With the college football season a little more than half-over and Kent State coming off its bye week Saturday at Miami University, this is a good time to examine the Golden Flashes' performances in a disappointing 1-6 start.
Overall, the team deserves a failing grade, but there are a few players and position groups deserving of higher marks.
If I were handing out grades, this is the midterm report card I'd send home to the players at each position on the team:
QUARTERBACK
GRADE: B+
Nobody plays harder than Julian Edelman. The Golden Flashes senior is not a prototypical passer, but he is worth the price of admission as a runner. Edelman made up for the absence of Eugene Jarvis from the KSU lineup for most of the season's first half by averaging 89 rushing yards per game. That average is good for third in the Mid-American Conference. He is flat-out fun to watch.
RUNNING BACKS
GRADE: B
With sophomore Andre Flowers and true freshman Jacquise Terry more than holding their own during Jarvis' injury, running back has become KSU's deepest position. All three backs have played well. The only thing missing from their resume is a breakaway run.
With Jarvis now back at close to full strength, this group has an opportunity to bring its grade up to the A-range by season's end.
WIDE RECEIVERS
GRADE: D-
Some readers may remember in high school biology class when their group lab grades were brought down by a few kids who couldn't be bothered to do their homework.
Shawn Bayes is living through a similar nightmare on KSU's receiving corps. Bayes' individual work deserves an A, but too many drops by too many other receivers have spoiled the grade for the entire group.
The receivers could improve their final grade if young players like Kendrick Pressley continue to develop. Others like sophomore Alan Vanderink and true freshman Chris Gilbert also deserve more of an opportunity to show what they can do in the passing game. A few of their veteran teammates deserve to be pulled from the rotation with the inconsistency they have demonstrated.
OFFENSIVE LINE
GRADE: B-
This unit has opened enough holes for KSU to rank No. 1 in the entire MAC in rushing. They have also kept opposing pass rushes away from Edelman, allowing only 11 sacks through the season's first seven games. So why a low B? Too many drive-stalling penalties. The yellow flags always seem to come at the worst possible times.
DEFENSIVE LINE
GRADE: D-
Outside of KSU's special teams, this may be the Flashes' most disappointing group.
The Flashes expected big things from Monte Simmons and Kevin Hogan as edge rushers.
Hogan has played well enough against the run, but he hasn't made much of an impact on passing downs with just two sacks.
Simmons has not turned his impressive spring and preseason camps into a strong sophomore campaign, recording just 17 tackles and 2 1/2 sacks through seven games.
The interior of the line has flashed some potential, though, with players like redshirt freshman Ishmaa'ily Kitchen
LINEBACKERS
GRADE: B
Derek Burrell is arguably the MAC's best. He is averaging almost 11 tackles per game. When healthy, Cobrani Mixon flashed as much potential as any KSU linebacker in the last decade. Cedrick Maxwell and Stevon Moss have also played well when not sidelined by injury.
This group would be even better if the defensive line was living up to its potential. Mixon was supposed to be out for the year after surgery to repair a broken bone in his foot. He may play, however, Saturday at Miami. Maxwell could also return from a broken bone in his leg. If desire counts, those two deserve A grades.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
GRADE: C-
Brain Lainhart gets an individual A. He has 65 tackles and four interceptions to date from the safety position simply because he is always around the football. Hopefully his teammates learn from his example. The rest of the Flashes' defense has just one interception on the year.
Rico Murray would be an All-MAC-caliber corner if he made a few more plays on the ball. At the other corner, Danny Sadler is capable of playing better. Of course, the secondary as a whole would benefit from the defensive front finding a way to put some pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
PLACE-KICKING
GRADE: F
KSU should consider adding a sports psychologist to its coaching staff. Missing from 27 and 23 yards with a game on the line one week, then missing a simple extra point on the first kick a week later -- that's a crisis of confidence, not an issue with talent. Beginning this week, we'll see if Nate Reed responds to challenges from his coaches. Even if he does, expect KSU to add a junior-college place-kicker in its next recruiting class.
PUNTING
GRADE: C
True freshman Matt Rinehart could be something special. His average of 40.7 per kick is almost a seven-yard-per-boot upgrade over last year. Most of his better kicks, however, have been line drives that benefited from roll. He kicks with tremendous hang time in practice, so there is reason to expect improvement. Overall, he deserves better than a C, but the early-season breakdowns in protection lower the unit's overall grade.
KICK RETURNING
GRADE: F
Dead last in the entire nation deserves an F. Bayes has been great at wide receiver, but he goes down on first contact too often in the return game. For his health and to get more from this unit, the Flashes should try other options here. Vanderink would make sense. Don't be surprised to see little-used Derek McBryde get a shot to return some kicks in the next few weeks.
PUNT RETURNING
GRADE: F
At 116th out of 119 teams in the country, maybe this should be an F+. Of course, the fumble in the fourth quarter against Akron alone makes this worthy of a solid F. KSU was hoping true freshman Josh Pleasant could provide a late-season spark, but he's struggling with an injury.
Martin has threatened to use Edelman as a punt returner. That would add some excitement, but also add some risk. If Edelman goes down, KSU does not have another impact player ready to step in at quarterback.