Lewis all smiles for Kent State football
Football coaches at the highest levels are predominantly a surly bunch. Sean Lewis has bucked this trend, and many others, since taking over the Kent State program in December 2017 at age 31.
Lewis' ability to spout cliches and tiptoe around undesirable topics like a wily veteran head coach has only improved over the past four years. But he continues to consistently tackle the most burdensome chores his position requires, such as media interviews, with aplomb and a smile.
“I don't think the (Nick) Sabans and (Bill) Belichicks are nearly as miserable as they make themselves out to be. I think they put that on. I don't know,” Lewis said. “I know that I really enjoy what I'm doing, where I'm doing it at, and who I'm doing it with. Four years deep into this thing and excited to go into year five. Wouldn't want to be doing anything else.”
On Tuesday, the Golden Flashes (7-6) will play in a bowl game for the second time in three years when they battle Wyoming (6-6) in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.
Under Lewis, they've clinched three consecutive non-losing seasons for the
first time since 1972-74, earned the first bowl victory in program history (2019 Tropical Smoothie Café Frisco Bowl), and secured the first Mid-american Conference East Division title since 2012.
Lewis had served only as an assistant coach at the college level for eight years
when former Kent State athletic director Joel Nielsen took a flyer on a bright, young mind who had helped oversee record-breaking offenses at Bowling Green and Syracuse.
The results at Kent State didn't come as quickly as Lewis anticipated. The Flashes made significant strides offensively in 2018, averaging more than 10 points and 100 total yards more per contest than the previous season, but still finished with the same 2-10 record.
"Probably my lack of preparedness,” said Lewis, when asked what held the program back in year one. “Early on I just thought we could out-scheme everyone. I focused too much on that. There are so many things that you don't really realize until you sit down in the head coach's chair and drink from that firehose every single day. I didn't know what I didn't know."
After taking some lumps but establishing boundaries in Lewis' first year, the Flashes closed the 2019 season with four straight wins to finish above .500 for the first time since 2012. That ‘19 campaign ended with a Frisco Bowl win over Utah State.
The 2020 season was cut short due to COVID-19 issues, but the Flashes finished 3-1 and led the nation in offense (49.8 points, 606.5 yards per game). This fall Kent State won the MAC East Division title but lost to Northern Illinois in the MAC championship, missing a chance to capture the program's first conference crown since 1972. They'll look to bounce back from a disappointing performance on Tuesday in Idaho, then turn their attention to continuing the upward trajectory in 2022.