Perhaps the biggest news of the summer still swirls around whether troubled, yet extremely talented, guard Tyree Evans will join the Flashes for next season. Evans is a game-altering talent who some consider an NBA-level player. For anyone unfamiliar with Evans’ story check out this SI.com story from a few months back

Because of Evans checkered criminal past he has not been able to attend Cincinnati, Kansas State and most recently Maryland this year. Maryland coach Gary Williams expected Evans to make an immediate impact on this year’s team until the dean got a whiff of Evans past that includes dealing drugs and statutory rape. Both were pled down to misdemeanors.

Ever since Evans asked for his release from Maryland there have been rumors connecting him to Kent State. While playing for Motlow Community College in Tennessee last year the six-foot-three Evans scored 21.1 points a game while shooting 44 percent from behind the 3-point arc. Motlow is also the former home of new Kent State assistant coach Bobby Steinburg, Evans’ coach last year, and new Kent State forward Frank Henry-Ala.

Despite not having a scholarship left to offer, the Flashes are in play. Evans is said to have a close-knit relationship with Steinburg and could join Kent State as a walk on. I have been told his past issues would not cause a problem for him to enroll. He is also taking offers from D-1 schools that can offer scholarships.

Either way Evans comes with a lot of question marks. Putting his questionable past aside for a moment, I have to wonder why an alleged “one and done prospect” is still even toying with college when he is 23 years old. Couldn’t he try out for an NBA team or make a decent amount of money in Europe at this point? Playing for a mid-major truly does feel like his last ditch chance to succeed.

This isn’t first player who would come to Kent State with legal trouble. Much beloved players such as Antonio Gates and Josh Cribbs dealt with legal troubles of their own. That doesn't mean bringing Evans in isn't questionable. Tell me what you think in the comments section or shoot me an e-mail at Jfortune@thebeaconjournal.com. I would love to do a mailbag on this topic.

In the mean time Evans is keeping himself busy by doing what he does best: playing basketball. This summer Evans played against Cleveland Cavaliers forward Ben Wallace in the Tri-City Summer League in Virginia. Big Ben’s “Wallace Express” team beat Evans’ DTLR/Cosmopolitan Lounge team last week 129-108 in the championship game. Despite Evans 32 point performance, it was the second year in a row Wallace got the best of the DTLR team.

Q signs in Israel
Last year’s Mid-American Conference Defensive Player of the Year, Haminn Quaintance, has had a busy off season. After graduation, ‘Q’ signed a two-year contract with the Bnei Hasharon of the Israeli Premier League.

He is also still trying to earn a spot on an NBA roster by playing for the summer league team of the Utah Jazz next to local product Kosta Koufos. Q was in the starting lineup against Iran. He grabbed five rebounds, scored three points and had three steals in just over 14 minutes of action. The Jazz won 82-57.

Scott still without a team

In more surprising news Mike Scott still has not signed on to play with anyone next year. Scott is a player who is highly intelligent both on and off the court and has the type of game that could bring him good money over in Europe if he chooses to go that route.

Former Flash finds new home

Last year’s seven-foot project, Gabe Garcia, has already found a new home not to far away. Garcia has enrolled at Ashland University and will play basketball at the division II school. Isaac Knight, who left the team for academic reasons, is also looking for a new home. No word yet on where he may turn up.

Sherman off crutches

Many fans can breathe a sigh of relief to know that junior guard Rodriquez Sherman is not on crutches after his knee surgery. He is still going through rehab and I am told he walks with a noticeable limp. It is still unclear how ready he will be at the beginning of the season, but one has to think he will not be medically red shirted this season like some rumor mills said.

Kent State will not hold a football game at Dix Stadium until Saturday, Sept. 13 against Delaware State. The season opener against Boston College will be played at Cleveland Browns Stadium Aug. 30. That gives the construction crew working on the stadium renovations ample time to finish their project.

The second phase of the Dix Stadium renovations is expected to be finished by Mid-August and is estimated to cost around $4 million dollars.

The bleachers on the south end of the stadium will be gone, replaced by a new state-of-the art scoreboard, sound system, concessions and a plaza area. The scoreboard, pictured below, should be the real gem of the renovations.

Dix Stadium will be one of the first collegiate facilities, and first in the Mid-American Conference, to use a Daktronics HD-X technology scoreboard. The 36 feeet wide by 20 feet high scoreboard features light emitting diodes that deliver a high definition display that can be one giant picture or broken into windows of information.

Sixty-foot tall ProAd LED displays will flank the screen on both sides giving game stats and information.

A new ticket booth (below) is also being constructed on the west end of the stadium that serves as a new entryway. It will also include new concession stands. Phase II will be capped off by a new fence with brick pillars around the stadium.

The first phase of renovations was completed last September when improvements were made on the north stands. The east and West stands were given new entryways and a canopied roof was added to the press box. Phase I cost around $2 million dollars.

It is going to be hard for anyone to overlook running back Eugene Jarvis this year. After gaining a school-record 1,669 rushing yards last year, Jarvis becomes the leading returning rusher in the nation this year. Because of this Jarvis has been named the Maxwell Watch list.

The Maxwell Award is presented annually to the nation’s outstanding collegiate football player. Last year Florida quarterback Tim Tebow won the award while former Notre Dame and current Cleveland brown quarterback Brady Quinn won the award the year before.

Jarvis beat Kent State’s single-season rushing record by more than 300 yards last year while rushing for 139.1 yards a contest. Good enough to be ranked fifth in the nation. He also compiled 1,975 all-purpose yards, which is second in school history, and scored 13 touchdowns.

Although Jarvis is considered a long shot to win the award, he still deserves to be considered as one of the best backs in college football. After all it was Jarvis who provided the spark in the Iowa State game last year allowing Kent State to earn its first win against a BCS conference team since 1987.

If one remembers correctly Jarvis was going to sit out the game hampered by a leg injury until starting running back Darren Rogers left with a shoulder injury late in the first quarter. In just over three quarters Jarvis scampered for 113 yards and one touchdown.

The Ohio State game also gave a glimpse of what Jarvis could do against higher competition. Although the Flashes lost 48-3, Jarvis was able to shine in his very limited duty. He recorded 84 yards in limited first half action against the top-ranked, at the time, Ohio State defense. At the time that was the second most anyone had recorded against the Buckeye’s defense last season.

"Obviously he's the nation's (second) leading rusher for a reason," Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis told me after the game. "When you take him out of the game, it's going to make a big impact."

"He's a good player. He's obviously small and shifty and hard to get a wrap on," he said.

Candidates for the Maxwell Award are selected by the Maxwell Selection Committee and will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show in December.

If you’re interested in reading the story about my story about the Kent State running game against Ohio State you can check that out here. Just ignore the headline blunder it still annoys me to this day.