the field at Dix Stadium.
Today was just shoulder pads. Friday will be the first day in full pads. Saturday is the first of two-a-days.
The first chance to hit, even if it was just popping a teammate, returned some of the energy that had been missing during Tuesday’s second practice of the preseason.
“It was better. Much better,” head coach Paul Haynes said during a short visit after practice.
To encourage a little more excitement, the coaches pumped some tunes over the speakers at Dix Stadium during pre-practice stretching.
The playlist:
I spent much of the morning watching the running backs, which has to be considered a position of interest until Trayion Durham is full go. While the big back was dressed in helmet and pads on Wednesday, he continues to be limited as he makes his way back from injury.
Anthony Meray has impressed the coaches with his work in the offseason and his start to camp. If the season were to start now, he would be the starting running back. He looks stronger and more powerful heading into his senior year. He needed to be to absorb a big hit by cornerback Najee Murray early in today’s 11-on-11 drills.
Meray did some damage of his own a few plays later, running over one of the strongest and most physical defensive linemen on the team in Nate Terhune. That play had players buzzing on the sideline.
A couple of freshmen also have a chance to work their way into the rotation, with Miles Hibbler likely the most ready to contribute early. But don't count out recent addition Raekwon James, who had some high-major looks before choosing Kent State just a few weeks ago. Hibbler and James both have getaway speed that gives them some exciting upside.
Whoever carries the ball this year should have more chance for success as the starting line is a year further in its development. Remember when the Flashes felt like they could get whatever they wanted running over the left side behind tackle Brian Winters and guard Josh Kline? Reno Reda and Wayne Scott are not there quite yet, but they are on their way as only sophomores. The 6-foot-3 Scott is officially down to 320 pounds with the new weights reported yesterday. Reda is up to 292 with a 6-foot-6 frame similar to that of Winters. Add in 297-pound Jason Bitsko getting comfortable at the center spot as a junior, and that’s three young pieces continuing to gain experience shoulder-to-shoulder-to-shoulder.
WEDNESDAY HIGHLIGHTS … Colin Reardon looks like he is ready to make the next step in his development as the Flashes starting quarterback heading into year two. As mentioned in earlier blogs, he has added some significant muscle in the offseason. He has also been on target and making good reads during the first three days of camp. Reardon is an exceptional athlete, which he flashed on Wednesday as he broke containment, faked a throw to the sideline as he rolled to his right, and then looked back late to the middle and fired a strike to Kris White.
Redshirt freshman quarteback Nathan Strock has also made strides early in his second camp, although he was victimized when a dropped pass turned into an impressive diving interception by freshman linebacker Marques Moore during team drills.
The Flashes appear to be settling into a core group of receivers led by senior Chris Humphrey. The first unit has often featured Humphrey with junior James Brooks wide and sophomore Ernest Calhoun in the slot. Playmaker Josh Boyle also sees time with the ones, along with 6-foot-2 sophomore Charles Chandler. All five receivers have come up with some nice grabs early in camp.
SOCCER UNDERWAY … Coach Rob Marinaro was pleased with the way his women’s soccer team got started on the team’s first day of practice Wednesday morning in the Field House.
Last year, only 10 players passed fitness test on day one. This year 16 out of the 21 players on the roster passed. The rest will have two more opportunities.
Marinaro said 16 is an all-time record. That means players took their offseason conditioning seriously while they were away from campus, “and that has me excited to see them coming back and prepared to go after a MAC championship,” he said. “We are in a much better position than we have ever been, and we are excited about the conditioning and the commitment of our student athletes.”
The next two days will see the team continue with fitness tests in the morning followed by two training sessions. The afternoon sessions feature more teaching with a bit more playing style in the evening just to get players acclimated to being back and to the style of play.
There is a lot to pack in over the next 16 days before the Flashes start their season Aug. 22 at home vs. Western Illinois.
WELCOME STEPHEN PERRY … Local football fans may know the name Stephen Perry. He was the executive director of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton from 2006 until retirement this past year.
On Wednesday, he was appointed as Kent State University’s newest trustee by Gov. John Kasich. His nine-year term will end in May of 2023.
Here’s a link to a story on Perry's appointment in today’s Canton Repository.
AND IN CASE YOU MISSED IT ... Paul Pabst of the Dan Patrick Show was sporting Kent State gear today. Tune in to the Dan Patrick Show on the Audience Channel on DirectTV...
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