Tag: kennesaw state

Oklahoma Sooners earn commitment from transfer portal tight end

Oklahoma Sooners earn commitment from Kennesaw State transfer tight end.

The Oklahoma Sooners added another weapon to the offense, earning a commitment from [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag] tight end Carson Kent.

Kent comes to the Sooners after spending three seasons with Kennesaw State. In 2024, he had 18 receptions for 217 yards and led the Owls with three receiving touchdowns. He played more than 500 snaps in 2024 and has 865 snaps to his credit over the last two seasons.

He’s 6 feet, 4 inchs and weighs 240 pounds. He’s a good receiver who is  physical after the catch. Kent has plus athleticism and can win in the short and intermediate parts of the passing game.

The Sooners lost Bauer Sharp to LSU, and Jake Roberts is in his last year of eligibility. Kent will have a chance to compete for a starting role with the Sooners, but OU returns former four-star prospects Kaden Helms and Davon Mitchell and athletic three-star tight end Kade McIntyre.

Now the Sooners have some experience in the tight end room as they look to rebound from their offensive woes in 2024.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DD7NUsDRZJY/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Carson Kent’s Kennesaw State Highlights

Former Tennessee assistant hired as Kennesaw State football head coach

Former Vols’ assistant named head coach at Kennesaw State.

Kennesaw State hired Jerry Mack as its football head coach. Mack served as Tennessee’s running backs coach from 2021-23.

“After an extensive national search, I would like to welcome coach Jerry Mack, his wife, Starlett, and family to Owl nation as our head football coach,” Kennesaw State director of athletics Milton Overton said. “Coach Mack’s values and professional qualifications align with the strategic direction of our football program. He has 20 years of coaching experience at all levels, has shown a longstanding ability to connect with players, and owns a relentless recruiting mindset. Coach Mack has proven experience running up-tempo and productive offensive schemes.”

Mack served as running backs coach for Jacksonville in the NFL during the 2024 season.

Jerry Mack. Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

Jaguars assistant takes college HC job

Jaguars assistant takes college HC job

Kennesaw State is hiring Jacksonville Jaguars running backs coach Jerry Mack as the program’s new head coach, the university announced Sunday.

Kennesaw State announced Mack’s hiring during Jacksonville’s Week 13 home matchup with the Houston Texans, while Mack was actively coaching the Jaguars’ running backs at EverBank Stadium.

Mack joined the Jaguars this offseason after spending three seasons as the running backs coach for the University of Tennessee, replacing the dismissed Bernie Parmalee in the role. He has four seasons of head coaching experience at the FCS level with North Carolina Central from 2014-17, where he went 31-15.

Through Week 12 this season, the Jaguars ranked No. 11 in the NFL in yards per rushing attempt with 4.5 and No. 25 in rushing yards per game with 101.6.

Jacksonville’s leading rushers, Tank Bigsby and Travis Etienne Jr., had rushed for 519 yards and four touchdowns and 325 yards and two touchdowns, respectively.

Mack will succeed Brian Bohannon, the first head football coach in Kennesaw State history, in leading the Owls. Bohannon went 72-38 in 10 seasons with the team.

Notre Dame Leprechaun randomly appears in EA Sports College Football

Have you experienced anything like this in the game?

College football fans have been all about EA Sports College Football 25, which was released this week. The reviews among fans have been glowing and rightfully so. But as hard as EA tried to perfect this video game, a few mistakes ended up slipping through the cracks.

A podcaster named Jason Kirk is among those who bought the game. He played one contest between Western Kentucky and Kennesaw State. When it was over, he noticed something unusual enough that he posted a screenshot to social media:

Yep, that’s the Notre Dame Leprechaun somehow celebrating a win with the Owls’ cheerleaders in Bowling Green. This apparently isn’t the only such instance because the replies to this tweet indicated that unrelated mascots were popping up in other games.

Chalk this up to a history of glitches in EA football games. One oldie but goodie popped up in Madden NFL 2007 (warning: NSFW language):

Sigh. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

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Tanner Franklin commits to Vols, returns to Tennessee

Pitcher Tanner Franklin commits to the Vols and returns to Tennessee.

Tennessee and head coach Tony Vitello received a commitment to the Vols’ program on Tuesday.

Kennesaw State sophomore pitcher Tanner Franklin committed to Tennessee.

“Extremely blessed for this new opportunity,” Franklin announced. “Thank you Lord. Go Vols! Psalms 24:17”

The 6-foot-5, 240-pound Franklin (6-1) appeared in 34 games, including three starts, across the 2023-24 seasons at Kennesaw State. He recorded 61 strikeouts, a 6.34 ERA and five saves in 38.1 innings pitched.

Franklin went to Kennesaw State from Jefferson County High School in Dandridge, Tennessee.

Tennessee won the national championship and the Southeastern Conference regular-season and tournament titles in 2024.

2025 will be the eighth season for Tennessee under Vitello.

PHOTOS: Tennessee baseball celebrates 2024 national championship

Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports

Rutgers basketball is set to play Kennesaw State, per report

Rutgers basketball has a new non-conference opponent.

It looks like yet another non-conference opponent is being lined up for Rutgers basketball.

Per college basketball insider Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports, Rutgers will play at Kennesaw State this upcoming season. The obvious local ties to Georgia are clear for Rutgers, given that freshman guard Jamichael Davis and incoming freshman Airious ‘Ace’ Bailey are from the state.

Last year, Kennesaw State finished the season 15-16 (6-10 Atlantic Sun Conference). In late December, the Owls battled well at Indiana in a 100-87 loss.

Rutgers is primed for a bounce-back season, having finished last year 15-17 (7-13 Big Ten). A five-star forward, Bailey is a big reason for the optimism around Rutgers heading into the fall.

Also joining Bailey at Rutgers is five-star guard [autotag]Dylan Harper[/autotag] from Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, New Jersey).

 

Harper had a very strong close to his high school career with tremendous showings at the McDonald’s All-American Game as well as the Jordan Brand Classic.

[lawrence-related id=37880,37876]

The duo of Bailey and Harper are the first-ever five-star commits in Rutgers history.

Kentucky baseball wins on Sunday, but loses series to Kennesaw State

The Kentucky baseball team dropped their weekend series to Kennesaw State

The Kentucky Wildcats baseball team started the year just about as well as it could have. They won 12 of their first 13 games and sat just outside of the top 25. They were looking to continue the run in a series with Kennesaw State.

In game one on Friday, the Owls jumped out early, scoring four runs in the third inning. Kentucky scored a run in the fifth, but Kennesaw State scored again the seventh, and then exploded for eight runs in the eighth and won 13 – 1.

The second game of the series was more of the same. Kennesaw State scored four runs in the first inning and never looked back. The Kentucky bats were silent again as well, and the Owls won 10 – 2.

Things got better on Sunday. Emilien Pitre went 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored, while Mason Moore pitched seven innings, holding the Owls to one hit and one run. Kentucky won the finale 5 – 2.

It was a tough weekend for Wildcats baseball, but they did end on a positive note. Next, they’ll host Murray State for a Tuesday game, then the Georgia Bulldogs come to town for a weekend series.

Kentucky Wildcats Baseball Falls to Kennesaw State

Kentucky baseball falls in it’s opening game with Kennesaw State on Friday

The University of Kentucky baseball team’s eight game win streak was snapped in the first game of their series with the Kennesaw State Owls on Friday. The Wildcats went down by four early and could never recover, ultimately losing the game 13-1.

Multiple errors in a third inning by Kentucky allowed the Owls to score four runs. A wild pitch on a strike three allowed the runner to reach first and then an errant throw from the pitcher to home on a squeeze bunt later in the inning allowed the runner to score. The Owls went on to add three more runs in the inning.

Kennesaw State starting pitcher Braden Oswalt pitched a great game for the Owls, throwing strikes all game and keeping the Wildcats patient hitters off the break path. Osbolt struck out eight, allowing only six hits and one run. Wildcats starting pitcher Travis Smith game up four earned runs in seven innings for the Wildcats.

The only run the Wildcats were able to score was a solo homerun from freshman Kyuss Gargett. The Owls pilled on eight more runs in the eighth inning off of the young Wildcat bullpen.

Game two of the series is Saturday at 1 p.m. EST at Kentucky Proud Park. The game will be available to watch on SECN+ and can be listened to the UK Sports Network on UKathletics.com and 98.5 FM.

No. 2 Lady Vols defeat Kennesaw State for fourth win

No. 2 Lady Vols defeat Kennesaw State for fourth win.

No. 2 Tennessee (4-0) defeated Kennesaw State (2-3), 14-0 in five innings, on Wednesday at Bailey Park in Kennesaw, Georgia.

Karlyn Pickens (2-0) pitched three innings, recording six strikeouts, one hit and zero walks for Tennessee.

The Lady Vols recorded 12 hits in the contest, including a home run by Giulia Koutsoyanopulos.

Tennessee will next play in the Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational.

The Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational will take place Friday-Sunday. Tennessee will play Stanford and Texas on Friday, while facing Georgia Tech and UCLA on Saturday. The Lady Vols will play Florida State on Sunday.

Tennessee’s home opener at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium is slated for March 1 versus Brown.

No. 4 Tennessee rugby defeats Kennesaw State, 58-7

No. 4 Tennessee rugby defeats Kennesaw State, 58-7.

No. 4 Tennessee (6-1) defeated Kennesaw State, 58-7, on Saturday at Tennessee Rugby Park.

The Vols celebrated senior day on Saturday.

Tennessee’s lineup versus Kennesaw State (seniors in bold):

1. Eli Christoph/Leo Bonifacio 32’/Aidan O’Connor 40′
2. Brendan Bibb/Toby Fagan 40′
3. Will Bond
4. Dane Whitney
5. Calvin Miley/Dixon 45′
6. Jarret Self/Ted Naeher 12′ (blood)/Self 16′
7. Luke Mathis/Noah Dixon 40’/Barone 45′
8. Mathew Beacom/Ted Naeher 40′
9. Luke O’Reilly
10. Wes Brondos
11. Stone Wilkinson
12. Elliot Christoph/Will Grant 40′
13. Michael McGettigan/Joey Barone 40’/Max Ponce 45′
14. Brayton McCann
15. Patrick Carey

Tennessee’s 2023-24 leadership team consists of Luke Mathis (president), Matthew Beacom (vice president), Michael McGettigan (treasurer), Jarrett Self (secretary) and Brendan Bibb (sargent at arms).

PHOTOS: 2023 Tennessee rugby Old Boys game