46-TD QB Becomes First 2027 Commitment For Struggling College Football Program

One of the worst college football teams in recent years is trying to rise out of the cellar.

Dec 20, 2025; College Station, TX, USA; A detail view of College Football Playoffs logo on a banner at Kyle Field prior to the game between the Miami Hurricanes and the Texas A&M Aggies. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

There are only four teams in the FBS that have failed to win 25% or fewer of their games since the beginning of the 2022 season; UMass, Nevada, Kent State, and Charlotte.

The last few years have seen plenty of chaos for the Golden Flashes. The program won just a single game during former head coach Kenni Burns' tenure from 2023-24. Burns was fired last April and is now embroiled in a lawsuit against the university.

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In the aftermath of moving on from Burns, Kent State promoted offensive coordinator Mark Carney to guide the program. The early returns weren't promising as the Golden Flashes lost four of their first five games, including a 66-10 defeat to Florida State and a 44-0 blowout at the hands of Oklahoma.

However, Kent State found its footing in the middle of the year, winning four of its final seven games to conclude the campaign.

With Carney leading the Golden Flashes to their fourth-best record in the last 15 years, it looks like the program could be rising out of the cellar. The second-year head coach is trying to acquire the necessary talent to keep moving in the right direction.

46-TD Quarterback Is Kent State's First 2027 Commitment

Over the weekend, 2027 quarterback and rising senior Aaron Strader announced his commitment to Kent State over offers from programs such as Syracuse, Marshall, Central Michigan, Akron, and Miami (OH).

Strader is the first pledge in the recruiting class for the Golden Flashes. Now that the program has a quarterback in the fold, Carney can focus on building around him.

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Kent State has redshirt junior quarterback Dru DeShields back in 2026. Last year, DeShields started in 11 games, putting up 18 touchdown passes to 3 interceptions.

During his junior season at Pine-Richland High School, Strader completed 139/222 passes for 2,217 yards with 34 touchdowns to 8 interceptions. He added 94 carries for 762 yards and 12 more scores.

Strader threw for 200+ yards in six games, including a season-high 15/26 passing for 321 yards with 3 touchdowns to 1 interception, and a score on the ground, in a 48-6 victory against North Hills High School on September 12. He rushed for 100+ yards in two separate outings.

The 6-foot-0, 175-pound quarterback has yet to be ranked in the 2027 class.

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