Kent State Football

A field hockey game was stopped in double overtime Saturday in order for the Kent State football team to release pregame fireworks, Heather Dinich of ESPN reported. 

Temple and No. 24 Maine had battled to a 0-0 tie through the first overtime in a match that took place on the Kent State campus. School officials then halted the game because of fire marshal regulations for the fireworks.

Maine field hockey player Riley Field provided a quick video of the fireworks in question:

Kent State began its football game on time at noon, beating Kennesaw State 26-23 in overtime. The field hockey game was later deemed a scrimmage for NCAA reporting purposes.

Temple coach Susan Ciufo provided harsh criticism after the incident:

"I think it's just where we're at with female sports. As much as we have come a long way, there's still a long way to go. Saturday is the perfect example. To kick off two Division I teams when they're about to go into double overtime for fireworks is just, it's beyond me. I think it's a disgrace to both programs, the families and the schools. I wish there was some better decision-making throughout the process in recognizing what this could mean in the bigger picture moving forward."

There are reportedly no plans to resume the game on another date.

Former Kent State running back Jerry Flowers is reportedly suing the NCAA for allegedly concealing concussion information. 

TMZ Sports reported the news Tuesday, noting Flowers—who played at Kent State in 2005—and at least one other person are suing for more than $5 million for fraud, negligence and breach of contract. Flowers said he suffered "numerous concussions" as a player and now has "several symptoms indicative of long-term brain and neurocognitive injuries."

He believes he suffers from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

The lawsuit alleges the NCAA both concealed data regarding the long-term effects of concussions and didn't properly warn players that the helmets used weren't fully protective against concussions.

Flowers tallied 304 rushing yards, 85 receiving yards and three total touchdowns during his freshman season in 2005.

This comes after Tim Evans of the Indianapolis Star reported in November a federal lawsuit representing former Anderson University player Jeffrey Williams and other student-athletes was filed against the NCAA and alleged the organization sacrificed student-athlete safety "in favor of profits and self-promotion" when it came to head injuries.

Evans noted the NCAA previously reached a $75 million settlement for a class-action concussion case but is still facing multiple lawsuits over its handling of head injuries and alleged failure to protect student-athletes.

Former Kent State strength and conditioning coach Ross Bowsher released a statement Wednesday saying he is "disappointed" by the school saying he'd provided false information about his credentials.

"I am disappointed that the university also released in the same statement that my employment was terminated on the grounds that I provided false information—suggesting that I caused Tyler Heintz’s death," the statement read, per WKYC. 

"I care very much for all my student athletes, and their well-being and safety have always been my top priority. I continue to mourn the loss of Tyler Heintz, and his family remains in my thoughts and prayers.”

Kent State fired Bowsher on Tuesday, releasing a statement saying an internal investigation revealed the coach lied about a certification when applying for the position.

Bowsher said Kent State was aware he was working toward his certification and had been transparent throughout the process.

The university opened an investigation into its football program after offensive lineman Tyler Heintz died during a workout in June. Despite Bowsher's filing, Kent State said its coaching staff followed all procedures correctly. 

Kent State University offensive lineman Tyler Heintz, an incoming freshman, died Tuesday morning after he was transported to the hospital following conditioning drills.

According to a statement from the school, a cause of death has yet to be determined.

Portage County Coroner Dr. Dean DePerro told the Record-Courier an autopsy will be performed on Heintz, but he said results may not be concluded for weeks.

According to the Plain Dealer's Elton Alexander, Heintz is the second Kent State football player who has died in the last four years.

In 2013, center Jason Bitsko was found unresponsive in his off-campus bedroom. The coroner later determined Bitsko died from natural causes.

The Kent State Golden Flashes suspended safety Nate Holley indefinitely after authorities in Portage County, Ohio, charged the senior with first-degree felony kidnapping, according to Allen Moff of the Record-Courier.

Moff reported the alleged kidnapping occurred last Thursday in Franklin Township, Ohio.

Eric Mansfield, Kent State's executive director of university media relations, provided a statement following Holley's suspension: "We are aware of the situation and take this matter very seriously. He has been suspended from the team indefinitely."

Holley has appeared in all nine of Kent State's games in 2016 and leads the team with 111 tackles.

His suspension comes a day before the 3-6 Golden Flashes face off with the unbeaten No. 14 Western Michigan Broncos.

Kent State offensive lineman Jason Bitsko, 21, passed away on Wednesday. The cause of death is unknown after a roommate found him unresponsive.  

A release posted on the university's official athletics site states police believe an "undetermined medical issue" was a factor. It also included comments from both director of athletics Joel Nielsen and head football coach Paul Haynes.

"Kent State University and the entire Kent community mourns his passing," Nielsen said. "We are heartbroken by the news of Jason's death. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends, teammates and everyone whose lives he touched."

"Our players, coaches and everyone involved with our team are hurting because he was family," Haynes said. "As a team, we will come together and get through this one day at a time."

The Golden Flashes were made aware of the situation at the conclusion of the day's morning practice. All further activities scheduled for the team on Wednesday were canceled.

On Thursday, Tom Withers of The Associated Press reported how Kent State players plan to honor Bitsko this season:

Dr. Saturday of Yahoo Sports had a picture of the helmet:

Bitsko started all 12 games for Kent State last season at right tackle and was slated to become the team's starting center heading into his junior campaign. The Huber Heights, Ohio, native had developed into one of the most reliable and versatile linemen in the Mid-American Conference.

His bio on the school's athletics site notes he was a co-recipient of the Read Award, which is given for "exemplifying hard work and dedication beyond the call of duty." College football writer Phil Steele also named him to the Preseason All-MAC Second Team. 

Running back Dri Archer, who played college football at Kent State before being drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in May, sent out a message of condolence:

New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman, who also starred at Kent State, provided support for the family as well:

No further details were provided as to how Kent State plans to move forward following the tragedy.

The Golden Flashes are currently scheduled to start the regular season at home against Ohio on August 30.

Kent State has reportedly hired Paul Haynes to replace Darrell Hazell as the team's head coach after Hazell took Purdue's head coaching job in early November.

The Plain Dealer reporter Elton Alexander had the news:

There will be a homecoming Tuesday as Kent State sources confirmed Monday that Paul Haynes will be introduced at 2:30 p.m. in the Student Center as the next head football coach for the Golden Flashes.

Haynes was Arkansas' defensive coordinator last season, but he was an assistant head coach with the Golden Flashes in 1999. That familiarity, plus the fact that he attended and played for Kent State's team, makes him a suitable choice for the job.

But Haynes' Arkansas defense didn't have much success this season. The Razorbacks allowed over 30 points per game in what was a season to forget in the SEC.

Kent State knows that this is an important hire. The Golden Flashes want to continue the momentum that they created with an 11-2 campaign this year, and Haynes' connection to the school makes you believe that he will bring energy and commitment to his new job.

Hazell had great things to say about him in Alexander's report:

Paul is a good guy. I really like him. I don't want to put the cart before the horse, but he can relate well with the kids, if he does get hired. He'll bring some of the same things that we do now with him. Obviously, he's an alum. He's a really good guy.

So if you're a Kent State fan and enjoyed Hazell, that should give you a vote of confidence.

Haynes has also coached on staff at Ohio State (where he worked with Hazell) and Michigan State, so he's used to playing different kinds of teams. The things that he learned in each rugged conference should translate well against the potent offenses that he will find in the MAC.

Kent State allowed just over 25 points per game this season, so there is definitely room to improve. Haynes could bring added focus to the defensive side of the ball, making this team dangerous again in 2013.

It's important to look at all possible sides when hiring a new coach, and Haynes was a logical choice. Because he's an alumni, he will be invested in his new job, and he will be eager to keep this team near the top of the MAC next season.

After a double-overtime thriller, the BCS aspirations Kent State had coming into the MAC championship game have evaporated. 

The Golden Flashes fell to Northern Illinois, 44-37, and lost more than just the MAC championship.

Kent State would have been a virtual lock for the Orange Bowl with a victory over Northern Illinois, but will now have to settle for a significantly less lucrative bowl game. 

While there is still a slim chance that Northern Illinois will slip into the Orange Bowl, the more likely scenario is Oklahoma remaining a BCS bowl participant. 

It goes without saying that the Kent State faithful and those who root for the MAC would have liked to see a school from their conference in a BCS bowl game.

That said, the rest of the college football world can breathe a sigh of relief. An Orange Bowl featuring Florida State and Kent State might have gone down as the worst BCS bowl game of all time.

It's not that schools from non-AQ conferences should never go to a BCS bowl game, but these teams really need to earn it. 

There have been multiple Boise State teams that have had good enough seasons to deserve to go to a BCS bowl game. Even a pair of undefeated Utah teams deserved their spot.

But upon further review, Kent State is a long way away from those teams.

The Golden Flashes only played one ranked team all season, and that was in the MAC championship on Friday night. They also only played five FBS schools with more than four wins.

While Kent State did have wins over Rutgers, Ohio, Bowling Green and Ball State, their loss to an awful Kentucky team overshadowed those impressive victories. 

And this was not just a loss. Kentucky manhandled Kent State in early September in a 47-17 blowout.

The Golden Flashes also lacked a superstar player this season. A play-maker would have helped to make them BCS worthy. While there is some talent on Kent State, there is no one eye-opening player fans wanted to see in the national spotlight. 

All the other potential BCS worthy teams offer fans something. Kent State simply does not.

The potential matchup of the Golden Flashes and the Seminoles had to have brought an uneasy feeling to the representatives of the Orange Bowl. Ticket sales and television ratings would have been hurting, and that's just scratching the surface. 

While Louisville may not be much better, the Cardinals are leaps and bounds ahead of Kent State, particularly with the angle of starting quarterback Teddy Bridgewater returning home. 

Having a feel-good story in the Orange Bowl is one thing, but a game featuring Kent State would have been a travesty—particularly for a proven team like Oklahoma.

It's a good thing for the college football world that we will not have to see that happen.

Follow @AlexCallos