Below is a chart of offense, defense and total production of the Kent State University Golden Flashes football program during Haynes' tenure as head football coach, along with who would be the lowest ranked team during this time period (in purple) and the average team (sky blue). As you may notice, the all four seasons saw a program that was below average. All rankings in this blog come from my Complex Invasion College Football Production Model. More details about the program under Haynes are after the chart below, including a link to his employment contract are below.
Paul Haynes [2013 - 2017]
2013
The Golden Flashes were 4-8 during the regular season under Haynes' first year at the helm of the football program. The Golden Flashes were bowl ineligible playing against an "average" strength of schedule (SOS) as compared to the "league" average SOS, meaning that their SOS was plus or minus standard deviation of the "league" average SOS. The Golden Flashes best game again was their victory over #82 ranked Ohio (44-13) and their worst loss was to #98 ranked Akron (7-16). Kent State had the #94 ranked team in total production with the #99 ranked offense and the #77 ranked defense from the Complex Invasion College Football Production Model.
2014
Kent State finished the regular season at 2-9 and again were bowl ineligible. Kent State played against an "average" strength of schedule (SOS) as compared to the "league" average SOS, meaning that their SOS was plus or minus standard deviation of the "league" average SOS. The Golden Flashes best game again was their victory over #87 ranked Akron (27-24) and their worst loss was to #105 ranked Miami (OH) (3-10). Kent State had the #113 ranked team in total production with the #123 ranked offense and the #58 ranked defense from the Complex Invasion College Football Production Model.
2015
The Golden Flashes were 3-9 during the regular season (bowlin eligible). Kent State again played against an "average" strength of schedule (SOS) as compared to the "league" average SOS. The Golden Flashes best game again was their victory over #98 ranked Massachusetts (15-10) and their worst loss was to #91 ranked Buffalo (17-18). Kent State had the #107 ranked team in total production with the #127 ranked offense and the #39 ranked defense from the Complex Invasion College Football Production Model.
2016
Kent State again finished the regular season at 3-9 and again were bowl ineligible. The Golden Flashes again played against an "average" strength of schedule (SOS) as compared to the "league" average SOS. The Golden Flashes best game again was their victory over #90 ranked Central Michigan (27-24) and their worst loss was to FCS NC A&T (36-39). Kent State had the #87 ranked team in total production with the #113 ranked offense and the #33 ranked defense from the Complex Invasion College Football Production Model.
2017
At the time of Hayne's departure, Kent State played against a "tougher" strength of schedule (SOS) as compared to the "league" average SOS, meaning that their SOS was between one and two standard deviations below the "league" average SOS. The Golden Flashes best win was against #68 currently ranked Miami (OH) by a score of (17-14) and their worst loss was to #119 currently ranked Bowling Green by a score of (16-44). Currently Kent State has the #126 ranked team in total production, with the #130 ranked offense [that would be the worst in all of the FBS] and the #111 ranked defense from the Complex Invasion College Football Production Model.
2017 NCAA FBS Head Coach Changes
Minnesota and Tracy Claeys
California and Sonny Dykes
Oklahoma and Bob Stoops
Mississippi (Ole Miss) and Hugh Freeze
UTEP and Sean Kugler
Oregon State and Gary Andersen
Georgia Southern and Tyson Summers
Florida and Jim McElwain
Tennessee and Butch Jones
UCLA and Jim Mora
South Alabama and Joey Jones
Arkansas and Bret Bielema
Nebraska and Mike Riley
Arizona State and Todd Graham