Turnover is usually a bad word in the game of football.  It signifies a loss of control and being on defense preventing points instead of having the ball and trying to score.  Youngstown State University Head Coach Eric Wolford has some major turnover issues to the tune of 46 new faces to learn.  In this case, turnover creates competition, and in this case, turnover is good.  Wolford kicked off football with a media press conference this week.

Wolford spoke highly of two transfers from Miami.  Redshirt freshman LB Travis Williams and redshirt freshman CB Devont’a Davis both came to YSU from a storied Hurricane program.  “Some of these kids transfer out because they get close to the coaches that recruit him”, remarked Wolford.  “We have a standard here, winning championships, that we plan on getting back to.  I don’t care where a guy is from, we have guys from many states, if he can help this football team win, follow the rules, and uphold the standards of the program he can play for us.”

Five of the 46 incoming players participated in Spring practice. With this influx of new talent, combined with the 36 new faces from last season, Wolford only has 23 players left from the Jon Heacock Era.  Wolford talked about what having a full year of recruiting does.  “Last season, I was hired in December and was very picky about picking a coaching staff.  There was not as much time spent as we were able to use this full year of recruiting.  We had camps that had over 900 campers, it is like test driving a car before you buy one.“

When asked if being picked to finish eighth in the conference this season would be used as motivation, Wolford was careful in saying, “I made the mistake last year of saying that we were better than we were picked.  Our guys will be motivated enough.”

Wolford credited Kurt Hess, Jamaine Cook, and Andrew Radakovich for taking steps this Summer to be leaders.  “Those guys have taken complete ownership of the team.  When a bunch of players in the program tell you, Wow, coach… ‘So-and-so can really play’, or the team doctor tells you that ‘we haven’t seen a guy like this around here, ever’.  And when someone else tells you that some of these guys don’t belong here, those are all good signs. When a whole bunch of people give you feedback like that, it makes you feel good.”

With only 29 practices until the Penguins venture North to take on Michigan State, the excitement is obvious, and the buzz is back.