1974 Kent State Golden Flashes football team

{{Infobox college sports team season

| year = 1974

| team = Kent State Golden Flashes

| sport = football

| image =

| image_size =

| conference = Mid-American Conference

| short_conf = MAC

| record = 7–4

| conf_record = 2–3

| head_coach = Don James

| hc_year = 4th

| off_coach = Dick Scesniak

| oc_year = 4th

| off_scheme =

| def_coach = Dennis Fitzgerald

| dc_year = 4th

| def_scheme =

| captain =

| stadium = Dix Stadium

}}

The 1974 Kent State Golden Flashes football team was an American football team that represented Kent State University in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) during the 1974 NCAA Division I football season. In their fourth and final season under head coach Don James, the Golden Flashes compiled a 7–4 record (2–3 against MAC opponents), finished in fourth place in the MAC, and outscored all opponents 254 to 161.{{cite web|title=2016 Kent State Football Record Book|publisher=Kent State University|page=D7|accessdate=October 4, 2016|url=http://kentstatesports.com/documents/2016/9/2/FALL_ASRB_football_2016.pdf}}{{cite web|title=1974 Kent State Golden Flashes Schedule and Results|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=SR/College Football|accessdate=October 4, 2016|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/kent-state/1974-schedule.html}}

The team's statistical leaders included Larry Poole with 1,070 rushing yards, Greg Kokal with 1,265 passing yards, and Ken Dooner with 451 receiving yards.2016 Record Book, p. D17-D19.{{cite web|title=1974 Kent State Golden Flashes Stats|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=SR/College Football|accessdate=October 4, 2016|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/kent-state/1974.html}} Six Kent State players were selected as first-team All-MAC players: defensive back Cedric Brown, tight end Ken Dooner, defensive end Marvin Elliott, defensive lineman Larry Faulk, running back Larry Poole, and center Henry Waszczuk.2016 Kent State Football Record Book, p. D42.

After the season on December 23, James resigned and departed for the University of Washington in Seattle.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-KJYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=mvgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7243%2C2589702 |work=Spokane Daily Chronicle |location=(Washington) |agency=Associated Press |title=Kent State coach is Huskies' choice |date=December 23, 1974 |page=19}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ne9LAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Ve0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=7255%2C1986944 |work=Spokesman-Review |location=(Spokane, Washington) |agency=Associated Press |title=UW: Kent State's James |date=December 24, 1974 |page=12}} He was credited with turning a "mediocre" Kent State program into a MAC power in four years;{{cite news|title=James: Challenge excites me|newspaper=Akron Beacon Journal|location=(Ohio)|date=December 24, 1974|page=B4|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/6909912/james_challenge_excites_me/}} their 9–2 record in 1973 was the best in program history.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=zsgwAAAAIBAJ&sjid=LQIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7347%2C3865233 |work=Toledo Blade |location=(Ohio)|agency=Associated Press |title=Rose Bowl in James' plans at UW |date=December 24, 1974 |page=13}}

Schedule

{{CFB schedule

| rankyear = 1974

| poll = AP

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 7

| w/l = w

| away = y

| nonconf = y

| opponent = Central Michigan

| site_stadium = Perry Shorts Stadium

| site_cityst = Mount Pleasant, MI

| score = 21–14

| attend = 16,825–18,325

| source = {{cite news|title=Kent Survives, 21–14|newspaper=The Lansing State Journal|date=September 8, 1974|page=C1}}{{cite web |author= |title=Final 1874 Cumulative Football Statistics Report |url=https://stats.ncaa.org/team/129/stats/13016 |publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association |access-date=December 13, 2022 }}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 14

| w/l = w

| away = y

| nonconf = y

| opponent = Syracuse

| site_stadium = Archbold Stadium

| site_cityst = Syracuse, NY

| score = 20–14

| attend = 20,798

| source = {{cite news|title=Kent State dumps Orange|newspaper=Star Gazette|date=September 15, 1974|page=D1|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92139799/kent-state-dumps-orange/|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 21

| w/l = l

| opponent = Ohio

| site_stadium = Dix Stadium

| site_cityst = Kent, OH

| score = 0–20

| attend = 15,267

| source = {{cite news|title=Kent Attack Dies Without Kokal|newspaper=The Akron Beacon Journal|date=September 22, 1974|pages=B1, B8|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92140253/kent-attack-dies-without-kokal/|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 28

| w/l = w

| away = y

| nonconf = y

| opponent = Eastern Michigan

| site_stadium = Rynearson Stadium

| site_cityst = Ypsilanti, MI

| score = 13–0

| attend = 12,000

| source = {{cite news|title=Record FG Helps Kent Sink EMU|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|page=6E|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92140662/record-fg-helps-kent-sink-emu/|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 5

| w/l = w

| opponent = Western Michigan

| site_stadium = Dix Stadium

| site_cityst = Kent, OH

| score = 28–6

| attend = 11,357

| source = {{cite news|title=Kent offense too much for Western|newspaper=Battle Creek Enquirer|date=October 6, 1974|page=C2|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92141027/kent-offense-too-much-for-western/|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 12

| w/l = l

| away = y

| opponent = Bowling Green

| site_stadium = Doyt Perry Stadium

| site_cityst = Bowling Green, OH

| gamename = rivalry

| score = 10–26

| attend = 10,493

| source = {{cite news|title=BG dims Flashes MAC title hopes|newspaper=Journal News|location=Hamilton, Ohio|date=October 13, 1974|page=C3|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92146354/bg-dims-flashes-mac-title-hopes/|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 19

| w/l = l

| nonconf = y

| opponent = Utah State

| site_stadium = Dix Stadium

| site_cityst = Kent, OH

| score = 24–27

| attend = 9,722

| source = {{cite news|title=Ags Grind Out 27-24 Win Over Kent State|newspaper=The Herald Journal|location=Logan, Utah|page=9|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92146035/ags-grind-out-27-24-win-over-kent-state/|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 26

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| opponent = Akron

| site_stadium = Dix Stadium

| site_cityst = Kent, OH

| gamename = rivalry

| score = 51–14

| attend = 15,200

| source = {{cite news|title=Kokal, Dooner Set Records In Flashes' Rout Of Zips|newspaper=Akron Beacon Journal|author=Ray Yannucci|date=October 27, 1974|pages=D1, D8|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92145542/kokal-dooner-set-records-in-flashes/|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 2

| w/l = w

| away = y

| nonconf = y

| opponent = Marshall

| site_stadium = Fairfield Stadium

| site_cityst = Huntington, WV

| score = 35–7

| attend = 9,121

| source = {{cite news|title=Kent State Stomps Thundering Herd|newspaper=The Raleigh Register|author=Strat Douthat|date=November 3, 1974|page=29|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92145068/kent-state-stomps-thundering-herd/|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 9

| w/l = l

| away = y

| opponent = Miami (OH)

| opprank = 13

| site_stadium = Miami Field

| site_cityst = Oxford, OH

| score = 17–19

| attend = 7,400

| source= {{cite news|title=Poole paces Kent State|newspaper=The Journal News|date=November 17, 1974|page=C4|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92144712/poole-paces-kent-state/|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 16

| w/l = w

| opponent = Toledo

| site_stadium = Dix Stadium

| site_cityst = Kent, OH

| score = 35–14

| attend = 7,400

| source = {{cite news|title=Kent 35 Toledo 14|newspaper=News Journal|location=Mansfield, Ohio|date=November 17, 1974|page=6D|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92144315/kent-35-toledo-14/|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

References

Kent State

Category:Kent State Golden Flashes football seasons

Kent State Golden Flashes football