Week 1 of the college football season provides schools around the country with an opportunity to shake off rust and start the season on the right foot — with a win.
No. 23 Indiana football managed to earn a 13-point victory against Old Dominion University on Aug. 30, despite execution errors. Kennesaw State University, on the other hand, didn’t have the same fortune in its road contest against Wake Forest University.
Under first-year head coach Jerry Mack, Kennesaw State (0-1) will take on Indiana (1-0) at noon Saturday inside Memorial Stadium in Bloomington.
The Owls’ rise
Kennesaw State began playing football in 2015. After nine seasons at the Football Championship Subdivision level, the school moved to the Football Bowl Subdivision ahead of the 2024 season.
Although the Owls largely struggled last season, finishing 2-10, they notched their first two wins over FBS schools. With Liberty University in the hunt to make the College Football Playoff at 5-0, Kennesaw State handed the Flames their first loss of the season.
On Nov. 10, 2024, Brian Bohannon — the program’s first head coach — stepped down, according to Kennesaw State Athletic Director Milton Overton. Later that day, however, Bohannon said in an X post that he was fired. Interim head coach Chandler Burks replaced him, leading the Owls to a victory over Florida International University.
Kennesaw State announced Dec. 1 it hired Mack to become its second head coach. Mack has an extensive coaching background, having most recently served as the running backs coach at the University of Tennessee from 2021 to 2023 and with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2024.
HOO are the Owls?
Kennesaw State began its season with a 10-9 loss despite holding the lead late in the third quarter. A missed extra point in the first quarter and a missed field goal in the second wound up costing the second-year FBS squad a 1-0 start.
Led by redshirt senior and former Hoosiers quarterback Dexter Williams II, the Owls’ offense accumulated 307 yards against the Demon Deacons. Williams went 12 for 33 for 149 yards passing, finishing with a 24.1 quarterback rating as the passing game was “subpar,” according to Mack.
“Dexter Williams and our passing game, and it’s everybody — it’s the receivers, it’s the O-line — we all got to do a better job of giving him time to complete some of those balls,” Mack said in a press conference Monday. “And he’s got to do a better job of making sure he hits the small things at a high level.”
However, the Owls’ lack of success through the air wasn’t all on Williams. The Macon, Georgia, native was expecting receivers to be in certain spots in their routes, and they weren’t, Mack said. So, that’s an aspect of the offense the first-year head coach is seeking to improve against the Hoosiers.
Redshirt senior Gabriel Benyard led the Owls’ receiving corps with five receptions for 103 yards. But it wasn’t his receiving that caught Mack’s eye. He was impressed with Binyard’s ability to field every punt and give the offense positive field position.
Kennesaw State’s running back duo, comprised of redshirt senior Coleman Bennett and redshirt junior Alexander Diggs, combined for 105 yards and a touchdown in the loss. Williams added 44 yards on 14 carries.
The Owls committed nine penalties — seven on offense — for 68 yards. That’s an aspect of execution Mack wants to see his team improve.
“We just got to go back to the drawing board and work on some of the things to try to continue to improve,” he said. “The execution part is extremely important for us right now.”
Still, Kennesaw State saw its potential as it competed with a Power Four-level team less than two years into its time in FBS.
“I think that the team,” Mack said, “they saw a little glimpse of what could be if we just go back to work and work a little bit harder and prepare a little bit better.”
Mack on Cignetti and the Hoosiers
Although Mack and Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti haven’t crossed paths in their coaching journeys, the former said he’s always watched the latter from afar.
“Really respected what he did at Elon (University),” Mack said. “...Followed his career at James Madison (University), and then obviously what he’s done last year in his first year in Indiana has been extremely impressive.”
Mack said what jumps out most to him about the Hoosiers is redshirt junior quarterback Fernando Mendoza and the wide receiving corps at his disposal.
Mack raved about Mendoza’s arm talent despite his struggles, which Mack said was due in part to Old Dominion keeping him off rhythm and causing disruptions. He felt the same regarding Indiana’s three running backs and their ability to break tackles.
“They really imposed their will up front on ODU, rushed for almost over 300 yards,” Mack said, “so, just from a standpoint of all phases of offensive football, they have a chance to beat you running the ball, they can beat you through the air. So, you really got to be oiled up in all your techniques and all your coverages and all your schemes.”
Mack said he and his coaching staff took some positives from Old Dominion’s performance against Indiana and plan to apply them. Some aspects, he said, fit his squad while some don’t.
Cignetti on the Owls
After the Hoosiers struggled with Old Dominion redshirt sophomore quarterback Colton Joseph last week, they’re tasked, again, with containing a mobile quarterback in Williams.
The Owls’ offense moves at “warp speed,” which Cignetti said will be an adjustment.
“So, they're going to use the field, and the biggest adjustment will be when they do go warp speed, getting the calls in, getting lined up, that kind of thing, and keeping the quarterback contained,” he said.
In terms of Kennesaw State’s defense, Cignetti said he’s “impressed” with the squad that held Wake Forest to just 10 points.
“I mean, they're fundamental,” he said. “They're well coached. They're in the right place. They run around good. They tackle. They're tough. So, guy's (Mack) done a nice job there.”
Despite the Hoosiers being 35.5-point favorites in the contest, according to ESPN Bet, Cignetti said he and his squad “got to be ready to go” come noon Saturday.
Follow reporters Dalton James (@DaltonMJames and jamesdm@iu.edu) and Conor Banks (@Conorbanks06 and conbanks@iu.edu) and columnist Quinn Richards (@Quinn_richa and qmrichar@iu.edu) for updates throughout the Indiana football season.
