Topics

1306

YSU Penguin Athletics / Trib: YSU still work in progress

« on: September 26, 2011, 06:06:50 AM »

Youngstown State didn't want to go into its bye week this way.

The Penguins fell behind on the very first play from scrimmage against Indiana State on Saturday, then allowed four more first-half touchdowns and spent the rest of the day scrambling to come back against the Sycamores.

The Sycamores didn't let it happen, although YSU made it interesting before falling, 37-35, in Terre Haute, Ind.

The Penguins twice got within six points after falling behind 21-0 and 27-7 in the first half, then used a late touchdown drive to pull within two with 1:21 to play. But an onside kick went out of bounds, the Sycamores picked up one last first down and ran out the clock.

The good:

YSU came back and made a game of it after a horrible start.

Junior tailback Jamaine Cook ran for 177 yards and two touchdowns on 33 carries.

Sophomore quarterback Kurt Hess passed for 224 yards and two touchdowns, both to sophomore Jelani Berassa.

The bad:

YSU's tackling. Indiana State running back Shakir Bell averaged 12.2 yards per carry. Yes, the Penguins made some adjustments and did a better job on defense in the second half, but the damage was done.

YSU wasn't ready to play. Second-year coach Eric Wolford said on Tuesday this was a business trip, but the Penguins seemed to miss their wakeup call.

The Penguins haven't won on the road since the end of the 2009 season.

The ugly:

Bell finished with a school-record 256 yards on just 21 carries. He ran for touchdowns of 62, 39, 61 and 51 yards.

The Sycamores' big plays on the ground completely negated the Penguins' huge advantage in time of possession (37:32 to 22:22) and first downs (30 to 14).

Aronde Stanton recovered a fumble and appeared about to return it for a touchdown, but fumbled out of the back of the end zone from Indiana State's 1-yard line for a touchback. The Sycamores regained possession and added to their lead moments later.

The reality:

The Penguins don't seem ready to contend in the Missouri Valley Football Conference.

Just like last season, YSU has more than enough offensive weapons with Cook, Hess and some talented receivers. The offensive line is young, but has performed extremely well to allow the Penguins to score on impressive drives and, when necessary, quickly.

After falling behind, YSU offensive coordinator Shane Montgomery used a variation of the hurry-up or no-huddle offense to change the tempo of the game and spark the Penguins' comeback.

But like last season, YSU's defense appears to be significantly behind the offense. Wolford and defensive coordinator Rick Kravitz have turned over the personnel on that side of the ball since arriving in Youngstown, and some new players have made significant impacts.

But the Penguins have just six seniors on the defensive depth chart and three of them play up front. The seniors are starting cornerback Josh Lee, linebacker John Sasson, ends Daniel Stewart and Obinna Ekweremuba and tackle Andrew Johnson. Lee has made just three career starts at cornerback and the only other senior in the group is backup strong safety Scott Sentner.

Eleven freshmen and eight sophomores fill out the defensive depth chart. That means this defense is extremely young. Despite what happened Saturday in Terre Haute, I think it's better than last year's defense.

Wolford's rebuilding project isn't going to come to fruition overnight. But the pieces are in place, despite the terrible start and loss against Indiana State.

epuskas@tribtoday.com

1307

YSU Penguin Athletics / Other Scores of Interest

« on: September 25, 2011, 08:55:03 AM »

           W Illinois    10    
            N Iowa    38    
 
            Missouri St.    18    
            S Illinois    20    
 
            ^{N Dakota St    37    
            Minnesota    24}    
   
            S Dakota St    13    
            Illinois St    20    


App State lucks past Chattanooga by 2
Sam Houston Beats New Mexico
Sac State over Montana

1308

YSU Penguin Athletics / Post-Game Thoughts?

« on: September 24, 2011, 05:13:45 PM »

Any thoughts?

1309

YSU Penguin Athletics / YSU vs ISU in-Game Thread

« on: September 24, 2011, 11:38:41 AM »

I am very anxious about this game. I wish I was in town to see it on TV. In any case, I really hope (and think) we can put up some numbers today. This is real gauge for the team.

1310

YSU Penguin Athletics / Key Stats for ISU Game

« on: September 22, 2011, 04:48:21 PM »

Here are a few of the key stats that I think will make all the difference Saturday:

Missouri Valley FB Player Report KICKOFF RETURN
 
Rank           Player                                 Pos Cl Gm KRet Yds  TD   Avg   RetGm
 1. Leonard Riston, Indiana St.                        WR SO  3   8  258   1  32.25   2.67
 2. Larry Patterson, Western Ill.                      RB FR  3   9  245   0  27.22   3.00
 3. Andre Stubbs, Youngstown St.                       WR FR  3   8  216   0  27.00   2.67
...we have to watch this guy.


Missouri Valley FB Player Report POINTS RESPONSIBLE FOR
 
Rank           Player                                 Pos Cl Gm  Pcv Ptds Pts TPRFor TotPtsGm
 1. Kurt Hess, Youngstown St.                          QB SO  3   0   7   6   48.00  16.00
 1. Matt Brown, Illinois St.                           QB JR  3   0   8   0   48.00  16.00
 3. Brock Jensen, North Dakota St.                     QB SO  2   0   4   6   30.00  15.00
 4. Jewel Hampton, Southern Ill.                       RB JR  2   0   0  24   24.00  12.00
 4. David Johnson, UNI                                 RB FR  2   0   0  24   24.00  12.00
 6. Thomas O'Brien, South Dakota St.                   QB JR  3   0   5   0   30.00  10.00
 6. Ronnie Fouch, Indiana St.                          QB SR  3   0   5   0   30.00  10.00
 8. Warren Holloway, North Dakota St.                  WR SR  2   0   0  18   18.00   9.00
 8. Paul McIntosh, Southern Ill.                       QB JR  2   0   3   0   18.00   9.00
 8. Tirrell Rennie, UNI                                QB SR  2   0   1  12   18.00   9.00
11. Tyrone Walker, Illinois St.                        WR JR  3   0   0  24   24.00   8.00
11. Josh Hudson, Western Ill.                          QB JR  3   0   4   0   24.00   8.00
13. Justin Hilton, Indiana St.                         WR SR  3   0   0  18   18.00   6.00
13. Brock Lough, Indiana St.                           RB SR  3   0   0  18   18.00   6.00
13. Ashton Leggett, Illinois St.                       RB SR  3   0   0  18   18.00   6.00
13. Jermaine Saffold, Missouri St.                     WR SR  3   0   0  18   18.00   6.00
13. Wes Hudson, North Dakota St.                       RB FR  2   0   0  12   12.00   6.00
13. Andre Barboza, Youngstown St.                      WR SR  3   0   0  18   18.00   6.00
13. Cam Fuller, Southern Ill.                          WR SR  2   0   0  12   12.00   6.00
20. Terriun Crump, Western Ill.                        WR SR  3   0   0  12   12.00   4.00
20. Jordan Thompson, Youngstown St.                    RB SO  3   0   0  12   12.00   4.00
20. Marvon Sanders, Illinois St.                       WR SR  3   0   0  12   12.00   4.00
20. Matt Younger, Illinois St.                         WR SO  3   0   0  12   12.00   4.00
20. Ben Obaseki, Indiana St.                           DB JR  3   0   0  12   12.00   4.00
20. Shakir Bell, Indiana St.                           RB SO  3   0   0  12   12.00   4.00
20. Jamaine Cook, Youngstown St.                       RB JR  3   0   0  12   12.00   4.00

Lot's of play makers on both clubs, but slight advantage ISU

QB's are almost identical in every state, including points responsible for. No advantage to either club.


Missouri Valley FB Player Report RECEPTIONS PER GAME
 
Rank           Player                                 Pos Cl Gm  Rec Yds  Td  RecGm YdsCatch YdsGm
 1. Marvon Sanders, Illinois St.                       WR SR  3  19  264   2   6.33  13.89   88.00
 2. Justin Hilton, Indiana St.                         WR SR  3  16  272   3   5.33  17.00   90.67
 2. Aaron Rollin, South Dakota St.                     WR JR  3  16  167   1   5.33  10.44   55.67
 2. Christian Bryan, Youngstown St.                    WR FR  3  16  187   1   5.33  11.69   62.33
 5. Warren Holloway, North Dakota St.                  WR SR  2  10  220   3   5.00  22.00  110.00
 6. Terriun Crump, Western Ill.                        WR SR  3  13  271   2   4.33  20.85   90.33
 7. Tyrone Walker, Illinois St.                        WR JR  3  12  197   4   4.00  16.42   65.67
 8. John Lantz, Southern Ill.                          WR SO  2   7  113   0   3.50  16.14   56.50
 9. Brandon Hubert, South Dakota St.                   WR SO  3  10  124   0   3.33  12.40   41.33
 9. Tyrel Kool, South Dakota St.                       RB JR  3  10  109   1   3.33  10.90   36.33
11. Jermaine Saffold, Missouri St.                     WR SR  3   8  166   3   2.67  20.75   55.33
11. Dale Moss, South Dakota St.                        WR SR  3   8  106   0   2.67  13.25   35.33
11. Julian Burton, Missouri St.                        WR FR  3   8   61   0   2.67   7.63   20.33
14. Cam Fuller, Southern Ill.                          WR SR  2   5  152   2   2.50  30.40   76.00
14. Trevor Gebhart, North Dakota St.                   WR FR  2   5   25   0   2.50   5.00   12.50
16. Matt Thayer, Missouri St.                          TE JR  3   7   76   0   2.33  10.86   25.33
16. Zach Zenner, South Dakota St.                      RB FR  3   7   69   1   2.33   9.86   23.00
16. Kevin Watts, Youngstown St.                        WR SO  3   7   92   1   2.33  13.14   30.67
19. Justin Morgan, Western Ill.                        WR JR  3   6   65   0   2.00  10.83   21.67
19. Josh Collins, UNI                                  WR SR  2   4   34   0   2.00   8.50   17.00
19. Trevor Tiefenthaler, South Dakota St.              WR SO  3   6   64   0   2.00  10.67   21.33
19. Brett LeMaster, UNI                                WR FR  2   4   28   0   2.00   7.00   14.00
19. Darion Howard, UNI                                 TE SO  2   4   34   0   2.00   8.50   17.00
19. Lechein Neblett, Illinois St.                      WR FR  3   6  102   0   2.00  17.00   34.00
19. Ryan Smith, North Dakota St.                       WR SO  2   4   22   0   2.00   5.50   11.00
19. Jelani Berassa, Youngstown St.                     WR SO  3   6   71   1   2.00  11.83   23.67
19. Alex Jones, Indiana St.                            TE SR  3   6  112   1   2.00  18.67   37.33

I would say there is a slight advantage to YSU here. Yardage is about equal though.


Missouri Valley FB Player Report TOTAL RECEIVING YARDS
 
Rank           Player                                 Pos Cl Gm  Rec Yds  TD  RecGm YdsCat  Yds/gm
 1. Justin Hilton, Indiana St.                         WR SR  3  16  272   3   5.33  17.00   90.67
 2. Terriun Crump, Western Ill.                        WR SR  3  13  271   2   4.33  20.85   90.33
 3. Marvon Sanders, Illinois St.                       WR SR  3  19  264   2   6.33  13.89   88.00
 4. Warren Holloway, North Dakota St.                  WR SR  2  10  220   3   5.00  22.00  110.00
 5. Tyrone Walker, Illinois St.                        WR JR  3  12  197   4   4.00  16.42   65.67
 6. Christian Bryan, Youngstown St.                    WR FR  3  16  187   1   5.33  11.69   62.33
 7. Aaron Rollin, South Dakota St.                     WR JR  3  16  167   1   5.33  10.44   55.67
 8. Jermaine Saffold, Missouri St.                     WR SR  3   8  166   3   2.67  20.75   55.33
 9. Cam Fuller, Southern Ill.                          WR SR  2   5  152   2   2.50  30.40   76.00
10. Brandon Hubert, South Dakota St.                   WR SO  3  10  124   0   3.33  12.40   41.33
11. John Lantz, Southern Ill.                          WR SO  2   7  113   0   3.50  16.14   56.50
12. Alex Jones, Indiana St.                            TE SR  3   6  112   1   2.00  18.67   37.33
13. Tyrel Kool, South Dakota St.                       RB JR  3  10  109   1   3.33  10.90   36.33
14. Dale Moss, South Dakota St.                        WR SR  3   8  106   0   2.67  13.25   35.33
15. Lechein Neblett, Illinois St.                      WR FR  3   6  102   0   2.00  17.00   34.00
16. Andre Barboza, Youngstown St.                      WR SR  3   4   98   3   1.33  24.50   32.67
17. Kevin Watts, Youngstown St.                        WR SO  3   7   92   1   2.33  13.14   30.67
18. David Johnson, UNI                                 RB FR  2   3   90   1   1.50  30.00   45.00
19. Matt Thayer, Missouri St.                          TE JR  3   7   76   0   2.33  10.86   25.33
20. Jelani Berassa, Youngstown St.                     WR SO  3   6   71   1   2.00  11.83   23.67


This Jones scares me. Our linebackers need to stay focused.


Missouri Valley FB Player Report RUSHING
 
Rank           Player                                 Pos Cl Gm  Rush  Yds TD Avg Yds/gm
 1. Tirrell Rennie, UNI                                QB SR  2  37  253   2   6  126.50
 2. Sam Ojuri, North Dakota St.                        RB SO  2  27  240   1   8  120.00
 3. Ashton Leggett, Illinois St.                       RB SR  3  62  332   3   5  110.67
 4. Jamaine Cook, Youngstown St.                       RB JR  3  62  324   2   5  108.00
 5. Shakir Bell, Indiana St.                           RB SO  3  46  312   2   6  104.00
 6. Steve Strother, Southern Ill.                      RB JR  2  19  197   1  10   98.50
 7. Paul McIntosh, Southern Ill.                       QB JR  2  24  145   0   6   72.50
 8. David Johnson, UNI                                 RB FR  2  41  123   3   3   61.50
 9. Tyrel Kool, South Dakota St.                       RB JR  3  51  164   0   3   54.67
10. Jewel Hampton, Southern Ill.                       RB JR  2  27  106   4   3   53.00
11. Chris Douglas, Missouri St.                        RB SR  3  47  149   1   3   49.67
12. Brock Lough, Indiana St.                           RB SR  3  23  129   3   5   43.00
13. Jordan Thompson, Youngstown St.                    RB SO  3  16   83   2   5   27.67
14. Wes Hudson, North Dakota St.                       RB FR  2  11   50   2   4   25.00
15. Bryce Flowers, Western Ill.                        RB SO  3  36   72   0   2   24.00
16. Zach Zenner, South Dakota St.                      RB FR  3  18   70   1   3   23.33
17. Carlos Anderson, UNI                               RB JR  2  15   41   0   2   20.50
18. Derrick Lang, North Dakota St.                     RB SO  2  10   39   1   3   19.50
19. Stephen Johnston, Missouri St.                     RB SR  3  20   57   0   2   19.00
20. Erik Smith, Illinois St.                           RB JR  3   7   51   0   7   17.00
21. Larry Patterson, Western Ill.                      RB FR  3  11   48   0   4   16.00
22. Mulku Kalokoh, Southern Ill.                       RB JR  2   9   30   0   3   15.00
23. Luke Harris, Indiana St.                           RB SO  3  10   38   0   3   12.67
23. Clifton Gordon, Illinois St.                       RB SR  3   9   38   0   4   12.67
25. Kurt Hess, Youngstown St.                          QB SO  3   8   36   1   4   12.00

I will almost have to go with ISU here, as they have lots of weapons on the ground. However, so do we. ISU has the advantage up front though.


Missouri Valley FB Player Report SCORING
 
Rank           Player                                 Pos Cl Gm  TD  Okm Oka FGM FGA Pts PtsGm
 1. David Johnson, UNI                                 RB FR  2   4   0   0   0   0  24  12.00
 1. Jewel Hampton, Southern Ill.                       RB JR  2   4   0   0   0   0  24  12.00
 3. Warren Holloway, North Dakota St.                  WR SR  2   3   0   0   0   0  18   9.00
 4. Tyler Sievertsen, UNI                              K  SO  2   0   5   5   4   4  17   8.50
 5. Tyrone Walker, Illinois St.                        WR JR  3   4   0   0   0   0  24   8.00
 6. Ryan Jastram, North Dakota St.                     K  SR  2   0  14  14   0   0  14   7.00
 6. Cory Little, Indiana St.                           K  SO  3   0  12  13   3   4  21   7.00
 6. Jackson MacLachlan, Southern Ill.                  K  SO  2   0   8   8   2   2  14   7.00
 9. Nick Aussieker, Illinois St.                       K  FR  3   0  13  14   2   4  19   6.33
10. Justin Hilton, Indiana St.                         WR SR  3   3   0   0   0   0  18   6.00
10. Ashton Leggett, Illinois St.                       RB SR  3   3   0   0   0   0  18   6.00
10. Cam Fuller, Southern Ill.                          WR SR  2   2   0   0   0   0  12   6.00
10. Wes Hudson, North Dakota St.                       RB FR  2   2   0   0   0   0  12   6.00
10. Tirrell Rennie, UNI                                QB SR  2   2   0   0   0   0  12   6.00
10. Jermaine Saffold, Missouri St.                     WR SR  3   3   0   0   0   0  18   6.00
10. Brock Lough, Indiana St.                           RB SR  3   3   0   0   0   0  18   6.00
10. Andre Barboza, Youngstown St.                      WR SR  3   3   0   0   0   0  18   6.00
18. David Brown, Youngstown St.                        K  JR  3   0  15  17   0   1  15   5.00
19. Shakir Bell, Indiana St.                           RB SO  3   2   0   0   0   0  12   4.00
19. Jamaine Cook, Youngstown St.                       RB JR  3   2   0   0   0   0  12   4.00
19. Jordan Thompson, Youngstown St.                    RB SO  3   2   0   0   0   0  12   4.00
19. Terriun Crump, Western Ill.                        WR SR  3   2   0   0   0   0  12   4.00
19. Zach Zenner, South Dakota St.                      RB FR  3   2   0   0   0   0  12   4.00
19. Marvon Sanders, Illinois St.                       WR SR  3   2   0   0   0   0  12   4.00
19. Matt Younger, Illinois St.                         WR SO  3   2   0   0   0   0  12   4.00
19. Ben Obaseki, Indiana St.                           DB JR  3   2   0   0   0   0  12   4.00

About even, slight advantage ISU.


Missouri Valley FB Player Report TACKLES
 
Rank           Player                                 Pos Cl Gm  Solo   Assist  PerGm
 1. L.J. Fort, UNI                                     LB SR  2  12  13  12.50
 2. Jordan Smith, UNI                                  LB SR  2   7  13  10.00
2. Aaron Archie, Indiana St.                          LB JR  3  12  18  10.00
 4. Jacolby Washington, Indiana St.                    LB JR  3   8  20   9.33
 4. Dirk Kool, South Dakota St.                        LB SR  3   8  20   9.33
 6. James Conley, UNI                                  DB SR  2  10   8   9.00
 6. Josh Howe, Illinois St.                            LB SR  3  10  17   9.00
 6. Garrett Scott, UNI                                 DB JR  2   9   9   9.00
 9. Varmah Sonie, UNI                                  DB JR  2   9   8   8.50
10. Mike Lien, South Dakota St.                        LB SR  3   6  19   8.33
11. Alex Sewall, Indiana St.                           DB SR  3  10  14   8.00
11. Larry King, Indiana St.                            DB SO  3  16   8   8.00
13. Ryan Callender, Missouri St.                       LB SO  3   8  15   7.67
13. Josh Garner, Youngstown St.                        DB SO  3  17   6   7.67
13. Austin Davis, Illinois St.                         LB JR  3  12  11   7.67
16. Tyler West, Western Ill.                           DB JR  3  14   8   7.33
17. Jeremey Edwards, Youngstown St.                    DB JR  3  10  11   7.00
17. Bo Helm, South Dakota St.                          DB JR  3   9  12   7.00
17. Theon Dixon, Western Ill.                          LB JR  3  11  10   7.00
17. Andrew Beisel, Missouri St.                        LB FR  3  10  11   7.00
17. Kayon Swanson, Southern Ill.                       DL JR  2   7   7   7.00

Good linebackers ...strong advantage ISU. Although I would have to say that YSU has a slight advantage on tackles-for-loss.


Missouri Valley FB Team Report FUMBLES LOST
 
Rank           Team                 Fumbles Lost
  1. Youngstown St.                       0
  1. Southern Ill.                        0
  1. North Dakota St.                     0
  1. Western Ill.                         0
  5. UNI                                  1
  5. South Dakota St.                     1
  5. Missouri St.                         1
  8. Illinois St.                         3
  8. Indiana St.                          3

...Here is the game-winner for the Guins.


Missouri Valley FB Team Report PUNT RETURNS
 
Rank           Team                      Gm  Ret Yds Tds  Avg   Win Loss Tie
  1. Youngstown St.                       3   6 115   1  19.17   2   1   0
  2. North Dakota St.                     2  11 137   1  12.45   2   0   0
  3. South Dakota St.                     3   3  26   0   8.67   1   2   0
  4. Illinois St.                         3   6  46   0   7.67   1   2   0
  5. Missouri St.                         3   3  19   0   6.33   0   3   0
  6. Western Ill.                         3   7  38   0   5.43   1   2   0
  7. Southern Ill.                        2   3  15   0   5.00   1   1   0
  8. Indiana St.                          3   2   6   0   3.00   2   1   0

...HUGE for the Guins


---Some of these stats make all the difference. I think we could win big here ...if we show up to play.

1311

YSU Penguin Athletics / YSU Marching Pride 2011

« on: September 22, 2011, 07:04:41 AM »

I saw the band mentioned, and I wondered what everyone thinks of this years band and half-time show?

1312

YSU Penguin Athletics / Game Photos: Football vs ILS

« on: September 22, 2011, 07:01:02 AM »

Here are some images. Better late than never. Special thanks to guinpen for taking many of these:

http://ysupenguins.com/2011_Football_vs_Illinois_State/

1313

YSU Penguin Athletics / Elliott L. Giles Scholarship To Be Awarded in 2012-13

« on: September 21, 2011, 02:29:16 PM »

The Youngstown State University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics is proud to announce the development of the Elliott L. Giles Scholarship to enhance the YSU Athletics Scholarship Fund.

The scholarship endowment will be awarded starting with the 2012-13 academic year.

Director of Athletic Development Joe Cassese said Giles has always supported Youngstown State football in anyway possible. This scholarship is just another example of how special this community is to Giles, Cassese said.

"Those of us who love and follow Youngstown State Football remember Elliott Giles the playmaker on the football field," Cassese said. "It's great to see Elliott making plays for his community and Youngstown State Athletics in a way that will forever positively impact our student-athletes."

Giles, a native of Miami, Fla., came to Youngstown State in 1997 after spending a season at Idaho State. At YSU, he spent three years playing for Head Coach Jim Tressel. During his senior season in 1999, Giles helped lead the Penguins to the National Championship Game while leading the team with 62 receptions for 1,301 yards and eight touchdowns. He finished his career with 73 receptions for 1,477 yards and nine scores. Against Montana in the first round, he caught six passes for a school-record 214 yards, including an 82-yarder for a touchdown. On six occasions in 1999, he had at least 100 yards receiving.

After his collegiate career, Giles impacted the youth of the community by starting Y2 Sports, a non-profit organization centered on the youth of Youngstown to help battle the worldwide dilemma of childhood obesity while building young men and women of character. Giles also founded The Youngstown Youth Flag Football Association, a NFL sanctioned flag football league which has impacted over 2,000 children from the Tri-County area since its inaugural season in 2007.

This scholarship will be awarded annually to a minority student-athlete with a GPA of 2.5 or above.

"It is truly humbling to have the opportunity to give back to the university that has done so much for me and my family," Giles said.

This fall, Giles has joined Chad Krispinsky on the myvalleysports.com broadcast of Penguin home games.

For more information on how to endow an athletic scholarship at Youngstown State University, contact Cassese at (330) 941-2756 or jcassese@ysu.edu.

1314

YSU Penguin Athletics / Video Highlights: Football YSU vs ILS

« on: September 21, 2011, 07:23:31 AM »

1315

YSU Penguin Athletics / Hess Named MVFC Offensive Player of the Week

« on: September 19, 2011, 06:35:16 AM »

St. Louis, Mo. -- For the first time in his career, sophomore quarterback Kurt Hess has been named the Missouri Valley Football Conference's Offensive Player of the Week. Hess threw for a career-high 293 yards and tied a school record with four touchdown passes in the win over Illinois State.

Against the Redbirds he threw two first-quarter touchdown passes, ran for one and passed for another in the second and connected on his school-record-tying fourth in the third period.

He threw for a career-high 293 yards completing 21-of-29 passes. He had touchdown throws of 10, 20, 25 and 44 yards in the game and 35-yard completion on a third-and-8 with 2:13 left in the game helped seal the win as ISU was not able to get the ball back the remainder of the game. He is the eighth quarterback in program history to throw four touchdown passes in a game.

Other Missouri Valley Conference Players of the week were CB Larry Carter of Indiana State (defense); WR Dale Moss of South Dakota State (newcomer) and PK Cory Little of Indiana State (special teams).

YSU returns to action on Saturday when it travels to Indiana State. Kickoff for the contest against the Sycamores is set for 2 p.m.

1316

YSU Penguin Athletics / Vindy: YSU notebook

« on: September 19, 2011, 06:32:36 AM »

Injury update: Youngstown State lost freshman WR Andre Stubbs on the opening kickoff with an injury to his AC joint, the joint at the top of the shoulder. “It could be for the year,” YSU coach Eric Wolford said. “Obviously we won’t know until [later].” Also, sophomore CB Donald D’Alesio missed much of the game with a shoulder injury. “He’s had a shoulder issue [for awhile] so he’s always day to day,” Wolford said. True freshman Jimmy May Jr. (Warren Harding) replaced D’Alesio and played well. “He did some decent things for a freshman,” Wolford said. “He’s got a chance to be special. He can run and he needs to continue to get more physical, which he will. Some of that stuff comes with confidence. Sometimes it takes 1,000 reps. Unfortunately we haven’t had the chance to get him 1,000 reps yet but we’re trying.”

Big crowd: YSU had an announced crowd of 18,543 — the biggest crowd since the Penguins drew 18,978 against Liberty in 2008. “We needed a shot in the arm and the community showed up in force,” Wolford said. “It was loud on third down. You could hear them and that’s a difference in the ballgame. The community was behind us and we appreciate them. This win was for them.”

This and that: YSU safety Josh Garner had 11 tackles and Obinna Ekweremuba had 1.5 tackles for loss, both game-highs. ... Penguin QB Kurt Hess was sacked for the first time this season. ... After going more than a game and a half without an attempt, YSU punter Nick Liste (Niles) averaged 40 yards on four second-half kicks, with three inside the 20. “He’s a weapon, no question,” Wolford said of Liste. ... WR Andre Barboza set career highs in catches (three), yards (74) and TDs (two) and Kevin Watts had career-highs in catches (five) and yards (68).

1317

YSU Penguin Athletics / ILS Post-Game

« on: September 17, 2011, 07:59:22 PM »

Defense has issues. No offense in the second half. Exciting game though. ILS went conservative. They lost that game for themselves. I am not sure what to do on D, but we just need to play 4-quarters on O.

1318

YSU Penguin Athletics / Scalzo: YSU-ISU: A battle of field generals

« on: September 16, 2011, 06:36:16 AM »

YOUNGSTOWN

YSU coach Eric Wolford had just finished his press conference on Tuesday when he spotted quarterback Kurt Hess and said, “Hester, what’s up? Ready to go? I told them boys they got the best quarterback around.”

“They” was Illinois State. The “best quarterback” was Redbirds junior Matt Brown.

“We’ll see on Saturday, huh?” Wolford said.

“Yeah, we’ll see,” Hess said.

After finishing second in the league last year in passing yards (2,665) and touchdown passes (22), Brown was one of two Missouri Valley quarterbacks to earn preseason honorable mention honors. Indiana State’s Ronnie Fouch was the other. UNI’s Tirrell Rennie earned first team honors

Brown was the conference’s freshman of the year in 2009.

Hess was the conference’s freshman of the year in 2010.

Both are classic, pass-first quarterbacks. Both are off to good starts this fall, with Brown leading the league in passing yards (264.5 per game) and TDs (5) in a pass-heavy offense. He’s coming off a five-touchdown performance against Morehead State.

“Their quarterback, you could argue, is the top quarterback in the league,” Wolford said of Brown. “He’s in the top one or two, depending on what style of quarterback you’re looking for.

“If you’re looking for a guy who can throw the deep ball and manage the offense ...”

Hess completed 179 of 304 passes for 2,117 yards and 12 touchdowns last fall, setting school freshman records for attempts, completions and yards.

Hess is averaging 165 yards per game this season — the Penguins lead the league in rushing offense, so Hess hasn’t had to throw as much as others in the league — and is coming off a 12 of 13, 204-yard performance against Valparaiso. Outside of a fourth-quarter interception against Michigan State, he’s played efficiently.

“I’m more comfortable back there and they’re more comfortable with me,” Hess said. “I think a comfort level is great. It gives me got great confidence and gives me confidence in my teammates.

“When I feel good about what we’re doing, I’m able to lead them as well as lead myself.”

Hess isn’t the type of player who relishes comparisons to other quarterbacks — when asked who he thinks is the best quarterback in the conference, he named Rennie — but, like any quarterback, Hess is eager to show he can win a game, not just manage it.

Wolford thinks Hess is ready to take that step.

“Obviously we feel a lot more confident being that Kurt’s been through the rodeo,” said Wolford. “We’ve put more on his plate. [Offensive coordinator] Shane Montgomery has done a good job of preparing him in how to manage the offense. And we’re carrying a lot more football plays than we used to last year.

“We’re able to manage and do more because he has experience and he’s been there and done it before.”

1319

YSU Penguin Athletics / Preview: Football vs. Illinois State

« on: September 14, 2011, 09:48:27 AM »

The Youngstown State football team opens Missouri Valley Football Conference play with a home contest against Illinois State on Saturday. Kickoff for the game is set for 4 p.m. and the game will be carried live on 570 WKBN, and televised on tape delay by MyYTV. (8 p.m. on Saturday and Noon on Sunday).
    Both school's are coming off big home wins as the Penguins set or tied 16 team and individual school records in a 77-13 win over Valparaiso while Illinois State knocked off Morehead State 52-21. This is the conference opener for both schools.
    YSU (1-1) scored a school-record 77 points in an impressive display against Valparaiso last Saturday in the home opener. The Penguins jumped out quickly on the Crusaders by scoring 35 first-quarter points. YSU added 28 more in the second quarter to take a 63-6 halftime lead. In the second half, the Penguins scored two touchdowns. The win was the 16th straight time the Guins have won a season opener.
    Illinois State (1-1) also picked up its first win of the season in impressive fashion. The Redbirds led Morehead State 45-7 in the fourth quarter and held the Eagles to minus-48 yards rushing thanks to an eight-sack effort on defense.
    The series has been a hard-fought, down-to-the-wire one since the first meeting in September 1979. Both teams have won 10 meetings and the Guins have scored just nine more points in the 20 games. This is just the third September dual between in programs in the series' history. Last year's game on Nov. 6 in Normal, Ill., is a great example of how tight the series has been.
    The Penguins trailed Illinois State 35-17 late in the third quarter. YSU overcame the 18-point deficit to pull ahead 39-35 with 26.9 seconds left on a seven-yard scoring run by QB Kurt Hess. But the Redbirds went 69 yards in three plays and pulled out a win with 0.7 seconds left when QB Matt Brown connected with Tyrone Walker for the game-winner.
    At Stambaugh Stadium, the Penguins lead the series 6-4 and have won three of the last four meetings, including a 30-18 win in 2009.
    YSU returns to the road on Sept. 24 and continues Missouri Valley Football Conference play at Indiana State. Kickoff for the contest at Memorial Stadium in Terre Haute, Ind., is set for 2:05 p.m.

Valpo Game Notes
• YSU scored on its first nine possessions and scored touchdowns on 11 of 14 in the game. Two of the possessions were at the end of each half.
• Valpo had seven three-and-outs and punted on its first seven possessions.
• Davion Rogers blocked a punt and Daniel Stewart blocked an extra-point kick against the Crusaders.
• None of the first eight scoring drives was more than seven plays. The two second-half scoring drives were each 14 plays.
• The Penguins did not punt for just the second time in a game in school history. The other contest was in the 1999 playoffs against North Carolina A&T.
• Kurt Hess passed for more than 200 yards for the sixth time in his career and first time this season. He completed 12-of-13 passes in the game, and his lone incompletion was a drop. He completed his final 11 of the game after starting 1-for-2.
• First-time starters were freshman wide receiver Kintrell Disher and fifth-year senior cornerback Josh Lee. Twenty of the players who started the opener at Michigan State started against Valparaiso.
• Adaris Bellamy (180 yards) and Jamaine Cook (126 yards) became the first pair of Penguins to rush for more than 100 yards in a game since 2008 against North Dakota State.
• Tailbacks Torrian Pace and Parnell Taylor each rushed for the first touchdowns of their career in the second half.
• Lee returned a punt 96 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter. His return set an MVFC and school mark. The previous school long was a 91-yard return set in 1965 while the previous league best was 95 by Western Kentucky's Joseph Jefferson against Illinois State in 2001 and James Norris of WIU against Eastern Michigan in 2003.

Valpo Recap: YSU 77, VALPO 13
   YSU set numerous school records while extending its home-opener win streak to 16 after an impressive 77-13 win over Valparaiso at Stambaugh Stadium.
   The Penguins set a school mark for points in a quarter with 35 in the first. YSU added four touchdowns in the second quarter to set a record with 63 points in the first half.
   Jamaine Cook, Adaris Bellamy and Jordan Thompson all rushed for two touchdowns in the first half while Torrian Pace and Parnell Taylor added second-half rushing scores.
   Quarterback Kurt Hess completed 12-of-13 passes for 204 yards and two touchdowns. His one incompletion was a dropped pass.
   Punt returner Josh Lee returned a punt 96 yards for a score in the first quarter.

Redbirds Scouting Report
    Illinois State picked up its first win of the season beating Morehead State 52-21. The Redbirds are 1-1 on the season after dropping their season opener against Eastern Illinois.
    Junior quarterback Matt Brown tied a career high with five touchdown passes in the win over the Eagles. ISU opened the game strong taking a 24-0 halftime lead and was in front 45-7 in the third. Eastern Illinois handed the Redbirds a 33-26 defeat in the season opener.
    Illinois State was 6-5 overall last season and was one of six teams to finish 4-4. ISU had conference wins over YSU, North Dakota State, South Dakota State and Missouri State.

Series History
    The series is tied 10-10 since the first meeting, which was in September 1979. Illinois State tied the series last year with its last-second win over the Penguins. In Youngstown, YSU has won six of the 10 meetings, including three of the last four.
    This is just the third all-time meeting between the programs in the month of September.
    Most games have been nail-biters with 11 meetings being decided by a touchdown or less.

Last Year's Recap vs. Illinois State
    YSU fought back from 18 points down  in the third quarter to lead 39-35 with 26.9 seconds remaining. However, Illinois State scored on a 40-yard touchdown pass with 0.7 seconds left to hand the Guins a 41-39 loss.
    The Penguins trailed 35-17 in the third quarter before scoring 22 unanswered points. Jamaine Cook scored on a seven-yard pass from Kurt Hess in the third to get YSU within 35-24.
    In the fourth quarter, Cook scored on a 16-yard run  with 6:33 left, and Hess found paydirt with 26.9 seconds remaining to put the Guins on top 39-35.
    Illinois State pulled out the win when Matt Brown connected with Tyrone Walker on a 40-yard touchdown pass with 0.7 seconds remaining. Brown threw five touchdown passes while Walker caught three.
    Cook ended the contest rushing for 213 yards on 43 carries, the second most in a game in school history. He also had 311 all-purpose yards.

MVFC Openers
    The Guins are 11-3 in Missouri Valley Football Conference openers since joining the league in 1997. This is just the second time the Guins will face the Redbirds in a league opener. The other time was a 20-17 win in 2005.
    Of the 14 league openers, the Guins are a perfect 7-0 at home while going 4-3 on the road. In MVFC openers YSU is 4-0 against Missouri State, 3-0 vs. Indiana State, 2-0 against Western Illinois, 1-0 against Southern Illinois, 1-0 against Illinois State, 0-1 vs. South Dakota State and 0-2 vs. Western Kentucky.
    All-time in September MVFC games, the Penguins are 10-3, including a win over Southern Illinois last year.

Distributing the Ball
    YSU quarterback Kurt Hess has completed passes to 11 different players after two games. Hess connected with TE Will Shaw and WR Andre Barboza for the first time this season against Valpo. Previously, he had nine different targets at Michigan State.
    Leading the way so far is freshman WR Christian Bryan, who has 11 catches through two games. Six wide receivers, three running backs and a pair of tight ends have receptions this year.

New Line = No Sacks Again
    Through the first two games, the new-look YSU offensive line has not allowed a sack. The same unit has started each game together -  LT Andrew Radakovich, LG Lamar Mady, C Mark Pratt, RG Chris Elkins and RT D.J. Main.
    At Michigan State, the Penguins did not surrender a sack in 35 passing attempts by QB Kurt Hess. Against Valparaiso, Hess completed 12-of-13 passes in the game.
    The starters, along with the reserves, helped pave the way for eight rushing touchdowns by five different tailbacks. YSU rushed for 460 yards, the second-highest total in school history. Elkins was named the MVFC Offensive Lineman of the Week for his efforts.
    Out of 148 plays run so far, the Penguins have allowed just nine tackles for losses. Of the 22 yards lost so far this year, 12 have come on kneel downs by the quarterback.

Cook Opening Some Eyes
    Junior tailback Jamaine Cook had the seventh 100-yard rushing performance of his career last Saturday against Valparaiso. In just over one quarter of action, Cook ran for 126 yards on 15 carries and scored two touchdowns.
    In playing about four full quarters (1-plus vs. Valpo and 3 at Michigan State), he has rushed for 202 yards on 32 carries. At MSU he had 76 yards on 17 carries. His yardage numbers were the most rushing yards in school history  against a BCS foe in seven games.

Our Bell Totes, Scores
    Sophomore TB Adaris Bellamy rushed for a career-high 180 yards on a career-best 20 carries against Valparaiso. He also scored on runs of 34 and 13 yards in the second quarter against the Crusaders.
    Impressively it was the fifth multi-touchdown game of his 13 game YSU career. On four occasions last year he scored at least twice, including a career-best three at Western Illinois.

Tailback U
    Against Valparaiso, YSU's first, second, third, fourth and fifth-string tailbacks all scored touchdowns. Starter Jamaine Cook scored on runs of 31 and one yard, Jordan Thompson had 10 and nine-yard scores, Adaris Bellamy scored on 34- and 13-yard scampers, Torrian Pace had a 13-yard score and Parnell Taylor found the end zone on a two-yard carry. It was the first career touchdowns for Pace, a sophomore, and Taylor, a freshman. YSU ran the ball the final 43 plays of the game.

Our Teams are Special
    The Penguins returned a punt for a touchdown, while blocking a punt and an extra-point against Valparaiso. YSU did not punt in a game for just the second time in school history (only other game was Dec. 4, 1999). Junior PK David Brown set a school record with 11 extra-point kicks made in a single game. Josh Lee returned his punt for a touchdown a school-record 96 yards. Andre Stubbs also returned three kickoffs for 118 yards, including a career-long 50 yards.

Lee Sets Return Record
    Senior CB Josh Lee set a school and conference record with his 96-yard punt return for a touchdown in the second quarter. It was just the second career punt return for Lee. It was the second straight season that a Penguin returned a punt for a touchdown in the season opener (Dominique Barnes vs. Butler).

Stubbs All-Around Player
    Freshman WR/KR Andre Stubbs showed signs of being an impact player again. Stubbs returned three kickoffs against Valparaiso for  118 yards. He had returns of 50, 44 and 24 against the Crusaders. The 118 yards are the fifth most in a game in school history.

Bryan Already Up to 11
    Freshman WR Christian Bryan has 11 receptions through the first two games for the Penguins this season. He had one of the best debuts by a freshman in school history. Bryan had six catches for 45 yards at Michigan State. He caught five passes for a career-high 78 yards against Valparaiso.
    The last freshman to catch six passes in a game was TB Jake Andreadis, who did it three times during his freshman campaign in 1995.
    However, Bryan is the first freshman wide receiver in YSU's FCS era to have six receptions in a contest.

Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood
    Redshirt freshman LB Davion Rogers was a nightmare for Valparaiso. Rogers tied for the team lead with seven tackles and blocked the first punt of his YSU career in the second quarter. He was highly decorated for his efforts, receiving team defensive player of the game and co-special teams player of the game accolades. He even got the nod for Hit of the Game.

Defense Spreads Out
    A total of 26 different players had at least one tackle against Valparaiso. LB Davion Rogers and LB Teven Williams tied for team honors with seven while FS Sir Aaron Taylor had six - all solos - as did LB John Sasson.
    Three of YSU's four defensive linemen were credited with sacks (Obinna Ekweremuba, Andrew Johnson and Aronde Stanton). Although he did not have a sack, DE Daniel Stewart blocked at PAT kick. Stewart did register a sack at Michigan State. LB Dom Rich had the first interception of his career while DT Quentin Jones recovered his first career fumble.

Defense on the Rebound
    The Penguins defense held Valpo to 13 points last Saturday. It was the second-fewest allowed in the past two seasons. YSU has given up 41 points through two games season. Last year in the season opener, the Guins surrendered 44.
    YSU has been doing a good job of containing big plays. In two games, the Guins have allowed just four plays longer than 20 yards on 123 opponent snaps. Valpo had a 66-yard pass and a 22-yard run while Michigan State had a 55-yard pass and a 23-yard run.
    Only one of the six touchdowns allowed so far this season has come via the air. In 2010, YSU allowed 26 passing touchdowns by the opposition.

Possession is the Law
    YSU held the ball for an impressive 37:05 against Valparaiso. The first half was fairly even, but in the second stanza, the Penguins maintained possession for 21:44 out of 30 minutes. YSU had two 14-play scoring drives that went for 80 and 86 yards and did not throw a pass.
    YSU had a time of possession of 31:09 at Michigan State. The Penguins dominated the first quarter, holding the ball for 11:13 before adding 8:23 to their total in the second.
    In 2010, YSU had more time of possession than its opponents on seven occasions. Three times, the Penguins held onto the ball for more than 10 minutes more than their opponents.

Third-Down Conversions
    The Penguins have converted 14-of-24 third-down situations so far this year. YSU was 6-of-9 against Valpo and 8-of-15 at Michigan State.
    After the first two weeks, the Guins are third in the country in third-down conversion percentage behind Towson and Southeastern Louisiana.
    Last year, YSU was fourth in the FCS in third-down conversions at 47.8 percent.

Preaching Red-Zone Success
    Coach Eric Wolford continues to stress Red Zone play in his second campaign. In nine trips this year, the Penguins have scored eight touchdowns and missed a field goal.
    Last year, YSU was 41-of-45 in the red zone for a conversion percentage of 91.1 percent. That ranked third in the country behind Furman and Indiana State.

Hess Starts Career Strong
    Sophomore QB Kurt Hess had the sixth 200-yard passing game of his career and the first of the season with a 204-yard performance against Valpo. Hess was 12-of-13 for the game, completing his final 11 passes. His lone incompletion was dropped.
    He had a strong first season in 2010, throwing for 2,117 yards and 12 touchdowns on the way to being named the MVFC Freshman of the Year.
    In his career, he has completed 208-of-352 passes (59.1 percent) for 2,447 yards and 15 touchdowns. His 2,447 yards rank 15th in school history just 11 behind Bob Courtney and 98 behind Nick Cochran.
    Only two quarterbacks have thrown for more than 2,000 yards in consecutive seasons in school history. Mark Brungard in 1994 and 1995 and Trenton Lykes in 1986 and 1987 accomplished the feat in consecutive seasons.

I Wanna Be Rich 
    Sophomore LB Dom Rich intercepted the first pass of his career late in the second quarter versus Valparaiso. Rich finished the game with three total tackles, including two solo stops. Rich joins LB Deonta Tate, FS Scott Sentner and TE Will Shaw as Penguins with interceptions.

D-Line Each With a Sack
    After two games, each member of the starting defensive line -- Daniel Stewart, Andrew Johnson, Aronde Stanton and Obinna Ekweremuba - have each recorded a sack. YSU's four-sack total is already one-third of the way toward last year's 12. The Penguins also have 10 tackles for losses, averaging five per game. In 2010, the Guins averaged 3.4 per contest.
    Stewart is the active team leader in career sacks with three ahead of Obinna Ekweremuba (2.0), Andrew Johnson (2.0), Deonta Tate (1.5), Aronde Stanton (1.0) and John Sasson (0.5).

Now We're Cooking
    Junior TB Jamaine Cook, who is on the preseason Watch List for the Walter Payton Award, is off to a solid start to the 2011 campaign averaging 101 yards per contest on just 32 carries. He is averaging 6.3 yards per rush.
    For his career, Cook has rushed for 1,589 yards on 294 carries and scored 13 touchdowns while averaging 5.4 per carry. He also has 28 receptions for 243 yards.
    Cook, a second-team All-MVFC selection in 2010, is 178 yards shy of cracking the top 20 for career rushing yardage.
    He had the seventh 100-yard plus rushing game of his career when he finished with 126 against Valpo.
    Last season against Illinois State, Cook posted a career-best 213 yards on 43 carries while scoring three touchdowns.

Top of the Liste
    Sophomore punter Nick Liste did not attempt a punt in the win over Valparaiso. It was just the second time in school history YSU went puntless during a game. The other was in the 1999 playoffs in a 41-3 win over North Carolina A&T.
    In the opener at Michigan State, he placed two of his five punts inside the 10-yard line - at the 10 and five-yard lines - in the second half.
    Of his 41 kicks last season, 25 went at least 40 yards while 15 placed the opposition inside its own 20-yard line. He also had six 50-yard plus boots in 2010, including a career-long 69-yarder at Missouri State. He averaged 41.4 yards per kick in 2010.

Against the Redbirds
    YSU players have had some standout plays and performances against Illinois State. Last year, Jamaine Cook rushed for 213 yards on 43 carries and caught five passes for 48 yards; Kurt Hess completed 19-of-38 passes for 250 yards and two touchdowns to go along with a rushing score and David Rogers had a touchdown catch. Defensively, John Sasson had eight tackles last year while Donald D'Alesio and Dom Rich have five each.
    In 2008, Josh Lee had a 71-yard run in Normal. Sasson has 10 total tackles against the Redbirds during his career, but he did not play in the 2009 meeting in Youngstown.

Wolford in Second Year
    Head Coach Eric Wolford is in his second season looking to build on last year's three-win campaign.
    Historically, the second years of head coaches have gone either way.
    Here is a look at the previous five coaches and how they fared their first two years: Coach Dwight Beede won four games in each of his first two seasons; Rey Dempsey improved from four to eight; Bill Narduzzi went from five to four, Jim Tressel went from two to eight and Jon Heacock went from eight to seven.

New Faces in all Places
    The Penguins have 48 players on the full roster who were not with the program last year.
    That does not include a group of eight individuals who redshirted and three others who were part of the team but did not letter - including one who did not see action at all.
    So of the 94 players on the roster, 57 did not see the field for the Penguins last year.
    YSU returns 37 letterwinners (17 on offense, 18 on defense and two on special teams) from the 2010 team, but three have already been designated to redshirt this year because of injuries. The Guins lost 30 letterwinners from the 2010 team.
No Seniors on the Line
    The Penguins have no seniors on the offensive line this year. The last time no seniors started on the line was in 1998.
    Since at least 1978, this is the first time no seniors at all were part of the offensive line.

Eight is Enough
    The last three times the Penguins dropped eight games in one campaign, they rebounded strong the next year.
    YSU is 1-1 in 2011 following a hard-luck 3-8 season last year. Most recently, the Guins lost eight times in 1995 and rebounded to win eight in 1996.
    In 1986 (Coach Jim Tressel's first season), YSU suffered nine defeats but regrouped to win eight games and reach the postseason in 1987. In 1980, YSU was 2-8-1 and rebounded with a 7-4 mark the following year.
    The only time YSU did not win at least seven games in the immediate year following an eight or nine-loss season was following the lone winless campaign in school history (0-9 in 1970). The Guins won twice in 1971.

WATTS New at YSU
    Visitors to Youngstown for this fall will see plenty of changes.
    Most visually will be the WATTS, the Watson and Tressel Training Site, an indoor practice facility east of the Stadium. The project was ongoing during last year's football campaign and should be totally completed in the near future. The building is open for football and sports team practices.
    YSU also had a new turf surface installed over the summer. The Sports Construction Group of Brecksville, Ohio, installed Shaw Sportexe's PowerBlade HP+ in Stambaugh Stadium for use by the football and soccer programs.
    And the uniforms have undergone a minor tweak. The Penguins will wear black pants at home once again. YSU wore white pants both home and away in 2010 in its first year with Under Armour. Now, the traditional black pants make a return with the red uniform tops.

Single Digits in Fumbles
    The Guins have not lost a fumble after two games this season.
    Last year, YSU lost just nine fumbles marking the seventh straight season they have lost single digits in fumbles.
    In 2009, YSU lost just three fumbles. In 2008, YSU lost nine in 12 games. YSU had nine fumbles lost in 2007, five in 2006, eight in 2005 and eight in 2004. Prior to the current seven-year streak, the Guins had committed single digits in fumbles lost in consecutive years just twice in school history (1986-87 and 1958-59).

And Your Captains Are:
    The Penguins announced their 2011 captains on Saturday, Aug. 27. Those selected were sophomore quarterback Kurt Hess, junior tailback Jamaine Cook, senior linebacker John Sasson and senior defensive tackle Andrew Johnson. Hess, who started every game at quarterback last year, is believed to be the first sophomore to be named a team captain in school history.

Building a Turnaround
    Coach Eric Wolford is working to turn the Penguins' fortunes around quickly.
    YSU has 15 junior-college transfers, eight Division I transfers and three lower-division transfers on the current roster.
    The FBS transfers are QB Adam Charles (Akron), CB Devonta' Davis (Miami, Fla.), WR Juilian Harrell (Miami, Ohio), DT Andrew Johnson (Bowling Green), OT Andrew Radakovich (Penn State), Anthony Stryffeler (Ball State) and LB Travis Williams (Miami, Fla.).
    Davis, Johnson, Williams and Radakovich started against Michigan State.

Fresh Faces Past Two Years
    This season the Penguins have played nine true freshmen - three have started - through the first two games. A total of 18 other players have made their YSU debuts this year as well.
    Last year, a total of 13 freshmen saw the field. Of those, five made an appearance in the starting lineup.
    Of the nine that are true sophomores in 2011, five are on offense and four are on defense. This year, Jamarious Boatwright and Zach Larson will redshirt because of injuries while two are no longer with the program.

Numbers of Note
• Turnover Margin: Since 1996, the Penguins are 97-22 when they win or tie in the turnover margin. When committing more turnovers, YSU is just 13-46.
Since 1990 YSU is:
• 130-18-2 when holding opponents to fewer than 21 points in a game.
• 102-10 when rushing for 200-plus yards.
• 122-17 when scoring 28-or-more points.
• 65-6-1 when holding opponents to fewer than 100 yards rushing in a game.
• 149-8 when leading entering the fourth.
• 68-3-2 when holding opponents to 10 points-or-less in a game.

Up Next: At Indiana State
    YSU plays its first Missouri Valley Football Conference road game at Indiana State on Sept. 24 in Terre Haute, The Penguins have never lost in 10 previous trips to ISU.

Interviews:

DE Obinna Ekweremuba Previews Illinois State | QB Kurt Hess Previews Illinois State

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YSU Penguin Athletics / Offensive Guard Chris Elkins Named MVFC Offensive Lineman of the Week

« on: September 13, 2011, 06:59:22 AM »

St. Louis, Mo. -- Youngstown State sophomore offensive guard Chris Elkins (Beaver Falls, Pa.) was named the Missouri Valley Football Conference's Offensive Lineman of the Week for his performance during the Penguins' win over Valparaiso last Saturday.

Elkins was tabbed the team's Offensive Player and Offensive Lineman of the Game for his solid effort in the win over the Crusaders.

He graded out at 84 percent for the game, had two knockdown blocks and no missed assignments or loafs according to the Coaching Staff.

YSU set a school record with 77 points, 11 touchdowns – including eight on the ground – and set a record with 657 total offensive yards.  The Penguins rushed for 460 yards against the Crusaders, the second-highest total in school history. Through two games, the offensive line has not surrendered a sack.

This Saturday, Youngstown State starts Missouri Valley Football Conference play against Illinois State at Stambaugh Stadium. Kickoff at the Ice Castle is set for 4 p.m. For ticket information contact the YSU Athletic Ticket Office at (330) 941-1YSU.