Golden Flashes Sign Autographs, Kent State Flags Raised Downtown for Send-Off

University, community gather to wish Kent State's football team good luck in the GoDaddy.com Bowl Jan. 6

Members of the Kent State University and Kent community gathered Wednesday to wish the Golden Flashes good luck as they prepare for the GoDaddy.com Bowl on Jan. 6 against Arkansas State. Players gathered at Laziza with outgoing coach Darrell Hazell to sign autographs for fans for about 45 minutes Wednesday. Upload your photos and videos from yesterday's send-off by clicking on the "Upload Photos" button. Then Hazell and other members of Kent State Athletics, along with Joel Nielsen, the athletics director, and Kent Mayor Jerry Fiala, strolled down Erie Street to watch eight of the international flags atop the AMETEK building swapped out for Kent State flags — similar to what was done for the team's appearance in the 2012 MAC Championship …

• Videos (1)

Paul Haynes Named Football Coach at Kent State

Former Golden Flashes assistant coach and alumni will replace Darrell Hazell

Kent State University announced Tuesday that former assistant coach and alumni Paul Haynes will take over as head football coach following Darrell Hazell's departuer for Purdue. Haynes, who played for Kent State 25 years ago, also worked as an assistant coach in 1999 and 2000 before moving on to Ohio State University and then Arkansas before coming back to Kent, according to Kent State Athletics. Hazell announced this month he would be leaving Kent State for the top football job at Purdue for a reported $2 million salary. Haynes said during a press conference Tuesday that he planned to let Hazell coach the Golden Flashes during their upcoming Jan. 6 appearance in the GoDaddy.com Bowl against Arkansas State, WKSU reported. "They’ve done a …

• Photos (1)

Reports: Kent State to Name Football Coach

Former Golden Flash to take helm of 2012 MAC Championship runner-up

Multiple media outlets are reporting that former Golden Flashes player and Arkansas defensive coordinator Paul Haynes will be named the new head coach of the Kent State University football team. ESPN, Fox 8 and Ohio.com reported Haynes will take over for Darrell Hazell, who announced this month he would be leaving Kent State for the top football job at Purdue for a reported $2 million salary — twice that of his predecessor. A press conference is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. today to announce the news. Haynes also previously served as an assistant head coach for Kent State. The rush to find Hazell's replacement should come as no surprise. Kent State President Lester Lefton told university trustees last week the administration was already …

• Photos (1)

Darrell Hazell a Good Hire for Purdue: In the News

Patch gives you a sample of what sports writers from around the country are saying about the Kent State coach going to Purdue.

Good for Purdue. Good for Darrell Hazell. Not so good for Kent State. That's the general sentiment of college football analysts and writers around the country regarding Golden Flashes' Coach Darrell Hazell leaving for Purdue. The 2012 MAC Coach of the Year winner announced Wednesday that he accepted the head coaching job at Purdue, even though he will still coach Kent State in the GoDaddy.com Bowl on Jan. 6. Media outlets around the country have picked up the story of Hazell's departure and most see it as a great move for Purdue and the Big Ten Conference. USA Today's Bob Kravitz wrote Thursday that Purdue's hiring Hazell was a terrific move, but not just because of his coaching ability. "This is important, not simply because a black coach…

• Videos (1)

Kent State Hopes to Fill Hazell's Spot by End of Year

Darrell Hazell will still coach the football team in the GoDaddy.com Bowl on Jan. 6.

The search is underway to find Darrell Hazell's replacement as the head coach of the Kent State football team. Athletic Director Joel Nielson has already begun the search and wants to have the spot filled over the next two to three weeks, according to Aaron Chimenti, spokesman for the football team. "There is great coaching talent out there - like Darrell - seeking an opportunity to demonstrate their capabilities," Nielsen said in press release Wednesday. "Our search will be both thorough and quick - and mirror the search we did that resulted in Darrell joining Kent State two years ago." Hazell announced Wednesday morning that he accepted the head coaching position at Purdue University. Hazell, who led the Kent State Golden Flashes (11-2, …

• Photos (1)

Hazell to Purdue: Fans Disappointed but Not Surprised By Departure

Kent State students and fans shared their thoughts on the Golden Flashes football coach leaving for Purdue University.

Kent State Football Coach Darrell Hazell's announcement that he was leaving for Purdue didn't come as a surprise to Evan Graening. Graening, a senior public relations major at Kent State University, said he knew it was a foregone conclusion. "To be honest it wasn't really a shock," Graening said Wednesday. "I know when we started winning, my friends and I knew if it wasn't this year, it would happen next year." Hazell held a press conference Wednesday morning announcing his decision to leave Kent State for the Big Ten team. Graening doesn't harbor any hard feelings and believes Hazell is making the best decision for himself. He does feel bad, however, for the players who are losing a terrific coach. "During the (MAC) championship game my …

• Photos (4)

Report: Hazell Leaving Kent State for Purdue Coaching Job

Second-year head coach at Kent State led Flashes to first bowl appearance in 40 years

Kent State University may have just lost the best football coach it's seen in decades. An Indiana-based journalist reported this afternoon that Kent State head football coach Darrell Hazell has reached an agreement with Purdue University to take over the head coaching job for the Boilermakers, who are part of the Big Ten Conference for intercollegiate athletics that includes Ohio State University. Hammer and Rails, a blog about Purdue sports, attributed the news to a former ESPN radio host and journalist for the Lafayette, IN, newspaper the Lafayette Journal and Courier, Brendan Murphy, who tweeted this statement this afternoon: "I've been told an agreement in principle has been reached between Purdue and Darrell Hazell, just contract …

•  3 Comments
• Photos (1)

Cuddy

11:22 pm on Wednesday, December 5, 2012

But he is. Hazell WILL coach the Flashes in their bowl game. http://kentwired.com/hazell-to-coach-flashes-in-bowl-game/   more ›

Hazell Candidate for Coaching Job at Boston College

First-year Kent State coach leading team to first MAC Championship appearance since 1972