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Rash of injuries grows for KSU

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By David Carducci
September 30, 2008

The rash of injuries at Kent State continues to spread.
First it claimed tight end Jameson Konz. Then it sucked in star running back Eugene Jarvis.
Now the linebacking corps that had been a team strength has been decimated by broken bones in Cobrani Mixon's left foot and in Cedrick Maxwell's left leg.
Both starting linebackers were injured in the second half of Saturday's 41-20 loss at Ball State.
Mixon will miss the rest of the season after breaking the fifth metatarsal in his left foot. Maxwell's break was to a non weight-bearing bone " the left fibula " and he could be back in time for the Golden Flashes' Oct. 25 road trip to Miami.
After considering the run of injuries that cost KSU four different quarterbacks last season, the current injury nightmare and the 1-4 start to the season, nobody would blame KSU's coaches or players if they spent their next practice digging up Dix Stadium to look for an ancient indian burial ground.
But to their credit, the Flashes aren't wasting time talking about the bad streak of luck.
"It's not a curse. It's football," said quarterback Julian Edelman, who played through the first half of last season with a torn posterior-cruciate ligament, then missed the second half of the year after breaking his forearm. "Injuries are huge part of this game, and you just have to keep on going. We miss the guys to death that we lost. They are a crucial part of this team, but part of this game is moving on. This creates opportunities for new guys to make big plays and do stuff to get their names noticed."
KSU has created enough depth to be in better shape to handle losses of first-line players than they were in past seasons. Just look at the running back position, where sophomore Andre Flowers and true freshman Jacquise Terry have combined to average 4.4 yards per carry in Jarvis' absence. At tight end, John Simpson is developing into one of KSU's most reliable pass catchers since taking over for Konz.
Now the Flashes have a new plan to handle the losses of two of their top defensive playmakers.
"We still have guys who have played," said KSU head coach Doug Martin. "Dorian Wood has played a lot of football, and he'll step up and play well. ... Leon Green will move in behind (Anthony) Mirando at the "sam,' and he'll make us a little more athletic."
Mirando, a 6-foot-2, 230-pound junior, played well Saturday after replacing Maxwell at the "sam" linebacker spot. His new backup, Green, is a promising 5-11, 203-pound freshman.
Wood, a 6-1, 224-pound sophomore, takes over for Mixon as the "mike" linebacker. Fellow sophomore Howard Bowens (6-0, 215) is listed No. 2 on the depth chart at the position.
The pain of the losses at linebacker could be eased if senior Stefon Moss can make it back from an ankle injury suffered two weeks ago against Delaware State. Moss was on the field for only a few plays Saturday at Ball State and appeared to be nowhere close to 100 percent.
"With the teams we have coming up, we'll probably play a lot of nickel situation, anyway, which removes one of those linebackers," said Martin. "It is what it is, and we'll just go with it. ... We just have to go play better on defense, is what we have to do. We have to start creating turnovers."

JARVIS UPDATE - Don't expect KSU to get Jarvis back at running back any time soon.
An MRI revealed that Jarvis has a level-one sprain, the mildest possible high-ankle injuries, but he still hasn't started running in practice.
With the impressive play of Flowers and Terry, KSU may be better served to shut Jarvis down for this weekend's game with arch-rival Akron and for the following week's homecoming game with Ohio University. With the bye week to follow, Jarvis would have three almost four full weeks to heal before playing at Miami Oct. 11.

KONZ UPDATE - Kent State has officially shelved Konz for the season after learning he has torn ligaments in his injured ankle.
Martin said the school will apply for a medical redshirt to bring the senior back for 2009.
Konz injured his ankle in the season-opening loss to Boson College, catching two passes.

THE GRASS ISN'T ALWAYS GREENER - Just 14 miles away, the Akron Zips are dealing with their own injury woes heading into rivalry week. Running back Andrew Johnson had to be taken from the field in an ambulance after a third-quarter injury during the Zips 17-15 home loss to the University of Cincinnati Saturday.
Zips officials said Johnson had movement in his hands and legs, and while he is expected to recover, his status for Saturday's rivalry game in Kent is unknown.
"We are going to evaluate how we are going to handle the depth (at running back)," Akron head coach J.D. Brookhart said in his Monday press conference. "We are going to go over it the next day or so."
One option could be playing freshman DeVoe Torrence, who had been targeted for a redshirt this season. Torrence, who starred at Massillon and appeared to be headed to Ohio State before some off-the-field problems, has the potential to be a one of the best backs in the Mid-American Conference as soon as he takes the field.
Akron has enjoyed a return to health on the defensive line where Eric Lively, James Harvey and Deni Odofin are all back from injury.
"It was nice to be able to rotate those guys in there," said Brookhart. "It was hard to replace Lively's experience and his leadership helped improve the play of our entire defense."




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