Ninety years of football at Kent State has included legends like Lambert and Cribbs, but Golden Flashes fans had never witnessed anything quite like Dri Archer in 2012. The nation's leader in rushing yards per carry (9.0) and kick return average (36.9) and Kent State's receiving leader is setting the bar even higher in 2013. The "Dri4Heisman" campaign officially kicked off Wednesday, July 31.



The campaign includes an official Dri4Heisman.com website, an @Dri4Heisman Twitter page, Facebook page and a digital comic strip, "The Archer," illustrated by Chuck Ayers of Crankshaft and Funky Winkerbean.



An unknown around the nation to start the 2012 season, Archer returned three different kickoffs for touchdowns in his first five games, all for 98 or more yards. As the Flashes went on to win 10 straight games and a Mid-American Conference East Division title, the college football world began to take notice, including current Head Coach Paul Haynes , who was serving as defensive coordinator at Arkansas. Haynes stayed in contact with many of his former teammates, some of whom attended games regularly and reported Kent State football news to him.



"They would tell me how special and electrifying Dri was," Haynes says of his former teammates. "And they were always comparing him to Pat Young, who was our quarterback (1986-90). He was also a smaller guy with game-changing speed."



Caught up in the rigors of coaching, it wasn't until late in the season before Haynes got to see Archer in action, when the junior's jaw-dropping, 74-yard run at Bowling Green was played and replayed on numerous television and internet outlets. By Dec. 18, Haynes became the head coach at his alma mater, undergoing a whirlwind of change. The one thought that remained with him during the transition was the potential of the 5-foot-8-inch, 175-pound speedster in 2013.



"When you think about the Heisman and the best college football player, it should be someone who is exciting," Haynes says. "When you look at how electric he is and the plays that he made, he's a natural fit. He's one of those players where every time he touches the ball he has a chance to make a big play, and I think people are really going to legitimately look at him as a Heisman candidate. Dri is all about doing what's best for the team, but when it comes to catching the attention of fans and media, we want to put him front and center."



Archer's 23 touchdowns in 2012 shattered Kent State's previous single-season record of 18. He was also the first player in program history to eclipse 2,500 all-purpose yards in a season. The Laurel, Fla. native had the rare distinction of being named to the All-MAC First Team as both a running back and a kick returner. He was named MAC Special Teams Player of the Year and was a consensus All-American as a kick returner.



Look for more Dri4Heisman features and updates throughout the 2013 season.