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YSU Penguin Athletics => YSU Penguin Athletics => Topic started by: ytownchief22 on July 29, 2019, 06:20:58 PM
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1st team offense today was as follows.
Craycraft- QB
Turner- RB
Mallory- WR
Shackleford- WR
St. Surin- WR
Joiner- TE
Becker- LT
Velez- LG
Jones- C
Zinni- RG
Robinson- RT
Nate obviously got some reps with the 1’s too. Waid with the 2’s. They are working Hawkins slowly back at TE. Alessi and Chapman getting reps at RB too. I’m guessing you’ll see a committee there this year.
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I thk Nate is a change of pace qb. The superior passer needs to start regardless of experience. Otherwise the opponents are gonna stuff the box and might anyway.
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From Vindy:
Turner aiming for more carries
Christian Turner still has plenty of work to do.
Turner will likely become Youngstown State’s top running back following the graduation of Tevin McCaster.
In the past two seasons, Turner has mostly been used in passing situations and has performed well in that role.
He was the team’s leader in receptions last year with 24 for 196 yards and a touchdown.
On the ground, he averaged 4.6 yards per carry. Those are signs that the junior is ready for a bigger role, but that isn’t enough for him.
“I’m never really satisfied. There’s always room for improvement. Once you get satisfied, you start to become complacent and that’s never good,” Turner said. “I feel like in pass protection, I can work on my technique. Being able to run between the tackles is something I’ve put a lot of focus into and just being a good overall back where it’s in the run game or the pass game.”
Even by improving his game, there’s a good chance he won’t be all alone in the backfield. Last year, McCaster has 269 of the 323 carries by YSU running backs last year. More backs are expected to contribute.
“They expect everybody to play their role, which is to contribute to the team in anyway that we can,” Turner said. “I think just being in a room with all that talent in me, [Joe Alessi, Braxton Chapman and London Pearson], we all do something different and we all have a role to play.”
Not 7th heaven
Youngstown State was ranked No. 7 out of 10 teams in the Missouri Valley Football Conference’s 2019 preseason poll. The Penguins collected 153 points to put them ahead of Western Illinois, Southern Illinois and last-place Missouri State.
Pelini’s reaction? He was non-plussed.
“I don’t care if we’re picked first or seventh. We’re going to get what we earn,” Pelini said. “You need to take that with a grain of salt. It doesn’t matter. I like our team. I like our chances and we’re ready to put the work.”
North Dakota State is the projected MVFC champion with 392 points.
Bumps and bruises
Wide receiver Darius Shackleford sat out Monday’s practice with a leg brace on his left leg after getting injured last Saturday. Pelini said the junior should be ok, but will receive an MRI. Shackleford had 11 catches for 213 yards and two touchdowns last year.
“He’ll be alright,” Pelini said. “I don’t think it’s anything serious.”
— Brian Dzenis
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Vindy article on DE Justus Reed:
By BRIAN DZENIS
bdzenis@vindy.com
YOUNGSTOWN
Two days into fall camp and Justus Reed has been dubbed the grandpa of the team.
The name fits because he already sports a beard. It also fits because the two-time redshirt-junior defensive end is beginning his sixth season in college football and his third at Youngstown State.
During the offseason, Reed was granted a sixth and seventh year of eligibility from the NCAA after tearing his Achilles tendon during the summer before the start of fall camp in the 2018 season. The timing of that injury is why Reed can still be considered a junior in 2019.
“They actually gave me two and I was completely surprised by that,” Reed said. “It really is a blessing. It’s something I’ve prayed about with my friends and family.
“I got lucky, I guess.”
Should he stay through the 2020 season, he would become the longest-tenured football player in terms of eligibility at YSU. Right now, he’s tied with former Penguins wideout Jelani Berassa, who redshirted twice while playing for YSU from 2009 through 2013 after suffering two season-ending knee injuries.
Reed’s career stretches back to 2014, when he redshirted during his freshman season at Florida. He played two more seasons with the Gators before transferring to YSU.
“I thought it was going to be two [years] and then I was done,” Reed said.
A shoulder injury limited Reed to seven games, but he showed what he can bring to the Penguins. He tied the team lead in sacks with five – one of which was a strip sack he returned for a touchdown – and was second on the team in tackles for a loss with 5.5 as a situational pass-rusher. He also made the Missouri Valley Football Conference’s All-Newcomer team.
His absence was noticeable during YSU’s 4-7 campaign. The Penguins used a rotation of four defensive ends to try and make up for the loss. Reed’s return, plus the returning experience from seniors Shereif Bynum and Ma’lik Richmond and sophomore Antoine Cook make for an optimistic head coach in Bo Pelini.
Pelini on Monday also pointed out that sophomore James Jackson, who played sparingly last year, has been impressive in camp.
“He’s a really good football player. The guys respect him,” Pelini said of Reed. “We’ve got a lot of guys who can play that position. We have really good depth there and I like the depth on our defensive line.”
Reed is set to graduate with a degree in communications in December. He now has plenty of time to rack up sacks for the Penguins.
“I’m going to do what ever I can do to make this team better and get us back to where we’re supposed to be,” Reed said of what he’ll. “We have a winning tradition here and we need to get back to that.
“We’re going to be dirty,” Reed said. “That means we’ll be really good.”
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Defense carrying things so far. Look legit.
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Defense carrying things so far. Look legit.
If Reed is healthy, and he is making all the right statements, and with Carl back, this D should be legit.
However, the O has HUGE questions. If Craycraft can't clearly win the QB job, it means he is, at best, competitive with Mays, which we all (with the exception of 1AA) know isn't nearly good enough. We have questions with every OL position except center and the center, RB, TE and WR. Other than that, we're fine, unless we get close but can't push it in, we have kicking issues too! REALLY hard to win games 14-10 with the spread. Scores are more like 31-28 and we don't look like we can put up 31 against Fitch much less the MVFC
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Carl is more focused on the offensive side of the ball, not the D. Bo is handling most of the D work.
Disagree with the kicking issues. Gonya is going to be good. McFadden probably just on kickoffs only.
WR is probably the biggest question mark with QB but with Mallory, Shackleford, Braswell, St. Surin and some other surprises, they should be okay.
TE is in good shape with Joiner and Hawkins. Backups are strong blockers and doing well.
RB will be Turner mostly with Chapman in short yardage and Alessi worked in every once in awhile.
OL look better than I thought. Coach Pete is coaching them up well.
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Big blow as Shackleford has a torn ACL. Done for the year.
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Carl is more focused on the offensive side of the ball, not the D. Bo is handling most of the D work.
Disagree with the kicking issues. Gonya is going to be good. McFadden probably just on kickoffs only.
WR is probably the biggest question mark with QB but with Mallory, Shackleford, Braswell, St. Surin and some other surprises, they should be okay.
TE is in good shape with Joiner and Hawkins. Backups are strong blockers and doing well.
RB will be Turner mostly with Chapman in short yardage and Alessi worked in every once in awhile.
OL look better than I thought. Coach Pete is coaching them up well.
Both guys can coach D, just glad somebody is focused on it.
Let's see, while it's true Gonya and McFadden's combined have NEVER MISSED a college kick, being a combined 0 for 0 isn't exactly what I would describe as good, more like a big question.
WR, and I quote you "and some other surprises, they should be okay." You're counting on "surprises" to get OK? When you have huge questions at QB and you are looking for "surprises" at WR to get to "OK" that is pretty speculative.
TE has a huge issue with Hawkins recovery, and at this point, saying it's fine is again IMO speculative.
We have seen Turner run for 3 years and he can be an effective change of pace back and a good receiver, but we have NEVER seen him look like a consistent every down back. My guess is Chapman wins the job in camp, but still a question mark in my mind.
Even with the OL being "coached up" there are still HUGE questions at QB!
I appreciate unbridled fan optimism, but we were what 5-7 and frankly I thing 6-6 sounds wildly optimistic to me. I think we are going to be 3-0 going into conference, but I see us as underdogs in our first 7 MVFC games.
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Big blow as Shackleford has a torn ACL. Done for the year.
Too bad for Darius. I wish him the best in recover.
You want to know how desperate we are? This is a senor with 3 years playing experience and a grand total of 11 catches, 4 in one game (so 17 games with a total of 7 catches) and we call his loss a "Big blow"
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Mallory, Braswell and St. Surin are a pretty good top 3. Sprinkle in some of the young speedsters who may or may not redshirt and it's a decent group. I think Hawkins (If healthy) and Joiner are a really good TE duo. But like I said, the biggest question is someone to get them the ball.
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Have heard good things about DT DeMarko Craig so far this camp. Could be a starter along side Wes. Trying to build depth behind them. Bynum, Reed, Richmond, Cook and James Jackson at DE.
It'll be a combination of Randall-Posey, Cash and Ray Anderson at LB.
The usual customers at DB with DJ Smalls, Melvin Jackson, Bryce Gibson with some others worked in.
Zaire obviously has the leg up on one safety spot.
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Zaire showing real skills and leadership at safety. Guy is a stud back there.
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Zaire showing real skills and leadership at safety. Guy is a stud back there.
Good to hear. Seems to have been a weak spot for some time now.
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Mallory, Braswell and St. Surin are a pretty good top 3. Sprinkle in some of the young speedsters who may or may not redshirt and it's a decent group. I think Hawkins (If healthy) and Joiner are a really good TE duo. But like I said, the biggest question is someone to get them the ball.
"if healthy" are two pretty important words. And if you had Jarvis Landry and OBJ at WR and me throwing them the ball, we wouldn't get far! Now Mays and Craycraft certainly shouldn't be compared to me, but I don't see anybody comparing them to NDSU's Wentz or Stick or SDSU's Christion or, or, or, you could go on for ever. I'd be happy if someone said they could grow into a Hunter Wells. Now all I read is "Mays is going to be better than he was last year." Last year he was the worst QB in the MVFC so the bar is pretty damn low!
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As reported on the YSU website:
The Youngstown State football team held a 100-play scrimmage on Saturday morning at Stambaugh Stadium. The Penguins offense scored a pair of touchdowns and made four field goals during the workout.
Senior quarterback Nathan Mays guided the offense to two touchdowns and a field goal in his three drives. Mays drove the offense to the 25-yard line on the first series of the scrimmage before the Penguins had to settle for a field goal. Colten McFadden came on to attempt a 42-yarder, but pushed it wide right.
On the second series, Mays took the offense on a 10-play, 75-yard match for the first touchdown of the scrimmage. On a 2nd-and-11 play, Mays found tight end Kyle Gregg on a 38-yard toss that put the offense at the eight-yard line. On third-and-goal from three, London Pearson scored on a run up the middle.
Sophomore QB Joe Craycraft came on to lead the offense on the next two series. The first drive stalled after eight plays and 40 yards. On the second drive, the Guins moved to the 13-yard line as McFadden came on to kick a 30-yard field goal.
Mays's third drive of the game produced the offensive unit's second touchdown. He moved the offense 75 yards in 11 plays and capped off the drive by hitting Braxton Chapman on a 26-yard wheel route for a touchdown.
Freshman QB Mark Waid and Craycraft led the offense to field goals on the next three drives. Waid hit Pearson on a 19-yard pass and Chapman had a 33-yard run. McFadden concluded the drive with a 31-yard field goal. Craycraft teamed up with Jake Cummings on passes of 13 and 36 yards on the next series. The drive stalled at the nine-yard line and McFadden came on to kick a 25-yard field goal.
Waid drove the offense into field goal range once again on the next drive. McFadden came on to boot a 40-yard kick for his fourth made field goal in five tries during the scrimmage.
For the scrimmage, Turner carried the ball 12 times for 32 yards while Chapman had six carries for 65 yards. Pearson finished with 12 carries for 28 yards while Mays had 40 yards on six carries. Mays completed 10-of-11 passes for 126 yards and a touchdown while Craycraft was 6-of-12 for 103 yards and Waid was 4-of-8 for 43 yards.
The Penguins open the 2019 season three weeks from today on August 24 against Samford
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Chapman looked good. QB's looked shaky throwing, especially deep.
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I saw some of it. Did not seem like 100-plays though. Maybe I left too early. A few surprises this early.
Mays was sharp after the first couple of throws. He did not throws INT's, but his passes could have been more crisp at first, but from his third pass on was nice.
Craycraft much improved this year. Although I am disappointed that neither Craycraft or Waid could get it in the end-zone.
We had 2 TE's on a few plays, it was nice to see. Chief your choice of TE's spot on.
Oline standing up and pulling, but this is not real opposition so I cannot say.
McFadden missed a 40-yard FG, but hit another 40-yard with some power.
I was talking with a couple of guys and Reed graduates prior to the end of the season, so that is why he was given 2 more years, as opposed to one.
I thought we lost Pearson, but he was in. SO there are 4 TB's. He caught an over-the-should toss from Waid.
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Can I opine?
So after watching football for 40+ years here is what I have to say (and I haven't seen a single play this year) with Bo or Carl focusing on the defense we should be OK. If Bo runs our QB we are screwed as usual. We wreck the QB's running the ball. The stats on the scrimmage seem to indicate that the defense will be pretty good assuming the offense has offered a decent challenge. With the changes at OL and the Carl OC influence I would expect that the offense makes the defense look better than what it really is.
Having Carl back is a good thing. Bo and Carl make a "mega-person" and the team is better because of it. I hope we can contend with the best.
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Can I opine?
Having Carl back is a good thing. Bo and Carl make a "mega-person" and the team is better because of it. I hope we can contend with the best.
I agree with Carl being back being a good thing. Almost like an alter ego for Bo, or at least a confidant and someone he has 100& trust in. Plus it is no secret Carl can really coach. Good grief, I could be a confidant, but wouldn't help the coaching much. (any!) I would love to "contend with the best" but with what appears to be a huge void at QB, I just don't see it happening. The transfers at safety and center are HUGE and the return of Reed could be HUGE (depending on how healthy he really is) so we are much better that we looked following the end of last season, but the three biggest question marks remain QB, QB and QB!
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Believe me ...QB is not our biggest question & the reason has little to do with the QB. I mean Carl is working with the offense? QB depth can definitely haunt us though. Line depth is non-existent. We did not recruit well for TE's either; this shows by our use of TB's in the scrimmage. We are woefully short on D Tackles. Will we be able to stop the run? I hope our abundance of OLinemen will help fill the gap. We had poor classes in snappers as well. Long and short. No depth at all. We have a a few untested TB's ...but I am less concerned here with couple of injury returns. Are Richmond and Jackson going to fill the experience gap at DE?
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That is ridiculous. QB is the biggest question mark BY FAR on this team.
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Vindy article today on the defensive Secondary
The YSU secondary picked off just three opposing passes season ago.
D.J. Smalls returned his lone interception for a 65-yard touchdown against South Dakota in Week No. 7 and is the only defensive returnee who recorded a pick, which doesn’t seem to bother new secondary coach D.J. Gomes because of the healthy competition created just two weeks into fall practice.
“I see a lot of improvement from the spring, so I am happy about that,” said Gomes after Tuesday’s practice at Stambaugh Stadium. “We gained guys like Zaire Jones, who’s been an excellent leader on top of the leaders we already have in Kyle Hegedus and D.J. Smalls.”
Last season as an assistant at Bowling Green State, Gomes’ defensive backs combined to break up 20 passes. He’s pleased with the competition currently taking place in camp.
“We have competition at safety with Hegedus, Jones, Jaelin Madison and a couple others while at the corners, there’s Bryce Gibson, Melvin Jackson and Devanere Crenshaw,” he said. “We’re in a pass-type world now with how many receivers a team plays so we’ll have to rotate defensive backs. Hopefully, we’ll play all those guys.”
Gibson is a true junior who has started all 22 games since stepping foot on the YSU campus in time for the 2017 campaign.
He finished third on the team a year ago with 42 total tackles (31 solos, 11 assists) including two tackles for loss, a forced fumble and 12 pass break-ups.
He appreciates the depth in this year’s defensive secondary.
“We’ve installed over 10 defenses and today had a little red zone period, which was very physical,” Gibson said. “We’re ahead of schedule and working hard every day to make sure that everything comes together. We have much more depth this year, which would give us a lot of rotation options.”
Head coach Bo Pelini, now in his fifth season at the helm, likes where his defense is headed.
“I like our defense. We’re throwing a lot at them and they’re getting better,” Pelini said. “They’re learning, understanding and the competition has been really good. I think we have some depth we didn’t have a year ago and really haven’t had the past two years, so I feel good about that area.”
YSU’s offense squares off against one of the nation’s best defenses each day in practice, which only creates a healthy competition according to Pelini.
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That is ridiculous. QB is the biggest question mark BY FAR on this team.
AGREED. Sometimes I wonder if 1AA is watching the same sport. He's concerned about depth at long snapper instead of QB?!?!?! All college teams have tons of holes. It's the nature of the beast with graduations etc. Clemson lost THREE first round draft choices from their D-LINE! Where are they ranked? #1 Why? They have a QB! Today's football is very simple, you spread the field, you throw the ball, you hope you get a fumble or INT and win 35-28 The days of worrying about depth at DT and long snapper, and winning 12-9 is long gone.
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the 90's are over
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The days of emphasizing a tough defense and cultivating a power run game are definitely obsolete in today's college football. On our FCS level, only North Dakota State copies what we did so well decades ago. Too bad those stiffs can't win anything. :o
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I do not want to keep drilling on Mays. In the last 3 years, we were seeing the same issues on his passing game.
I don't know what passes he has completed last week. I can almost sure that they were not long passes down field to the receivers.
Last couple of years, his passes were mostly to the receivers within 10 yards of the LOS. When the D loaded up the box with LBs and safeties, he could not find receivers and started to put his head down and ran.
I do not question his ability to throw the ball. My criticism was on his inability to read the defense and find open receivers before taking off running.
If we want to make sure he could get the ball to the receivers, just keeping calling those TB sweep and WR reverse plays.
We will need good QB plays to win this year. Just look at the Browns in the last few years before Mayfield.
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That is ridiculous. QB is the biggest question mark BY FAR on this team.
AGREED. Sometimes I wonder if 1AA is watching the same sport. He's concerned about depth at long snapper instead of QB?!?!?! All college teams have tons of holes. It's the nature of the beast with graduations etc. Clemson lost THREE first round draft choices from their D-LINE! Where are they ranked? #1 Why? They have a QB! Today's football is very simple, you spread the field, you throw the ball, you hope you get a fumble or INT and win 35-28 The days of worrying about depth at DT and long snapper, and winning 12-9 is long gone.
Bigger than having Carl working with the offense? You can have 3 great QB's but they are not going to do squat w/o a coach. You guys act like I do not see that we have no experienced QB's out there. Of course I do, but it is not our biggest problem. My comments are more addressed to questioning if the staff knows what they are doing. Sufficient depth at QB came from not using back-ups when we had opportunity to do so. Bad mix of positioning comes from a lack of planning before recruiting. This is what worries me. The Qb is obviously one of the top-4 most important skill players depending on whether or not it is a pass-play, run-play, punt or kick. Go Guins, just because you happen to produce more pass-plays (than run, kick or punt) is just a style of offense. You still have to be able to run the ball, defend the pass and stop the run. If Bo wishes to change the Penguin's style of ball that much, then he better make sure he wins 15-games, or he will be receiving more of the same negative talk that he has been getting ...even during a year where we went to the final. A questionable set of QB's will create a questionable outcome over the first few games. A questionable staff will will create a questionable outcome over the season (if not more).
Penguin ball is a style of ball, don't mess with it. Ask coach Wolf if he understands that now? People think that Bo's celebrity will allow him to make these changes ... I do not think it will without some additional hardware in the Hall-of-Fame.
BTW: ET has a very good point on Mays' deep pass game. This is Mays biggest weakness and where I am hoping to see improvement. I am not certain it is his arm-strength as much as it is his mobility ...ability to get open an let the ball go. However, if he is not "the only guy" , he will never improve. He needs to become more fluid and you cannot due this thinking that you will lose you job every weak. I mean we basically fired Wells, only to watch him come back and play some of the best ball (behind center) that we have ever had.
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That is ridiculous. QB is the biggest question mark BY FAR on this team.
AGREED. Sometimes I wonder if 1AA is watching the same sport. He's concerned about depth at long snapper instead of QB?!?!?! All college teams have tons of holes. It's the nature of the beast with graduations etc. Clemson lost THREE first round draft choices from their D-LINE! Where are they ranked? #1 Why? They have a QB! Today's football is very simple, you spread the field, you throw the ball, you hope you get a fumble or INT and win 35-28 The days of worrying about depth at DT and long snapper, and winning 12-9 is long gone.
Bigger than having Carl working with the offense? You can have 3 great QB's but they are not going to do squat w/o a coach. You guys act like I do not see that we have no experienced QB's out there. Of course I do, but it is not our biggest problem. My comments are more addressed to questioning if the staff knows what they are doing. Sufficient depth at QB came from not using back-ups when we had opportunity to do so. Bad mix of positioning comes from a lack of planning before recruiting. This is what worries me. The Qb is obviously one of the top-4 most important skill players depending on whether or not it is a pass-play, run-play, punt or kick. Go Guins, just because you happen to produce more pass-plays (than run, kick or punt) is just a style of offense. You still have to be able to run the ball, defend the pass and stop the run. If Bo wishes to change the Penguin's style of ball that much, then he better make sure he wins 15-games, or he will be receiving more of the same negative talk that he has been getting ...even during a year where we went to the final. A questionable set of QB's will create a questionable outcome over the first few games. A questionable staff will will create a questionable outcome over the season (if not more).
Penguin ball is a style of ball, don't mess with it. Ask coach Wolf if he understands that now? People think that Bo's celebrity will allow him to make these changes ... I do not think it will without some additional hardware in the Hall-of-Fame.
BTW: ET has a very good point on Mays' deep pass game. This is Mays biggest weakness and where I am hoping to see improvement. I am not certain it is his arm-strength as much as it is his mobility ...ability to get open an let the ball go. However, if he is not "the only guy" , he will never improve. He needs to become more fluid and you cannot due this thinking that you will lose you job every weak. I mean we basically fired Wells, only to watch him come back and play some of the best ball (behind center) that we have ever had.
I didn't have the attention span to read everything you wrote. But to me our brand of offensive football is supposed to be stifling defense with an offense that runs A-Gap power plays, DAVE, throws to the TE's, runs screens, and runs the option occasionally and exploits a great receiver downfield to keep the defense honest. That is how I see the brand of football I think we should run. That is why I am Penguinpower on this board. It is a reminder of what we it should look like. It is what NDSU looks like today.
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From today's Vindy:
Hegedus and Hawkins
By BRIAN DZENIS
bdzenis@vindy.com
YOUNGSTOWN
There’s renewed enthusiasm for football practice from Kyle Hegedus and Kierre Hawkins.
The redshirt-senior safety and redshirt-junior tight end for Youngstown State’s football team are back at full speed this fall after both players tore their ACLs last year. Hawkins has been getting reps throughout fall practice, but after almost a year to the day of his original injury, Hegedus was cleared for full-contact practice. His first such practice came on Tuesday.
“I love being back. Being in the athletic training room for 11 and a half months with the year we had was really tough,” Hegedus said on Wednesday. “[Head athletic trainer Ethan Solger and assistant trainer Steve Lapso] made it so that it wouldn’t be hard out here. They made it hard in rehab.
“You really appreciate being out. You really appreciate being able to do normal activities when you’re hurt and out for so long, but I just love being out here and being out with the guys.”
The team’s starting safety in 2017 was plugged right back in with the first team with the first team defense.
“He’s doing well. He’s way ahead mentally and knows the defense and what’s going,” head coach Bo Pelini said. “He just needs to shake some rust off, but he has been doing well. He communicates really well and he’s been a big presence back there.”
Hawkins initially strained ligaments in his knee during last year’s fall camp, but after trying to come back and play during last year’s 4-7 campaign, Hawkins and Hegedus soon became rehab buddies.
“I got a lot of reps and I was able to run. I played [against Valparaiso] and felt good with no problems,” Hawkins said. “Then there was that second game [against Western Illinois] and I just completely tore it.”
The pair were a common sight on the sidelines during practices last year working out with team trainers. Both players credited each other with their respective recoveries.
“We did a lot of running. It was tough, but we were pushing each other everyday,” Hawkins said. “We were all going through the same thing where the season was over for us. We’re key players and we have some big goals knowing that we have each other’s back. It was great.”
From an eligibility standpoint, Hawkins can apply for a medical redshirt after the 2020 season. Hegedus can do so at the end of this season, but said he is unsure if he will apply or not. Hegedus has torn his ACL twice during his tenure at YSU.
He’s immediate concern besides the upcoming football season is pursuing his masters degree in athletic training. As part of that program, Hegedus spent time working with the training staff for the YSU women’s basketball team. During games, the safety would man the table with cups of water for players and coaches. Given head coach John Barnes’ propensity to pace between the bench and cooler, Hegedus was busy.
“I had to fill up his water. Every time he came over, I’d have to pay attention to how much he drank,” Hegedus said. “I always made sure it was filled up before he came over. He’s a character, but he’s doing really well over there and I really enjoyed watching that team play.
“They all cared about each other. When it came down to it, they only had so many girls on the active roster and they all played heavy minutes. Whether they started or not, their minutes counted,” Hegedus added. “They relied on each other and they cheered for each other. They were so encouraging to each other and that’s what I took away from that experience.”
Both players come to practice each day appreciating every whistle, clash of pads and calls for additional workouts even when practice is over.
“It changes your mind. You appreciate things on the field. Even if you mess up a play or drop a pass, you’re thankful that you’re just able to do it,” Hawkins said. “You want to do well, but it’s just a blessing that you can just walk or move around. A lot of people take that for granted and now that I’m out here, I’m just soaking it all up.”
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After the QB questions (none of which has even a hint of an answer, despite all the wishful hopes on this thread) The return to form of Reed, Hegedus and Hawkins from injury would go a LONG way to get us to .500
With Mays at QB Turner at TB, and Justus, Kyle, and Kierre shadows of their former selves, we look 3-9 to me.
Being "cleared to practice" and being back to full speed, and having the confidence to plant a foot and cut full out are very different things. The psychological recovery period us almost always longer than the physical recovery.
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Starting QB's and starting offense in general really struggled today. Mays was picked off early. Defense was on point.
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Those first two drives were with the 1st-team O-line Chief. No protection what so ever. Has me very concerned. Seemed like every pass was tipped and they got to McFadden. Am I overreacting? Mays mixed it up on the 5th drive, as did Waid on the 6th. I forgot about Mitchell at LB, so that unit is looking deeper than expected.
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The staff keeps kicking the can down the road with quarterbacks. Unsure who to start and when. Its been a problem for the past 4 years. Need I bring up Hunter? Pick a QB that gives us the best chance to win today. If its close, pick the younger QB. This isn't a new phenomenon.
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I suspect that this quarterback derby is just hype fed to the media. Coaches know who will start in Alabama. Mays has experience in big games, and it is probably not wise to start a completely inexperienced quarterback in the opener on the road. The game plan undoubtedly will be to run right at Samford, as teams that throw the ball all over the place usually are weak defending against the run. That fits Mays perfectly. Whether Mays can keep the job for the entire season is another issue.
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I suspect that this quarterback derby is just hype fed to the media. Coaches know who will start in Alabama. Mays has experience in big games, and it is probably not wise to start a completely inexperienced quarterback in the opener on the road. The game plan undoubtedly will be to run right at Samford, as teams that throw the ball all over the place usually are weak defending against the run. That fits Mays perfectly. Whether Mays can keep the job for the entire season is another issue.
Spot on.
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Doesn't matter who starts the season at QB. Mays will knock himself out 1/2 way through the first game anyway. We've seen him for 3 years now and I don't think he's made 2 games in a row yet?
There is no doubt in my mind we have much better talent on the D than the O, but you can't win in today's game with just D. You've got to put up 28 minimum and if anybody can see this team doing that, please speak up, I'll feel a lot better than I do now!
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Doesn't matter who starts the season at QB. Mays will knock himself out 1/2 way through the first game anyway. We've seen him for 3 years now and I don't think he's made 2 games in a row yet?
There is no doubt in my mind we have much better talent on the D than the O, but you can't win in today's game with just D. You've got to put up 28 minimum and if anybody can see this team doing that, please speak up, I'll feel a lot better than I do now!
O will not put up 28 points in league play unless a new QB emerging (other than Mays) or defense scoring 2 tds (or put the ball inside the two yard line) in a game.
I still think we could be capable being a .500 team if O would not turn the ball over couple of times a game, especially in our side of the field.
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Doesn't matter who starts the season at QB. Mays will knock himself out 1/2 way through the first game anyway. We've seen him for 3 years now and I don't think he's made 2 games in a row yet?
There is no doubt in my mind we have much better talent on the D than the O, but you can't win in today's game with just D. You've got to put up 28 minimum and if anybody can see this team doing that, please speak up, I'll feel a lot better than I do now!
O will not put up 28 points in league play unless a new QB emerging (other than Mays) or defense scoring 2 tds (or put the ball inside the two yard line) in a game.
I still think we could be capable being a .500 team if O would not turn the ball over couple of times a game, especially in our side of the field.
ET, lots of "IF's" in your comments. Do you see any of that happening? Mays doesn't throw many INTs, since he takes a quick look 5 yards downfield, if somebody isn't wide open, he tucks and runs, but I see a lot of RB fumbles with Turner as your every down back, (we fumbled 20 times last year, forced 11) and a lot of 2nd and 12 and 3rd and 14 with this O line. We (all of us) have focused on the HUGE question at QB, correctly so IMO, but we have made little comment about losing most of what was at best a very mediocre OL and with the exception of a "one and done" WVU transfer in, added NOTHING. One thing about ANY defense, if it has to play 75 plays it is going to get toasted in the 2nd half. I see a LOT of 3 and outs in our future. I wish I could see 6-6 but Frankly I see more like 3-9 None of the QB's is as good as Montgomery, None of the RBs is as good as McCaster. None of the OL is better than the replacements with a push at center. DL should be better, LBs a push and DB much better, but OH BOY that offense looks offensive.
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Anything less than 7-5 with this schedule and someone needs to go.
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Go guins,
I was hoping Waid would catch fire (much like Hunter Wells in his Freshman year) and lead us to promise land. Since he has not been getting the reps with the first team, I now place my hope with Craycraft.
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hopefully they will run and pass for the same amount of yards, you win with balance.
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Go guins,
I was hoping Waid would catch fire (much like Hunter Wells in his Freshman year) and lead us to promise land. Since he has not been getting the reps with the first team, I now place my hope with Craycraft.
Waid is feeling a lot like a redshirt. Look at his HS stats and his complete lack of recruiting. Not sure what talent evaluators don't like, but the DON'T LIKE SOMETHING about Mark Waid, and apparently Bo has questions too.
Mays will take care of Mays. He'll crash into a LB diving for an extra yard on a 2nd and 6 and be out for at least a couple weeks. Question is will, Craycraft seize the opportunity and will they skip the RS year for Waid and make him Joe's backup? With our O and our OL, frankly I see the #3 QB getting at least 2 starts, so the opportunity is there for the taking IF someone is up to the task.
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hopefully they will run and pass for the same amount of yards, you win with balance.
That used to be true, but not anymore. For instance, last year Ohio State rushed for 2679 passed for 5100
College football is spread them out and throw it around, run to keep the D somewhat honest. Besides you have a very marginal TB in Turner. Remember Turner was our 4th leading rusher with 183 yards the whole SEASON. We have a suspect OL and a suspect QB handing to a suspect TB and we are hoping for what? 1300 yards and a 9-3 season? Yeah, right. I think the 9 and the 3 are the right numbers, question is in what order?
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Bo obviously likes Mays and he says that he's comfortable with all 3 starting but you know the old saying....
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Bo obviously likes Mays and he says that he's comfortable with all 3 starting but you know the old saying....
IMO, Mays might be ok in Bo's mind if we have a dependent OL (opening the gaps) where we can use the run to setup the timely passes. With a marginal OL, we may have to use the pass to set up the run and this is where Mays could have the problems.
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Well we certainly seem to have our share of D-linemen, maybe we can convert a 2 or 3 of them to the other side? Although I will say that a number of those are small & probably came from Bo looking for a couple of big-time DE's. ET is right on with the required oline. GoGuins, you a re right on with the TB's, but I will say that I was never a big fan of McCaster. Too much of a full-back. However, give him credit, he trimmed up and did some footwork his senior year. This year's crop of TB's has tremendous potential, but who knows?
- Braxton Chapman TB So. 6-2 220
- Christian Turner TB Jr. 5-10 195
- London Pearson TB Jr. 5-11 195
- Dra Rushton TB RFr. 5-11 170
- Joe Alessi TB Sr. 5-10 190
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IAA,
We need those two speedy/quick backs (must be getting old... I forgot their names already.... especially that kid from Toledo) from our championship game 3 years ago. Do we have anyone on our roster matching that?
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Well we certainly seem to have our share of D-linemen, maybe we can convert a 2 or 3 of them to the other side? Although I will say that a number of those are small & probably came from Bo looking for a couple of big-time DE's. ET is right on with the required oline. GoGuins, you a re right on with the TB's, but I will say that I was never a big fan of McCaster. Too much of a full-back. However, give him credit, he trimmed up and did some footwork his senior year. This year's crop of TB's has tremendous potential, but who knows?
- Braxton Chapman TB So. 6-2 220
- Christian Turner TB Jr. 5-10 195
- London Pearson TB Jr. 5-11 195
- Dra Rushton TB RFr. 5-11 170
- Joe Alessi TB Sr. 5-10 190
I can type too, just the the people in the sports information department. if Christian Turner and London Pearson are 195 then i'm 165 if they can add 20# to each of them, they I can take 20# off my weight!
I count 15 DL but we have tons of OL also. (I count 18 OL) Just body count doesn't mean much if they can't play.
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If we can"t pass very well and we can't run the ball, how are we going to score.
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We have a chance to be a good football team according to the head coach.
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One thing has not changed about college football since it started to evolve in the 1870s. Teams with the best offensive and defensive lines usually win. Strength up front covers up a whole lot of problems.
Of course the o-line was disappointing last season, but why are so many of you sure it will not improve? Are we not starting four new guys there? Is not the vital center position now manned by a transfer that started for a very high-powered FBS offense? Most importantly, Pelini had inherited Wolford's o-line coach. Now he has a guy that he knows and trusts, having played with him at OSU, More importantly, Peterson coached for Tressel at OSU for 8 years.
The d-line sees the return of a top-notch end, and there is more depth there then we have had in a long time. Some of those guys are inexperienced, but they have quite good credentials coming out of high school. It is not unreasonable to expect significant improvement there also.
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QB's really struggling throwing the ball in practice. INT's and overthrows galore. Time to be concerned yet?
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Its pretty obvious that the lack of quality coaches on this team is a major issue. Outside of the 2 Pelinis and Peterson, the rest should be cutting their teeth on Friday nights not Saturday afternoons in FCS. They are unproven and over-chaired. I dont blame them but the HC for assembling such a green horn staff. Which is another topic in and of itself.
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Great point on staff and maybe I will break that topic out to a thread.
I will say this. I was never a fan of Mark Brungard, talk about missed throws, but he achieved great things. I remember that they let him go wild against Alcorn. Then again, they had no chance against us. The next week he kept Mark in check against EKU and it was close. Our TB back then was Shawn Patton, who struggled at times against big lines with Tressel's off-tackle offense. I cannot remember his name, but coach T knew we would struggle on the ground against Alcorn and brought in a converted linebacker who had a great day for us.
Maybe this team will do the same with Mays and our crop of TB's?
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Goodnews. Excellent point that is hard to disagree with. But let's look at this from another perspective. Wolford had many veteran coaches and constantly bragged about them. Yet those he brought in on the defensive side of the ball failed, and failed badly.
On the other hand, Tressel had Conatser (spelling?) and veteran and respected high school coach Bob Stoops. Usually, the rest of this staff consisted of young coaches trying to make their mark in the profession: Dantonio, Bollman, Treadwell, Heacock, the much maligned Klacek, and even student volunteer Mangino. All of these men advanced to be head coaches at the college level or coordinators at big time programs. All of them had the same standing as the "kids" that Pelini uses when they worked at YSU.
So given the financial restrictions of FCS football, is it better to hire inexperienced, ambitious young assistants or established, experienced veterans looking for jobs? Or perhaps a mixture of both.
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We have a chance to be a good football team according to the head coach.
And two years ago the Browns had a chance to win the super bowl. (It just wasn't a good chance!)
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Now we are going to blame the mess that is the YSU offensive on the assistant coaches? Give me the Browns DL and I'll be a good DL coach, Give Bill Belichick me and 3 of my friends and he'll be a TERRIBLE DL coach. College football is all about recruiting. I think we may have some decent 1AA QB talent on the roster, but there are serious questions at OL, TB WR and TE. I've watched Tom Brady for years, that SOB can't throw a lick when laying on his back. I'll bet we find the same is true for Mays, Craycraft Waid, et. al.
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One quick note. There's another quality control coach on staff in Devin Jordan who was a WR at Ohio State and was a student assistant under JT. Holds almost every receiving record at Massillon high school. Not a bad guy to have on staff.
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One quick note. There's another quality control coach on staff in Devin Jordan who was a WR at Ohio State and was a student assistant under JT. Holds almost every receiving record at Massillon high school. Not a bad guy to have on staff.
What is his responsibility?
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One quick note. There's another quality control coach on staff in Devin Jordan who was a WR at Ohio State and was a student assistant under JT. Holds almost every receiving record at Massillon high school. Not a bad guy to have on staff.
What is his responsibility?
Working with the WR's and the offense.