Recordpub.com - Healthy Flashes prepare for football opener

The bad news from preseason football camp at the University at Buffalo underlined the good fortune of Kent State as it wrapped up the two-a-day portion of its own camp this week.

In Buffalo, the defending Mid-American Conference champion Bulls learned their star running back James Starks would not have a chance to go after his third 1,000-yard season. A labral tear in the fifth-year senior’s shoulder prematurely ended his college career, dealing a severe blow to his team’s chances of repeating.

Meanwhile in Kent, the Golden Flashes’ few walking wounded are on the mend and scheduled to return either in time for or just after next week’s start of the 2009 regular season.

“We’ve been really lucky,” Martin acknowledged Tuesday on a day that was supposed to officially mark KSU’s last session of two-a-days. Technically, the Flashes have not held two practices in one day since last week.

Starting center Chris Anzevino has returned from a foot injury and helped the offensive line recover from a disappointing start to camp. The offensive line has now outplayed KSU’s defensive front in several practices in a row.

Despite missing more than two weeks of practice, Anzevino is expected to be in the starting lineup when KSU opens the regular season at home Sept. 3 against Coastal Carolina.

Defensive lineman Sam Frist (foot) and H-back Leneric Muldrow (knee) should return the following week when the Flashes travel to Boston College. Muldrow, who has served as the holder on place-kicks for two seasons, could return in that role only against Coastal Carolina.

Wide receiver Sam Kirkland is back and practicing, but his sore hamstring may keep him out of the opener.

Alan Vanderink could return to practice as early as Friday after missing almost two weeks with an old back injury. The former Crestwood star is being counted on to play key rolls on just about every special team. After moving from wide receiver, the Flashes hope he can also have an impact as a third-down running back.

The elbow of senior cornerback B.G. Walters is on the mend. He should be able to play in the season opener. Fifth-year senior quarterback Anthony Magazu has been back and throwing the football in practice after missing time with his own elbow injury. Magazu is the likely back-up to starter Giorgio Morgan in Week 1.

The only player expected to miss extended time in the regular season is freshman defensive back Darius Polk, who broke his collar bone returning a kickoff during a scrimmage last week. Polk could be out five or six weeks.

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OH CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN — The results of the players’ vote for KSU’s 2009 team captains are in.

The only senior among the four captains selected is running back Eugene Jarvis. His co-captain on the offense is Morgan, who was chosen despite only being in his sophomore season.

“I was a little surprised, but pleasantly surprised,” said Martin. “I also felt good that Magazu was right behind Giorgio in the voting. That means our quarterbacks are really doing a good job of leading this football team.”

On defense, the captains will be junior safety Brian Lainhart and junior linebacker Cobrani Mixon. Lainhart and Mixon were teammates in high school at Cincinnati Colerain, where they were part of a Division I state championship in 2004.

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David Carducci can be contacted at dcarducci@recordpub.com