From Vindy this morning:
YSU’s Reed out for season
July 12, 2018 at 12:08a.m.
Ex-Gators DE suffers
torn Achillies’ tendon
By Brian Dzenis
bdzenis@vindy.com
youngstown
Youngstown State’s football team has taken a blow on defense.
Senior defensive end Justus Reed is out for the season, YSU officials confirmed on Wednesday. The Vindicator’s broadcast partner, WFMJ, first reported Reed had suffered a torn Achilles’ tendon during a summer workout.
Reed, who played his first season at YSU in 2017 after transferring from Florida, tied for the team lead for sacks with five while getting 15 tackles. He missed four games with a shoulder injury.
YSU could apply to NCAA’s Committee on Student-Athlete Reinstatement for a sixth year of eligibility for Reed, and is currently considering what — if any — options it has, team spokesman Trevor Parks said.
Per the most recent edition of the NCAA rule book, an athlete has five years to complete four seasons of competition. A waiver may be granted in circumstances beyond the athlete or the institution’s control.
Reed spent three years at Florida prior to coming to YSU, redshirting his freshman season. While suffering a season-ending injury is considered to be a circumstance beyond his control, the NCAA could interpret his three years with the Gators and one with the Penguins as four years of competition. The rule book considers taking a redshirt year as a circumstance within an athlete and school’s control. Head coach Bo Pelini did not return a call for comment.
On the field, the Penguins have a bit of an experience gap at defensive end.
Senior starter Johnson Louigene is back but the only other players at his position who saw playing time last year are juniors Shereif Bynum and Ma’lik Richmond. The pair combined for nine tackles as backups.
Antione Cook and James Jackson, who came to YSU as three- and two-star recruits, respectively, are available after redshirting last year. Junior Steven Pappadakes did not see the field last season. The team signed Lakewood St. Edward’s Will Henry and Piqua’s Derek Hite in the offseason.
