All of a sudden, Kent State football is becoming a mini-Syracuse West. Or, Midwest as the case may be.
Syracuse linebacker Juan Wallace (pictured, right) announced in mid-May that he had decided to enter the NCAA transfer database. Nearly three weeks later, he revealed his commitment to the Kent State football team. Via Twitter, of course.
The head coach at Kent State, Sean Lewis, was the offensive coordinator for Syracuse in 2016-17. Additionally, Tom Kaufman was on that same Orange staff as special teams coordinator and linebackers coach. Now, Kaufman serves as Lewis’ defensive coordinator for the Golden Flashes.
As Wallace isn’t leaving Syracuse football as a graduate, he’d likely have to sit out the 2020 season. That would leave him with two years of eligibility he can use starting in 2021.
Wallace was a three-star member of the Syracuse football Class of 2018. The Florida product was rated as the No. 42 inside linebacker in the country. He also held Power Five offers from Duke, Georgia, Iowa State, Kentucky, Maryland, Rutgers, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
In his two years with the Orange, Wallace appeared in 24 games. Most of that action came on special teams.
Kent State is coming off just its fifth bowl-eligible football season in the past four decades. The Golden Flashes also captured their first-ever bowl win following the 2019 regular season.