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Penguins Conclude Busy Week With Game-Like Scrimmage

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IAA Fan:
The Youngstown State football team ended a long week of six straight full-pad practices with a scrimmage under game-like conditions on Saturday morning at Stambaugh Stadium. The Penguins played three full game quarters in one of their final workouts before classes start next week.

On Saturday, YSU utilized all special teams units and for the most part an offensive ball carrier was ruled down when touched by a defensive player.

The defense had the upper hand early before the offense put together its first scoring drive. YSU went 72 yards on seven plays in its first scoring drive. QB Trent Hosick found a wide open TE Anthony Parente along the sidelines for a 38-yard scoring toss.

The offense had another solid drive later in the scrimmage moving the 25-yard line thanks to a nifty one-handed grab by TB Tevin McCaster. On a 2nd-and-9 play, QB Hunter Wells' pass was bobbled then was intercepted by Billy Nicoe Hurst.

Following a pair of three-and-outs, the offense picked up 31 yards on a 25-yard run by Joe Alessi and five-yard pick up by QB Nathan Mays. After the drive stalled, PK Zak Kennedy was called on to kick a 45-yard field goal and he promptly delivered a good kick.

The next score was set up by a blocked punt. Nate Needham's punt attempt was blocked and recovered at the 31-yard line. Seven plays later the offensive unit found the end zone for the second time. Hosick had a nice 15-yard keeper on a 3rd-and-10 and then he connected with Zack Torbert for a 13-yard gain to the two-yard line. Two plays later, McCaster blasted in from a yard out for a score.

For the scrimmage, Wells was 9-of-14 for 70 yards, Hosick was 4-of-6 for 70 yards, Ricky Davis was 4-of-9 for 22 yards and Mays was 1-of-3 for three yards. On the ground, Jody Webb had nine carries for 23 yards while McCaster had 11 totes for 19 yards. Stefan Derrick led the receivers with five catches for 38 yards while Darius Shackleford had three grabs for 19 yards.

Defensively Kyle Hegedus and Logan Rhea led the way with six stops. LB Armand Dellovade had five stops while LeRoy Alexander, Avery Larkin, Darius Hall and Jameel Smith each had four. The unit was credited with four pass breakups during the scrimmage.

The Penguins return to practice on Monday morning at Stambaugh Stadium while the fall semester begins on Wednesday.

Season tickets are on sale by calling (330) 941-1978 or visiting the YSU Athletic Ticket Office in Stambaugh Stadium. Penguin Club memberships are available by calling (330) 941-2351.

IAA Fan:
YSU’s first string struggles; Hosick has big day with backups

By Charles Grove

cgrove@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

To be polite, it was a less than desirable day for Youngstown State football team’s first-string offense as the Penguins had their final scrimmage before fall classes begin.

The first-teamers, led by a mixture of quarterbacks Hunter Wells and Ricky Davis, did little more than pick up a handful of first downs and really never threatened the first-string defense all scrimmage.

Part of the defense’s dominance was the aid of it being a no-tackle scrimmage, but nevertheless it was a day of missed receivers, and a lot of work for the punt teams.

“Our first offense didn’t come out and play very well at all,” YSU head coach Bo Pelini said.

It was the second-string offense that stole the show.

Trent Hosick, who has been limited to snaps with the second string recently, played like he wants the coaches to give him another look. Hosick lead his offense to a pair of touchdowns against the second-string defense, and with the one exception of a fumbled pump fake, he consistently picked apart the defense sent out against him.

“I’m picking up things as far as the offense,” Hosick said. “It was just a matter of time before I started figuring out the offense. I came out today and had a productive day. Ultimately it’s about moving the ball downfield and scoring touchdowns and we did that today, the twos did.”

Hosick’s play of the day was a 40-yard touchdown pass to tight end Anthony Parente. Hosick said a bit of misdirection was the source of the big play.

“We had a post on the outside and we had a wheel route coming up underneath it,” Hosick said. “Typically the first look is the post, but the way our defense plays it we throw a lot of stick routes to our tight ends so they thought [Parente] was going out into the flats and he went upfield and was wide open.”

Hosick partially attributed Saturday’s success to a new outgoing personality. Hosick and Pelini had a talk Friday about how he has been carrying himself during practice and the two agreed a more lively presence would help.

“I’ve been kind of consciously holding myself back because I want to win the job, but I don’t want to just act like it’s mine,” Hosick said. “I told Coach Bo, ‘I play the quarterback like a linebacker plays defense.’ I’m a motivator, I get fierce and my guys know that I’ll go to war for them. Coach wants to see who I am, so I came out with a lot of enthusiasm today.”

Wells and Davis weren’t able to get any meaningful drives in order, but when the first string was able to get some yards, it often was on quick slant routes.

“Against our defense that’s how we can get the best man routes possible,” offensive coordinator Shane Montgomery said. “Against ourselves we’ll run a lot of slants, but against other teams with different defenses maybe we won’t.”

The team did get significant special teams time in between quarters and the coaching staff will likely use Saturday’s scrimmage to help determine starting positions on those units. Alvin Bailey and Darien Townsend were electric on punts and kickoff returns.

“We got in a lot of situations special teams-wise and got a lot of live work,” Pelini said. “It’ll be a big evaluation of these guys and see who showed up on special teams. I think we’ll get a lot out of today’s film.”

IAA Fan:
Anyone know why we did not see anything from Ruiz?

FOOTBALLFEVER:

--- Quote from: IAA Fan on August 21, 2016, 09:48:27 AM ---Anyone know why we did not see anything from Ruiz?

--- End quote ---
I was kind of wondering the same thing. Webb was mentioned with just under 3 yards a carry. Nation you do bring up some good points with Hosick. Bo stated that the 1st team offense as a whole did not perform well. He did not directly blame Ricky or Hunter. It could have been the Lineman, receivers, or backs. Like Shane had pointed out there are things that will work against other defenses that won't work against ours that's important to remember

dwj:
This should be Wells' time to shine, he doesn't have to worry about getting hit. 

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