Scouting Clemson’s first opponent: the Kent State Golden Flashes
Game info
When: 12:02 p.m. Saturday
Where: Memorial Stadium, Clemson
TV: ESPN
Line: Clemson by 40
Three story lines
1. Kelly Bryant will get the start at quarterback, but the Tigers will play Zerrick Cooper and Hunter Johnson as well. Clemson would love to have Bryant play great and have its quarterback position settled heading into next week’s showdown with Auburn. If Bryant struggles there will be some intrigue heading into Week 2.
2. Kent State will be without head coach Paul Haynes, who is taking a medical leave of absence from the program. Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Don Treadwell will serve in Haynes’ place. Opening on the road against the defending champions is a monumental task and even more so without your head coach.
3. Clemson fans will get an opportunity to see several new faces in Saturday’s game, and if the Tigers roll as expected, Tee Higgins, Amari Rodgers and Travis Etienne should get plenty of chances to show why the coaching staff is so excited about them.
Three Kent State players to watch
1. Senior quarterback Nick Holley moved from running back to quarterback in the middle of last season and played well for Kent State, rushing for 920 yards and 10 touchdowns and passing for 868 yards and four scores.
2. Cornerback Jerrell Foster intercepted three passes in 2016 and added 11 pass breakups. He also forced a fumble and is a member of a secondary that Tigers coach Dabo Swinney said has some players that can play in the NFL.
3. Fellow cornerback Jamal Parker is small at 5-foot-8 but intercepted three passes as a true freshman last year.
Scouting report
▪ Holley was a one-man show on offense for the Golden Flashes in 2016 after being moved from running back to quarterback due to injuries.
▪ Running back Justin Rankin played well for Kent State as a true freshman, leading the Golden Flashes in receiving yards and finishing second in rushing yards.
▪ Kent State’s leading returning wide receiver caught 25 passes for 225 yards last year.
▪ Defensively Kent State lost its top two leading tacklers in Nate Holley and Nick Cuthbert. The two combined for 209 stops last year.
▪ Kent State also lost its only defender with double-digit tackles for loss in defensive end Terence Waugh.
This story was originally published August 29, 2017 at 3:46 PM.