DeShields Runs and Throws Kent State Past Ball State in MAC Opener

Quarterback Dru DeShields threw two touchdown passes and ran for a score as Kent State beat Ball State 26-13 in its Mid-American Conference opener at Dix Stadium.

Quarterback Dru DeShields threw two touchdown passes and ran for another as Kent State defeated Ball State 26-13 on Saturday, Sept. 26, at Dix Stadium in Kent, Ohio. He was responsible for all three Golden Flashes touchdowns in their Mid-American Conference opener.

The Kent State quarterback completed 16 of 25 passes for 182 yards and two scores and also topped his team's ball carriers with 71 yards rushing and a touchdown. The ability to beat defenses with his arm and his legs has defined DeShields since his playing days at West Branch High School, and it is the source of his "Dual Threat Dru" nickname.

The result also snapped a pair of droughts for the Golden Flashes, who opened league play with a victory. Kent State had not won a Mid-American Conference opener since 2022, and it had not beaten Ball State since 2019.

Speaking to reporters afterward, DeShields was delighted with the win but treated it as the product of the team's offseason work rather than a surprise. "It feels amazing from where we came from, but we expect this to happen," he said. "We expect to win."

Kent State's first touchdown of the afternoon showed the full range of his game. When the pocket collapsed, DeShields rolled to his right and connected with Brandon White on a 7-yard score, the first touchdown of White's collegiate career. "That's just the scramble drill," DeShields said. "His man attacked me, so I just threw it to him," he added, crediting White for finding the open space.

The touchdowns kept coming from there. DeShields connected with Da'Realyst Clark on a 5-yard scoring pass and later found the end zone himself on a 7-yard run, beating Ball State both through the air and on the ground.

Ball State's approach on defense, meanwhile, helped open the door for him. "They really didn't have a spy on me today," DeShields said. "They dropped a lot of people in coverage because my wide receivers are playmakers. They left a void in the defense, so I took advantage."

Coach Mark Carney said the showing matched what he has come to expect from his quarterback. "He's doing a really good job utilizing his legs in the pass game," Carney said. "That makes it incredibly difficult to defend." He added that the running element of DeShields' game puts a lot of pressure on defensive coordinators and makes it tough for them to call plays.

Both quarterback and coach anticipate that opponents may devote more attention to slowing DeShields as the season continues. "People might watch film and decide to put a spy on me," DeShields said. "That takes a guy out of coverage. It's pick your poison at that point."