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Golden Flashes prepare for 2009 kickoff

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By David Carducci
July 21, 2009

 

The 2009 football season is right around the corner.

The lead-up to the new year officially kicks off next week when the Mid-American Conference holds its annual Football Media Day at Detroit’s Ford Field.

Players report to Kent State one week later with the first official practice at Dix Stadium set for July 7.

This is the last week with nothing “official” on Doug Martin’s schedule, but the Kent State head football coach and his assistants are already hard at work in the Dix meeting rooms.

“The staff is meeting, and we are already gameplanning for the first three games of the season,” said Martin, whose team opens the new year at home against Coastal Carolina (Sept. 3), before traveling to Boston College (Sept. 12) then playing host to Iowa State (Sept. 19).

“This is a busy time where we are also making sure the dorms are ready for the players, making sure meals are in place, checking on the eligibility of our freshmen who are coming in and wrapping up summer school with the players who are already here,” said Martin. “There are a lot of i’s to dot and t’s to cross during this waiting mode.”

According to Martin, the returning players have spent the summer stoking the competitive fires ignited in Kent State’s 2008 season-ending win at over the eventual MAC champions at the University at Buffalo.

“I love the attitude of this team since our win over Buffalo,” said Maritn. “Ever since that game, the personality of this team has been a complete 180. That win was validation for our guys that they can win in this league because Buffalo won the championship. That belief is something that’s been missing. So I’m eager to get started and see if our guys can take that a step further.”

•••

KEEPING IN TOUCH — Martin talks regularly with former Kent State quarterback Julian Edelman, the seventh-round NFL Draft pick, who officially signed his first pro contract with the New England Patriots last week.

“Julian and I talk quite often,” said Martin. “He is really excited, working hard and he has a real chance to make it. The Patriots have been working him at a lot of different spots, from slot wide receiver, to running back to returning kicks. He’s doing a lot of stuff in the kicking game.

“The other guy I hear is doing really well is Shawn Bayes,” Martin said.

Bayes, a former KSU wide receiver, has spent the summer with the Oakland Raiders as an un-drafted free agent.

•••

David Carducci can be contacted at dcarducci@recordpub.com

 




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    Posted by Bill Palma July 21, 2009
Already, I can't wait for KSU football to get started. It would be nice to see the team actually get off to a good start this year, build around some momentum.

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