Dix Stadium, Kent, Ohio
October 11, 2014
FOURTH QUARTER
FINAL ... UMass 40, Kent State 17
On the very first play after the Woodley touchdown, Reardon was picked off by UMass corner Jackson Porter, who returned it 34 yards for another score.
Flashes continue their search for their first win of 2014 while the Minutemen get their first victory of the year.
2:12 ... UMass 34, Kent State 17
UMass has sealed the win with a 10-yard touchdown run by Lorenzo Woodley.
Elcee Refuge was ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct at the end of the play.
Too many costly penalties and too many missed opportunities
5:10 ... Another promising Kent State drive ends in a letdown. The Flashes marched to the UMass 20, but came up scoreless when Anthony Melchiori's 37-yard field goal was blocked by Kassan Messiah.
The Flashes looked like they were going to get a first down on the play prior to the kick as Casey Pierce pulled in a pass just beyond the marker on 3rd-and-5, but had the ball ripped out of his hands as he took a second step for an incompletion.
A turnover on downs, penalties and now a blocked field goal kept the Flashes from scoring on drives deep into UMass territory today.
9:11 ... The Flashes offense is back on the field, starting this drive at the KSU 22.
UMass has 8 penalties for 90 yards compared to Kent State's 5 for 65, but the flags against the Flashes have been far more costly.
15:00 ... Too many negative plays have derailed promising Kent State drives this season.
On the very first play after the Woodley touchdown, Reardon was picked off by UMass corner Jackson Porter, who returned it 34 yards for another score.
Flashes continue their search for their first win of 2014 while the Minutemen get their first victory of the year.
2:12 ... UMass 34, Kent State 17
UMass has sealed the win with a 10-yard touchdown run by Lorenzo Woodley.
Elcee Refuge was ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct at the end of the play.
Too many costly penalties and too many missed opportunities
5:10 ... Another promising Kent State drive ends in a letdown. The Flashes marched to the UMass 20, but came up scoreless when Anthony Melchiori's 37-yard field goal was blocked by Kassan Messiah.
The Flashes looked like they were going to get a first down on the play prior to the kick as Casey Pierce pulled in a pass just beyond the marker on 3rd-and-5, but had the ball ripped out of his hands as he took a second step for an incompletion.
A turnover on downs, penalties and now a blocked field goal kept the Flashes from scoring on drives deep into UMass territory today.
9:11 ... The Flashes offense is back on the field, starting this drive at the KSU 22.
UMass has 8 penalties for 90 yards compared to Kent State's 5 for 65, but the flags against the Flashes have been far more costly.
15:00 ... Too many negative plays have derailed promising Kent State drives this season.
After a 15-yard throw from Reardon to Pierce near midfield opened this most recent drive, the Flashes were forced to swallow an illegal hands to the face penalty called against guard Wayne Scott.
As the fourth quarter opens, they Flashes will face 2nd-and-27 from their own 31.
THIRD QUARTER
1:26 ... UMass 27, Kent State 17
This time the Minutemen decide not to have a crack at the end zone on fourth down, but they still add to their lead with a 22-yard Logan Laurent field goal.
UMass is a perfect 5-for-5 in the red zone today.
A nice return to the 33 by Ernest Calhoun as Kent State tries to answer ... and opens the drive with a 15-yard throw from Reardon to Pierce.
2:54 ... Aided by a phantom pass-interference call to keep its drive alive, UMass has a chance to add to its lead.
On third-and-12, Frohnapfel overthrew his receiver. Monday for Kent State was the only player with a chance at the football. The flag was thrown with little-to-no contact as Monday tried to shift his momentum in an attempt to get to the football. He barely got his fingertips on the ball as it sailed long. The penalty gave the Minutemen a first down at midfield.
UMass faces a 2nd-and-goal from the KSU 16.
7:00 ... UMass 24, Kent State 17
Colin Reardon was very sharp on the Flashes' second drive of the second half, going 4-for-4 on a drive that ended with a 5-yard touchdown pass to Josh Boyle.
As for that injured ankle? Reardon chose to keep on a read-option and showed some explosiveness on an 8-yard run to move the chains early in the drive.
Chris Humphrey had a great 15-yard catch that featured three sidesteps at the end to get all the way to the UMass 5.
This time the Minutemen decide not to have a crack at the end zone on fourth down, but they still add to their lead with a 22-yard Logan Laurent field goal.
UMass is a perfect 5-for-5 in the red zone today.
A nice return to the 33 by Ernest Calhoun as Kent State tries to answer ... and opens the drive with a 15-yard throw from Reardon to Pierce.2:54 ... Aided by a phantom pass-interference call to keep its drive alive, UMass has a chance to add to its lead.
On third-and-12, Frohnapfel overthrew his receiver. Monday for Kent State was the only player with a chance at the football. The flag was thrown with little-to-no contact as Monday tried to shift his momentum in an attempt to get to the football. He barely got his fingertips on the ball as it sailed long. The penalty gave the Minutemen a first down at midfield.
UMass faces a 2nd-and-goal from the KSU 16.
7:00 ... UMass 24, Kent State 17
Colin Reardon was very sharp on the Flashes' second drive of the second half, going 4-for-4 on a drive that ended with a 5-yard touchdown pass to Josh Boyle.
As for that injured ankle? Reardon chose to keep on a read-option and showed some explosiveness on an 8-yard run to move the chains early in the drive.
Chris Humphrey had a great 15-yard catch that featured three sidesteps at the end to get all the way to the UMass 5.
10:48 ... First the Kent State offense and now UMass with quick three-and-outs to start the third quarter.
An illegal block by the Minutemen helped out the KSU defense on a 3rd-and-1 running play.
An illegal block by the Minutemen helped out the KSU defense on a 3rd-and-1 running play.
SECOND QUARTER
HALFTIME ... UMass 24, Kent State 10Another throw for a touchdown on fourth down by UMass, this time a 4-yarder from Frohnapfel to big, 6-foot-7 tight end Jean Sifrin in the back left corner of the end zone with just 8 seconds on the clock.
Kent State's defense has lost some of its swagger after a very good first quarter.
Some first-half numbers:
UMass has rolled up 275 yards in the first half with Fronhapfel accounting for 208 of them on 14-for-28 passing.
The Flashes have 139 yards of total offense, but 42 of those came on the Meray touchdown run.
Reardon is 8-of-15 for 53 yards running an offense that has been scaled down due to his injured ankle.
2:05 ... Nick Holley switched from running back to quarterback on the last possession for Kent State.
The read-option-heavy look was something we thought we may see all game long today as the Flashes began the week believing they may be without both Reardon and backup quarterback Nathan Strock.
Practiced open this week with Holley getting the bulk of the snaps at quarterback. It wasn't until Wednesday when the coaches started to think Reardon was a real possibility.
The drive with Holley at quarterback had mixed results. Holley nearly lost a fumble trying to hand to Miles Hibbler on the read option, but managed to scramble on his hands and knees to recover the loose football.
Two consecutive face-mask penalties against UMass, including one on a nice run of 13 yards by Holley, allowed Kent State to march all the way to the Minutemen 29-yard line before the drive stalled again.
A 47-yard field goal try into the wind by Melchiori fell just short of the left goalpost.
5:46 ... UMass 17, Kent State 10
Logan Laurent has added a 31-yard field goal to extend the UMass lead. The good news is that Kent State's defense held strong after taking a hit on the first play of the scoring drive when Frohnapfel found Alex Kenney for a 51-yard connection to the KSU 16-yard line.
The deep throw down the right sideline from Frohnapfel dropped right into Kenney's hands even as the UMass quarterback was under heavy pressure from Refuge – the same KSU defender who knocked him out of the game for a play earlier in the day.
9:01 ... UMass 14, Kent State 10
Fronhapfel goes 4-for-4 on a touchdown march as Kent State's pressure has stopped getting to the UMass quarterback. The Flashes have been dropping more players into coverage.
The touchdown throw came on a risky 4th-and-1 pass from the 17 yard line, hitting Williams in the right corner of the end zone.
The Flashes have done a good job of cutting down on penalties of late, committing only three last week at Northern Illinois. They have two so far today, but both have been painful.
The first was the fourth-down pass interference call that extended UMass' first touchdown drive. The most recent – a false start after a nice 14-yard throw connection between Reardon and a Holley moved the chains – stalled a Kent State march that had reached the UMass 34.
14:42 ... Kent State 10, UMass 7
The run was the longest of Meray's career and the first touchdown run by a Kent State running back this season.
FIRST QUARTER
0:00 ... The Kent State offense is starting to get it going here as we close the opening quarter.
The Flashes have strung together a couple of first downs on a 9-yard Reardon throw to Casey Pierce on 3rd-and-8, then a 7-yard Anthony Meray run on 3rd-and-2.
That has Kent State in UMass territory with a first down at the 43 to open the second quarter.
Reardon has completed 5-of-8 for 24 yards.
3:32 ... UMass 7, Kent State 3
The Minutemen took advantage of a pass interference call against cornerback Demetrius Monday that eliminated an interception on a 4th-and-5 throw by Frohnapfel.
A few plays later, Frohnapfel hit running back Matt Tuleja for a 4-yard touchdown.
UMass probably should have scored earlier after Kent State bit on a double-pass. When Frohnapfel under-threw a wide open Shakur Nesmith, the wide receiver stumbled for only a 36-yard gain to the KSU 29.
Frohnapfel missed one play in the series after absorbing a hard hit by Kent State's Elcee Refuge. Austin Whipple, son of UMass coach Mark Whipple, came on for just one play.
7:14 ... The Kent State defense has picked up where it left off, forcing a third consecutive punt.
The pass rush has been getting to Frohnapfel. Richard Gray nearly came up with a sack on third down, sweeping the leg of the Minutemen quarterback just as he tried to unload on second down.
Demetrius Monday delivered the big hit on third down, dislodging the football from Elgin Long as the UMass wide receiver went high in traffic to try to catch the ball on third down.
Three drives for UMass .. two punts and a stuffed fake-punt.
Frohnapfel has yet to complete a pass ... 0-for-4, and the Minutemen have just 15 yards on 11 plays, an average of just 1.36 per play.
The Flashes haven't been much better at 26 total yards and 1.78 per play, but they took advantage of the field position from the failed fake punt by grabbing the early lead.
9:42 ... We are seeing quite a different looks already from Kent State's defense.
The Flashes have lined up without a nose tackle on a few plays.
On UMass second series, KSU chose to drop eight into coverage on third-and-10 after going all-out blitz on third down on the previous series. Both plays had the same result as UMass quarterback Blake Fronhapfel missed his target.
Fronhapfel was also dropped for a 9-yard loss on second down as KSU linebacker Darius Redmond came untouched off the edge.
11:38 ... Kent State 3, UMass 0
Break No. 1 goes to Kent State.
The Golden Flashes prepared for pass, pass, pass all week, so of course the Minutemen open with two straight runs. An all-out-blitz led to an incomplete pass and an apparent three-and-out ...
... that is until UMass decided to try to keep the drive alive with a fake punt on 4th-and-5.
Marken Michel took the snap and was dropped for a loss by Nick Cuthbert, giving the Flashes the football at the UMass 32-yard line.
Reardon did in fact start for the Flashes, and he connected on his first pass – a 5-yard throw to Casey Pierce on 3rd-and-7.
Anthony Melchiori followed with a 41-yard field goal try that split the uprights to give KSU the early lead.
15:00 ... Kent State has won the coin toss and will defer to the second half. UMass is on the field to return the opening kickoff.
We'll have to wait a little while to confirm just how the Flashes will handle the quarterback spot at the start of the game.
The Flashes have strung together a couple of first downs on a 9-yard Reardon throw to Casey Pierce on 3rd-and-8, then a 7-yard Anthony Meray run on 3rd-and-2.
That has Kent State in UMass territory with a first down at the 43 to open the second quarter.
Reardon has completed 5-of-8 for 24 yards.
3:32 ... UMass 7, Kent State 3
The Minutemen took advantage of a pass interference call against cornerback Demetrius Monday that eliminated an interception on a 4th-and-5 throw by Frohnapfel.
A few plays later, Frohnapfel hit running back Matt Tuleja for a 4-yard touchdown.
UMass probably should have scored earlier after Kent State bit on a double-pass. When Frohnapfel under-threw a wide open Shakur Nesmith, the wide receiver stumbled for only a 36-yard gain to the KSU 29.
Frohnapfel missed one play in the series after absorbing a hard hit by Kent State's Elcee Refuge. Austin Whipple, son of UMass coach Mark Whipple, came on for just one play.
7:14 ... The Kent State defense has picked up where it left off, forcing a third consecutive punt.
The pass rush has been getting to Frohnapfel. Richard Gray nearly came up with a sack on third down, sweeping the leg of the Minutemen quarterback just as he tried to unload on second down.
Demetrius Monday delivered the big hit on third down, dislodging the football from Elgin Long as the UMass wide receiver went high in traffic to try to catch the ball on third down.
Three drives for UMass .. two punts and a stuffed fake-punt.
Frohnapfel has yet to complete a pass ... 0-for-4, and the Minutemen have just 15 yards on 11 plays, an average of just 1.36 per play.
The Flashes haven't been much better at 26 total yards and 1.78 per play, but they took advantage of the field position from the failed fake punt by grabbing the early lead.
9:42 ... We are seeing quite a different looks already from Kent State's defense.
The Flashes have lined up without a nose tackle on a few plays.
On UMass second series, KSU chose to drop eight into coverage on third-and-10 after going all-out blitz on third down on the previous series. Both plays had the same result as UMass quarterback Blake Fronhapfel missed his target.
Fronhapfel was also dropped for a 9-yard loss on second down as KSU linebacker Darius Redmond came untouched off the edge.
11:38 ... Kent State 3, UMass 0
Break No. 1 goes to Kent State.
The Golden Flashes prepared for pass, pass, pass all week, so of course the Minutemen open with two straight runs. An all-out-blitz led to an incomplete pass and an apparent three-and-out ...
... that is until UMass decided to try to keep the drive alive with a fake punt on 4th-and-5.
Marken Michel took the snap and was dropped for a loss by Nick Cuthbert, giving the Flashes the football at the UMass 32-yard line.
Reardon did in fact start for the Flashes, and he connected on his first pass – a 5-yard throw to Casey Pierce on 3rd-and-7.
Anthony Melchiori followed with a 41-yard field goal try that split the uprights to give KSU the early lead.
15:00 ... Kent State has won the coin toss and will defer to the second half. UMass is on the field to return the opening kickoff.
We'll have to wait a little while to confirm just how the Flashes will handle the quarterback spot at the start of the game.
PREGAME
Looks like we will see Reardon, although we are not sure if he will start today. The Flashes have been working on a few wrinkles offensively this week as the availability of both Reardon and Strock was in question, and that could lead to a few surprises.
Nathan Strock is also in uniform and warming up, although based on my talk with Paul Haynes earlier in the week, Strock is not likely to see action today. That said, Kent State used four different quarterbacks during the walkthrough yesterday.
1:21 p.m. ... I spent some time with tailgaters in the west parking lot of Dix Stadium earlier this afternoon and was happy to get to spend some time with New Orleans Saints tight ends coach Terry Malone and his family. With the Saints on a bye week, Malone and his wife Ann the chance to fly in to see watch his son Ryan, who is a redshirt-freshman tight end for the Golden Flashes.This is the second time the Malones have been able to see Kent State play this season. Conveniently, the Flashes played at Ohio State on Sep. 13, one day before the Saints were scheduled to play in Cleveland.
1:42 p.m. ... Today is Kent City Schools day here at Dix Stadium.
It was nice to see the Golden Flashes players take the time to shake hands with all of the school children before leaving the field for one final pep talk from Haynes.
Now the kids are getting ready to welcome the Flashes back to the field as they form a large tunnel near the north stands.
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