I just read an article in the Dispatch that the Kent State coach is going to play every player who makes the trip to Columbus so his starters can get some rest to finish the MAC conference schedule.

Coach Doug Martin said:

We’ve got to come out of this game healthy so we can finish our conference schedule effectively.

What he really means is that he wants to hold back his better players back so he can reserve them for the rest of the MAC schedule. Essentially, he doesn’t think his Golden Flashes have a shot at beating the Buckeyes.

This is probably the most curious comment I have ever encountered in my years in the game. Why would you ever admit to holding players back because you knew you were going to lose anyway? Tress would never tell us he is going to take it easy on some of his players because they play a sub-par team that week. What does that tell your players? We can never beat Ohio State so we are going to rest our stars for the chance to win the M..A..C. Don’t try too hard since I (your coach and leader) know that you can’t win.

He’s also saying, “let’s go in and take the $600k, lose and move on.” As a spectator, I have a serious problem with paying a large sum of money to watch what the Kent State coach already admits is a foregone conclusion. I would want my money back if he doesn’t field his best team or put forth his best effort.

If I were a Kent State fan or a member of their Board of Trustees I would be concerned that my coach doesn’t have the faith in his players that they could give OSU a run for their money. Nor does he have the experience or sense to keep his real opinions to himself.

Can you imagine what the Kent State practices are going to be like for the rest of the week? If I were on the Buckeyes coaching staff, I would put his comments on the Kent State players’ lockers because the comments came from inside their own camp. Think about the poor second or third team guy who went to a MAC school to get an education and he gets “thrown to the Buckeyes” because the coach wants to save his REAL players for the rest of the season.

Plus let’s get real, the Golden Flashes are 3-3 and 1-2 in the MAC. They have losses to Miami U, Akron and Kentucky but their wins haven’t been bad. They beat Iowa St., Delaware St. and Ohio U. So they while they have something to hang their hat on, they’re not going to win the MAC championship and they’re going to struggle to earn a bowl bid.

I think Doug Martin should get a serious tongue lashing from the schools AD if not the Prez. He has basically told everyone, including the fans, the world of college football, the students and worst of all , his players that they can’t win and shouldn’t try. I hope Tress lays the wood to this guy and I also hope that none of those second and third stringers get hurt because of their coach’s ridiculous approach to competition and valor.

I’m glad none of my coaches ever gave up before the game even started.

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