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Samford Game
Double ET:
From today's Vindy:
By Dan hiner
dhiner@vindy.com
Youngstown
Nearly a month of practice, film study and conditioning is in the books. The wait is finally over.
Game week has arrived for the Youngstown State football team.
The season opener on Saturday against Samford in Montgomery, Ala., doesn’t just provide an opportunity for a win. It’s a shot at redemption.
The Penguins’ 23-21 loss to Butler in last year’s opener is still on the players’ minds. The loss to an eventual 4-7 team derailed the season.
YSU’s path to atonement starts on the national stage. The Penguins don’t play an FBS program this season, so the players view Samford as their key non-conference opponent.
“I would say that the gravity — the fact that it’s on TV [ESPN} — the first one is always the easiest to get a little extra juice for,” quarterback Nathan Mays said.
Other veterans are returning to help. Defensive end Justus Reed and safety Kyle Hegedus are back for the Penguins.
Both suffered season-ending injuries and missed the opener against Butler. Both will start on Saturday, aiding a defense that allowed nearly 200 passing yards per game last season.
“We have everything to prove,” Hegedus said. “In previous years, we had a standard to being the No. 1 pass defense in the country. ... We’re still holding that standard. We’re looking to make a statement that we are who we say we are, being the No. 1 pass defense in the country.
“So we have something to prove, but we also have the confidence. We talk about it in our meeting room. We want the swagger, we want the discipline, we want to be violent, we wanna be relentless.”
Help in the passing game will be needed.
Samford has averaged 33.9 points per game since Chris Hatcher took over the program in 2015. The Bulldogs threw for an FCS-leading 392.7 yards per game last season. They also ranked sixth with 34 passing touchdowns.
However, quarterback Devlin Hodges, who started for four years at Samford, is currently on the Pittsburgh Steelers roster.
Liam Welch and Chris Oladokun have competed for the starting quarterback job. Oladokun played in six games — starting in three — for South Florida before transferring during the offseason.
“We’re not really worried about what they do, more so how we come out and how we play that day,” Reed said.
Quarterback Questions
Mays and Joe Craycraft are listed as potential starters under center.
The duo has battled for the starting job throughout fall camp, but YSU head coach Bo Pelini said this week’s practice will dictate who gets on the field first.
Leftover Left Guard
Quarterback isn’t the only position still up in the air.
The depth chart had senior Myles Douglas and West Branch graduate Jacob Zinni both listed as the left guard.
Pelni said the team is still trying to figure out it’s offensive line combinations and the split starter is a product of interior O-line depth.
“They’re both playing well,” Pelini said. “They’re both doing some good things. I’m sure you’ll see ‘em both at some point.”
MCFADDEN Gets the Call
Poland graduate Colten McFadden will start at kicker. He transferred from Akron during the offseason.
Pelini said Grant Gonya has been dealing with a quad injury, but could be available if needed.
Austintown Fitch graduate Nick DeSalvo was named the starting punter.
IAA Fan:
--- Quote from: goodnews on August 20, 2019, 03:47:22 PM ---If YSU is fortunate enough to WIN and be 1-0 it doesn't guarantee 4-0. I would be concerned about Duquesne as they seem to improve every year and always seem to add FBS transfers that contribute.
--- End quote ---
Good Post! Samford is not the most-challenging team of the first 4. They are very 1-dimensional on offense. May be the best D of the 4 though. With the loss of Hodges, they may need to run the ball.
IAA Fan:
--- Quote from: ytownchief22 on August 20, 2019, 12:37:46 PM ---
--- Quote from: Double ET on August 20, 2019, 12:21:22 PM ---
--- Quote from: ytownchief22 on August 20, 2019, 11:48:09 AM ---If I had to guess, Mays will be the guy to start.
--- End quote ---
It is hard to believe that we have not yet announced the starters (especially QB) 3 days before the game. I was hoping the coach would give Craycraft the chance to start.
--- End quote ---
I'm not surprised. Mays is Bo's guy.
--- End quote ---
When did he become "Bo's guy" Chief? I always thought Bo sees Mays as a Monty hold-over, drop-back QB. Not that I see anything wrong with that assessment, but I understand that Bo and Monty shared words over Wells and he only went in as our last healthy option. I mean Wells took us to the promise-land with it. Do you see anything coming from Collins? With that height and HS pedigree you would think his vision and talent is excellent.
OleYSUfan:
Here we go - our 1st game of the season.
Mays will start at QB, not necessarily because Bo likes Mays more. Bo likes veterans that have seen action in tough situations. So, I believe Mays will start, but he may not finish.
Samford will be a formidable opponent and last years films will not show anything about this year's Samford team. Thus we will have to adjust on the fly, something we did not do well against Butler last year.
Maybe that horrible lost to Butler will motive and inspire this years team to be determined. I expect the game to be close, but following YSU for years I have seen many errors that put us in the lost column due to dropped passes, fumbles, interceptions missed tackles and critical injuries.
It would be very nice to win this one in front of a large TV audience. So GO BO and the YSU team to a victory!!
Wick250:
The Southern Conference used to be an elite IAA/FCS force, producing national champions like Georgia Southern, Marshall, and Appalachian State. Today, nobody in the Southern Conference can compete against the first division of the MVFC. The obvious question is whether we qualify as a first division component of our conference. We find out on Saturday.
I always like our matchups against pass-happy teams. I have never seen such a FCS team defend against a power running game. They can't even simulate it in practice as their o-linemen have been recruited to pass-block, not attack.
Be relentless, pound them between the tackles, pass when we want to, and avoid stupid penalties and blown assignments. If we play well and still lose, then quite frankly we have surrendered any claim to be relevant on the FCS national stage.
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