Sources: Kent State hiring 1 of college football's top young offensive assistants

Kent State's head coach Mark Carney, entering his second year at the helm, is making significant changes to his coaching staff by hiring Braxton Chapman as the new running backs coach. At 26, Chapman is one of the youngest on-field assistant coaches in the Football Bowl Subdivision. His prior experience includes two seasons at Dartmouth, where he worked with special teams and running backs, and roles at Coastal Carolina and Northern Illinois, his alma mater. Chapman began his playing career at Youngstown State before transferring to Northern Illinois, where he contributed to a Mid-American Conference Championship. Carney, who assumed the head coaching position after the dismissal of Kenni Burns, led Kent State to a 5-7 record last season, an improvement from the previous 0-12 season, with a 4-4 record in MAC play. Kent State will kick off its 2026 season on September 5 against South Carolina.