5 things to know about Kent State
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As the No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes look to put last week’s loss behind them, they will turn their focus to the Kent State Golden Flashes. In preparation for the game, here are 5 things to know about Kent State.
Kent State has a ton of famous alumni
From athletes to comedians and entertainers, Kent State has a storied list of famous alumni.
Drew Carey, Arsenio Hall, Steve Harvey, Nick Saban, Lou Holtz, James Harrison, Julian Edelman, Antonio Gates, Michael Keaton, Jack Lambert, and Joe Walsh are just some of the celebrities who graduated from Kent State.
Edelman famously played quarterback before shifting to wide receiver in the NFL.
Kent State has a brutal football history
Historically, the Golden Flashes have been one of the worst programs in FBS Division I history. The Golden Flashes have an all-time record of 371-614-28 (.380) and are 1-4 in bowl games, with the lone win coming against Utah State and Jordan Love in 2019.
Of the 24 head coaches all-time, only six left the school with a winning record (Donald Starn, Trevor J. Rees, Don James, Dennis Fitzgerald, Glen Mason, and Darrell Hazell). They won one MAC championship in 1972.
One of the most electric players in football plays at Kent State
If you don’t know who Da’Realyst Clark is, it might be time to get familiar. Not only does he have an awesome name, but he is one of the best kick returners in the country.
Last year, Clark recorded 16 attempts for 452 yards and two touchdowns as the Kent State returner. He also had three catches for 108 yards and a touchdown, and went 2-for-2 passing for 39 yards and a touchdown. He is due for a huge second season at Kent.
The head coach is not the Prime Minister of Canada
If you Google ‘Kent State head coach’, Mark Carney will pop up. However, if you Google Mark Carney, you will get the Prime Minister of Canada.
If you want a funny coincidence, Carney is the 24th Prime Minister of Canada, while the other Mark Carney is the 24th head coach in Kent State football’s history. Carney is 6-8 as Kent State’s head coach since taking over for Kenni Burns, who went 1-23.
Black Squirrels run the campus
If you step onto Kent State’s campus for 30 seconds, you will either see or hear about the Black Squirrels. Between the Black Squirrel Festival, the Black Squirrel 5K, and the numerous signs around campus, Kent State has embraced the squirrels as the school’s unofficial mascot.
In 1961, KSU grounds superintendent Larry Wooddell and retired Davey Tree expert M.W. “Biff” Staples brought 10 black squirrels to Kent State, and they have been there ever since.
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