Paul Haynes checks in from Dix Stadium with an update from preseason training camp.
The head coach of the Golden Flashes discusses a new-look offense and player improvement heading into preparation for next week's season opener at Illinois.
The Flashes return home for their first game at Dix Stadium at 6 p.m. on September 12. Following that battle with Delaware State, AMETEK will provide its latest installment of the best postgame fireworks show in northeast Ohio!
Purchase tickets by clicking the link below:
And don't forget, the first installment of the Kent State Coach's Corner on Monday, August 31 at Water Street Tavern. We hope to see you there at noon!
The strength and conditioning coach for the Golden Flashes previews the summer or work beginning in June as teams report back to campus.
Check back here for updates on the performance of Kent State's football players during the summer, and also visit the blogs for Kent State Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball and Volleyball.
Notables:Earned all-conference honors…Team captain…Also a team captain in track
& field…High school teammates with Kent State wide receiver Zaquon Tyson…Plans
to major in architecture
WILL MATTHEWS, RB, 5-9, 210
Destrehan,
La.
Destrehan
Notables:Earned all-state honors as a senior and all-state honorable mention as a
junior…Named River Parish Player of the Year…Earned All-District First Team
honors in junior and senior seasons…Team captain…Destrehan finished as state
runner-up in his senior year and district champions his junior year…Also a
captain on track & field team, winning district titles in the shot put and
4x100 relay.
Stats:Ran for 1,924 yards and 29 touchdowns as a senior, 1,473 yards and 27
touchdowns as a junior and 946 yards and 15 touchdowns as a sophomore.
DOMINIC HILL, DL, 6-0, 280
Fort Worth,
Texas
Boswell
Notables:Named to all-state second team…Earned all-district honors in three
seasons...Named Freshman of the Year at Boswell…Team captain…Finished seventh
in state powerlifting competition…Also threw shot put…Plans to major in computer
science.
Stats: Made 58 tackles as a senior,
including six sacks…Made 43 tackles as a junior.
ANTWAN DIXON, WR, 5-8, 170
Fort Myers,
Fla.
South Fort
Myers
Notables:Named to all-state team and all-district first team as a defensive
back…WINK News Player of the Year…Naples Daily News (Broxson Award) Player of
the Year…Team captain…Team MVP…Helped South Fort Myers to three district
titles…Father, Anthony Dixon, played football at Marshall…Played basketball and
track & field…District and conference champion in 100 meter.
Stats:Caught 48 passes in 2014 for 639 receiving yards and eight touchdowns…Ran
for 343 yards on only 23 carries as a senior…Totaled 1,500 all-purpose yards as
a senior.
MYLIK MITCHELL, QB, 6-4, 181
Cleveland,
Ohio
John Hay
Notables:Named Senate League MVP as senior and was a two-time Senate League
All-Star…Helped John Hay to a conference title in 2012 and regional playoff
appearances in 2012 and 2013…All-district special mention…Team captain…Also a
team captain on John Hay’s basketball team.
Stats:Threw for 2,614 yards and 23 touchdowns as a senior, running for 673
yards and seven touchdowns…Totaled 1,732 passing yards and 20 touchdowns as a
junior.
P.J. SIMMONS, RB, 5-11, 181
Tallahassee,
Fla.
Godby
Notables:Earned first team all-state honors as a senior… Tabbed three-star
recruit by Scout.com …Helped Godby to state runner-up finish…Team captain…High
school teammates with Kent State signee Jim Jones…Father played football at
Prarie View A&M.
Stats:Ran for 1,834 yards and 20 touchdowns as a senior, averaging 10.2 yards
per carry…Caught 25 passes for 347 yards receiving and two touchdowns.
MYLES WASHINGTON, RB, 5-10, 210
New Orleans,
La.
John Curtis
Notables:Earned all-state honors in junior and senior seasons… Played quarterback
at John Curtis …Team captain…High school teammates with Kent State running back
Raekwon James…Was a member of three state championship teams at John Curtis…plans
to major in liquid crystal engineering…Also served as captain on baseball team.
Stats:Ran for 17 touchdowns as a senior, averaging 7.1 yards per carry…Rushed
for 14 touchdowns as a junior, averaging 6.5 yards per carry…Threw for a
combined 1,267 yards and 12 touchdown passes in junior and senior seasons.
JIM JONES, LB, 6-1, 214
Tallahassee,
Fla.
Godby
Notables:All-state first team selection…Two-time all-conference
first team member…Tabbed three-star recruit by Rivals and Scout.com…Earned four
different team awards…Team captain…High school teammates with P.J. Simmons…Also
a team captain on Godby’s basketball and baseball teams.
Stats: Totaled 145 tackles, eight
sacks, two interceptions and one touchdown.
CONOR BRUMFIELD, TE, 6-4, 235
Acworth, Ga.
Allatoona
Notables:Region 5A Offensive Lineman of the Year…Earned Georgia Sports Writers
Association All-State Second Team honors…all-region first team honors in junior
and senior seasons…All-Cobb County First Team…Team captain…Brother, Dalton
Brumfield, played football at West Virginia Wesleyan…Plans to major in
chemistry
Stats:Recorded 127 pancake blocks as a senior
BRYCE GIBBS, OL, 6-4, 291
Wellington,
Ohio
Wellington
Notables:Named to All-Lorain County First Team in junior and senior
seasons…Earned spots on all-conference and all-district teams in junior and
senior seasons…Played on both the offensive and defensive lines…Team captain…Also
a team captain on Wellington’s basketball team and competed in track &
field.
Stats: Made 47 tackles and two sacks as
a senior.
NICK FAULKNER, LB/DE, 6-2, 223
Canton, Ohio
McKinley
Notables:Two-time selection for Blue-Grey All-American Bowl…Earned All-Stark
County honors in junior and senior seasons…Helped McKinley to back-to-back
conference titles…Was a three-year letterwinner and captain on McKinley’s
baseball team…Also played basketball.
Stats:Made 98 tackles in only seven games as a senior, including 13 tackles
for loss…Had 15 tackles for loss as junior with six sacks and 82 total tackles.
THEODORE EBOIGBE, DE, 6-2, 239
Lithonia,
Ga.
Arabia
Mountain
Notables:Member of VTO Elite 100…Team’s Defensive MVP…Team captain…Also wrestled
at Arabia Mountain.
Stats: Amassed 90 tackles, nine sacks
and six forced fumbles as a senior…Recorded 82 tackles as a junior, including
13 tackles for loss and six sacks.
MIKE MARINELLI, OL, 6-4, 280
Allison
Park, Pa.
Hampton
Notables:Named to All-Greater Allegheny Football Conference First Team…Helped
Hampton to conference title…plans to major in business administration
DARRYL MARSHALL, CB, 5-11, 170
Hyattsville,
Md.
DeMatha
Catholic
Notables:Earned All-Washington Area Catholic Conference honorable mention…Helped
DeMatha to a pair of conference titles…Also competed in track & field,
helping DeMatha to three conference titles…Plans to major in accounting…Cousin,
Cameron Thomas, plays football at Western Kentucky
TROY DIPRE, LB, 6-1, 211
Solon, Ohio
St. Edward
Notables:Named to All-Ohio First Team and all-district first team in junior and
senior seasons…Max Preps All-America Second Team…Tabbed three-star recruit by
Scout.com…Anchored defense to a state title as a senior…Team captain…Played on
all special teams units for three seasons.
Stats: Made 155 tackles and 9.5 sacks
as a senior, along with two forced fumbles and two interceptions.
DAVID SMITH, OL, 6-5, 290
Charleston,
W. Va.
George
Washington
Notables:First team all-state in junior and senior seasons…Played both offensive
and defensive lines…Team captain…Also a team captain in wrestling and competed
in track & field…Won 2014 state wrestling championship…Placed sixth in the
shot put at state track meet.
Stats:Recorded 48 tackles and three sacks.
JOHN HENRY BRONCZEK, S, 5-8, 172
Massillon,
Ohio
Massillon
Washington
Notables:Earned second team all-district honors and second team All-Stark County
honors…Earned Massillon’s Special Teams Player of the Year award…Helped
Massillon to three consecutive playoff appearances…Team captain…Also a captain
and three-year letterwinner on Massillon’s baseball team…Father, Walter
Bronczek, played baseball at Kent State
Stats: Made 96 tackles as a senior…Had
four pass breakups.
CHASE VAN HOEF, OL, 6-4, 285
Grand Haven,
Mich.
Grand Haven
Notables:Earned all-state honorable mention…Two-time all-conference
selection…Two-time all-region selection…Played offensive and defensive
line…Father, Matthew, played football at Michigan… Was also a two-year captain
in wrestling, placing sixth at state tournament…Two-year letterwinner in track
& field…Plans to major in managerial marketing.
Stats:Made 30 tackles as a senior.
Second NLI comes from...
JUANTEZ McRAE, S, 5-11, 170
Reistertown,
Md.
Franklin
Notables:Earned all-conference honors…Helped Franklin to state championship…Was a
captain on Franklin’s rugby team…Also competed in track & field.
Stats: Recorded 95 tackles, eight
interceptions and two touchdowns as a senior.
Our first National Letter of Intent came in just after 7 a.m.
ALEX HOAG, DE, 6-4, 255
Sarasota,
Fla.
Venice
Notables:Earned all-district first team honors…Named Venice’s defensive line MVP
as a senior…Helped Venice to conference title as a senior…Team captain…Becomes
third Kent State player from Venice High School in recent years, joining Josh Boyle
and Dri Archer…Also played offensive line…Has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do…Also
a member of track & field and weightlifting teams at Venice.
Stats:Made 103 tackles during senior year with six sacks and two forced
fumbles.
Early signee Johnny Woods gives the Flashes a tall target at wide receiver
Early signee Carlos Pickett, who joined the Flashes at the beginning of this semester. Safety from Brunswick, Ga.
Here's a look at early signee Anthony Johnson, a defensive end from Pasadena City College, who will have three years of eligibility
