I think the program is moving in the right direction. Coach (Paul) Haynes is in his third season, and the players know what to expect from the coaches and vice versa. On paper, this team appears to have more depth than they have in years past.
It is a big deal to open up with a Big Ten team on national television. Kent State and MAC schools don’t get a lot of national attention, so to be on Friday night on national TV versus Illinois is a big deal.
I think there is always a buzz to start a new season and to see if KSU can improve on last year.