Recordpub.com - Almost a Zip, Jarvis now a key to Flashes hopes in rivalry clash

By David Carducci

Record-Courier staff writer

Kent State vs. Akron has meant so much to so many people on both sides of the rivalry during its 48-game history.

Ever since the first game back in 1923, it has been about regional bragging rights between two schools separated by just 14 miles of S.R. 59. Its also been about possession of the wagon wheel trophy, and occasionally about position in the Mid-American Conference Standings.

The 49th meeting between the Golden Flashes and Zips will be about something very different for KSU redshirt freshman running back Eugene Jarvis.

While Jarvis will be playing in his first Kent State-Akron game Saturday at Dix Stadium, he was already a part of a war between the two schools long before he stepped on campus for his first day of classes in August of 2005.

Jarvis was considered a prized recruit by both schools that year when the Pittsburgh Central Catholic High School star verbally committed to play for the Zips on Feb. 2, then changed his mind and signed with the Flashes five days later.

There is a lot of motivation for me with this game, being that I verbally committed there, said Jarvis. But things didnt work out. A lot of things happened, and Im here at Kent State now. All I want to do is help this team win.

One of the things that didnt work out was Akrons wish to grayshirt Jarvis. The Zips asked him to pay for his first semester of school and not practice or play for the team. If they had their way, Jarvis would have gone on scholarship in his second semester and been in an Akron uniform this season.

Jarvis no longer wants to talk about what went into the decision he made more than a year ago to switch his allegiance to Kent State, but at the time, he told the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, The more I thought things through, and thinking about all of the things Ive accomplished, why should I pay for my first semester.

Among Jarvis accomplishments were more than 4,000 career rushing yards in high school and two area player-of-the-year awards from the Post Gazette.

Jarvis ended up sitting out as a redshirt in 2005 anyway due to an error by the NCAA clearing house that initially refused to award credit for one of his high school classes and declared him academically ineligible, then changed its mind on appeal late in the season.

Since finally making his college debut Aug. 31, Jarvis has confirmed his worth to the Flashes offense, helping to revitalize a once stagnant running game by rushing for an average of 72.5 yards per game fifth best in the MAC.

Its hard to imagine KSU (2-2 overall) jumping out to a 2-0 start in conference play and its early position in first place in the East Division without Jarvis on the roster. But even when Akron released its recruit list with Jarvis name on it, despite the fact that he had not signed a letter of intent with the school, Kent State coach Doug Martin never doubted he would one day see the little 5-foot-5, 158-pound back in the Flashes version of a blue-and-gold uniform.

I thought we would get Eugene all along, partly because his mom (Ms. Lela Leonard) really wanted him to be at Kent State, and he and his mom are very, very close, said Martin. I also felt Eugene wanted to be here. Once we got to sho our side to him, it turned our way very quickly. I wasnt really worried.

Jarvis admitted to the Post Gazette last year that when he visited Akron, student life was in full swing. But when he took his official visit to Kent State a week earlier, school wasnt in session. It felt more like a business trip because the students were missing from campus.

Now Jarvis is eager to show Akron just what it is missing now that he is at KSU.

This game means a lot, said Jarvis. I know that were always saying ee are going to take this (season) one game at a time and all of that, but this is the one game we really need to win. Its a rivalry game, and they have won the last (two) in that rivalry. We need to change that around.

Jarvis has always been at his best in rivalry games, going back to his high school days when Central Catholic would live up against Penn Hills and Woodland Hills.

One of the great things is that there will be some guys from those schools on the Akron sideline, said Jarvis. There are a few Wolverines and Indians over there. Guys like (freshman wide receiver) David Harvey (Penn Hills) and (sophomore running back) Joe McDaniel (Woodland Hills). I played against those guys in high school, and its going to be fun going out there and playing them again.