Kent State Football: NFL-caliber QB leads way for Golden Flashes in 2021

Kent State is hoping new transfers can help turn defense around

As good as their offense was last season, Kent State left a lot to be desired on the other side of the football. For this team to get back to a bowl game, there is going to need to improve defensively, and luckily for the Golden Flashes, they have new arrivals aimed to do just that.

Sekou Diaby and Zayin West are going to once anchor the edges for Kent State and they will also be joined by Youngstown State transfer Antoine Cook. Oly Okombi is going to get the start at nose tackle and Kent State is going to need much more than out of the front three than they got last season.

The linebackers are littered with experience, from Kesean Gamble and Mandela Lawrence-Burke to Brandon Coleman. Gamble and Coleman both tied for the team lead in sacks and they hope to be better in 2021. Juan Wallace is a linebacker transfer from Syracuse who will at least provide depth up front and could start if any of the other guys falter.

The secondary is where there might be the most questions and it is where there are the most newcomers. Antwaine Richardson is transferring in from Maryland, Nico Bolden from New Mexico, and Heskin Smith from Virginia. I think that Richardson will start instantly and the others will compete with guys like cornerback Elvis Hines and safeties Richie Carpenter Jr. and Dean Clark, who led the team in tackles last season.

How these new transfers on defense make an impact may be the difference on defense.