When Kenni Burns was hired as Kent State’s head coach a couple years ago, many people realized it would take some time for the Golden Flashes to achieve sustainable success.
But hardly anybody thought Kent State would struggle that way it has. After going 1-11 in 2023, the Golden Flashes are currently the only winless team in the FBS at 0-9.
Burns did just sign a contract extension, meaning his deal would end after the 2028 season. But because Kent State has only won one game since last year, would the Golden Flashes consider going in another direction at head coach for 2025?
Here are some coaches Kent State could consider if that happens.
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UNLV Offensive Coordinator Brennan Marion
Marion is in just his second season as UNLV’s offensive coordinator. He’s done well with the Rebels and has other coaching experience all across the country.
In 2023, UNLV was 44th in the FBS with 412.7 yards per game and 22nd with 34.4 points per game. The Rebels have continued to be successful on offense this season, even after quarterback Matthew Sluka decided to sit out the rest of the year.
Before this, Marion was a passing game coordinator at Texas in 2022, a wide receivers coach at Pitt in 2021, a wide receivers coach at Hawaii in 2020, an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at William & Mary in 2019, an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Howard in 2017 and 2018, and a running backs coach at Oklahoma Baptist in 2016.
Marion has been a name tied to a few head coaching vacancies the past couple years. The expertise he brings could benefit Kent State.
Kansas State Assistant Head Coach Van Malone
Malone hasn’t been a head coach at the collegiate level yet, but he has a good amount of experience as a coordinator and positions coach at several FBS programs.
Malone, who is also a defensive passing game coordinator and a cornerbacks coach, has been at Kansas State since 2019. Last year, the Wildcats were 18th in passing efficiency defense (118.63) and were 10th in the country with 16 interceptions the season before. Several K-State defensive backs have earned All-Big 12 accolades during Malone’s tenure.
Previously, Malone was a defensive quality control coach at Mississippi State (2018) and a defensive coordinator at SMU (2015-17). He also worked with defensive backs at Oklahoma State (2012-14), Tulsa (2010-11), Texas A&M (2006-09), North Texas (2005), and Western Michigan (2004). He was a wide receivers coach at North Dakota State in 2003, so he has worked with both sides of the ball. He also coached special teams at Western Michigan and North Texas.
Malone has the experience needed to be a great candidate.
FAU Offensive Coordinator Charlie Frye
Frye has a good resume and knows the MAC well.
Frye was a successful quarterback at Akron, where he was a four-year starter and broke numerous records. He was picked in the third round of the NFL Draft in 2005 by the Cleveland Browns and spent half a decade in the league.
He began his coaching career at the high school level and eventually worked as a consultant/director of player development at Florida from 2015-17. He was an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at the collegiate level for the first time at Central Michigan from 2019-20. He then coached quarterbacks with the Miami Dolphins in 2021 before being an offensive analyst and analytics coordinator at Penn State in 2022. He’s been at FAU, where he’s an OC and QBs coach, since 2023.
Frye would be a good name for Kent State to consider.
Notre Dame Offensive Coordinator Mike Denbrock
Denbrock would make a ton of sense for Kent State if he were interested.
Denbrock has coached in the area for years. He’s worked with offensive linemen, tight ends, and wide receivers over the years at Notre Dame, but he’s also coached at a variety of other schools as well. He was LSU’s OC and tight ends coach before this from 2022-23, and was an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Cincinnati from 2017-21.
Denbrock hasn’t been a head coach at the collegiate level, but he has been an associate head coach, including at Notre Dame from 2015-16 and at Indiana State in 2009.
Denbrock’s name has come up plenty of times when it comes to college football hot seats and potential head coaching hires this season. If he were open to taking a G5 head coaching job, Kent State would be a good fit.
Alabama Tight Ends Coach Bryan Ellis
Ellis has only been at Alabama for less than a year. But if he were willing to leave for an FBS head coaching opportunity, Kent State might make sense. He is familiar with that region of the country.
Last season, when Ellis was an offensive coordinator at Georgia Southern, the Eagles were in the top 50 in the country with 30.2 points and 419.5 yards per game. And that was a down year compared to the other teams he’s worked with.
In 2022, which was Ellis’ first year as Georgia Southern’s OC and QBs coach, the Eagles were in the top 20 in the FBS with 466.7 yards per game and scored 32.7 points per game.
Before that, Ellis was Western Kentucky’s co-offensive coordinator and inside receivers coach. In 2021, the Hilltoppers were second in the country with 44.2 points per game and 535.3 yards per game while leading the FBS with 433.7 passing yards per game.
He was WKU’s OC and quarterbacks coach from 2019-20 and was an assistant there from 2014-16. From 2017-18, he worked with quarterbacks at USC.
Washington State Offensive Coordinator Ben Arbuckle
Arbuckle is only in his second season as Washington State’s OC and quarterbacks coach. But he’s made an impact quickly.
This year, WSU is top 20 in the country with 448.4 yards and 38.1 points per game. A season ago, the Cougars were in the top 40 in the country in terms of scoring offense with 31.7 points per game and total offense with 421.7 yards per game. Cameron Ward, WSU’s QB in 2023, was in the top 10 in the FBS with 3,735 passing yards and top 20 with 25 touchdowns.
Arbuckle also coached at Western Kentucky. Before WSU, Arbuckle was a co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at WKU. In 2022, the Hilltoppers were in the top 15 in the nation with yards per game (497.3) and points per game (36.4) as quarterback Austin Reed led the country with 4,746 yards and was third with 40 touchdowns.
Arbuckle hasn’t been coaching at the collegiate level long, but he was at one point on 247Sports’ 30-Under-30 list, which recognizes up-and-coming college football coaches. Considering he’s shown great expertise on the offensive side of the ball and has coached in the area, maybe Kent State should consider him.
