Archive for the ‘YSU Football’ Category

With Youngstown State starting Spring football, a good question heading into 2012 would be, ‘Is the “process” that the program has undertaken since Eric Wolford got hired ready?’  Time will tell, but at Saturday’s full-pads practice, Coach Wolford seemed very encouraged by what he saw.

“We told the offense that it was a first-and-ten situation and they had to get four yards, and they didn’t do it.”, said Wolford.  “I saw some improvement and some good things and as the Spring goes on I expect to see more.”

YSU, the only team to beat reigning FCS Champion, North Dakota State, last season, will feel pressure for this program to win.  For two years, Wolford has explained in depth that in a technologically driven society of ‘now’, where everything seems needed at the very moment it is desired, that this is a process.  Now that Wolford has pieces in place, the process needs to transition into the standard, which Wolford defines as winning championships.

One of the reasons YSU can win championships is the lethal team of Kurt Hess and Shane Montgomery.  Montgomery is an offensive genius, last year’s stats would back that statement.  Hess is just a good person.  We talked for 15 minutes after practice Saturday about the start of Major League Baseball, the NCAA Basketball Tournament, his schoolwork, this website, and many other things.  It is hard not to root for someone like Hess.

“We definitely feel the pressure to win now”, remarked Hess.  “Jelani [Berassa] and I walked out here on the field this Winter.  We came in at the same time under Coach Heacock, but it never felt like this.  There is electricity on this field of magic and we know we want to bottle it this season.”

The Saturday practice was more of an acclamation to full gear than all-out hitting filled session.  By next Saturday, the team’s first scrimmage, the noise will be easily heard between the whistles.

The Youngstown State football program will hold its third annual Women’s Football Coaching Clinic on Friday, March 30, at Stambaugh Stadium. The cost to attend the clinic is $25 and all proceeds will be donated to the ALS Association Fighting Lou Gehrig’s Disease. The clinic will run from 6-9 p.m. on the YSU campus.

Registration will be from 5-6 p.m. and Hors D’oeuvres will be provided before the Coaching Clinic begins in the DeBartolo Stadium Club. The YSU Football Staff will present on the fundamentals of coaching and part of the clinic will be an up-close look at the WATTS.

The three-hour clinic is a great opportunity for female football fans to learn the concepts of every position on the field. The members of the YSU coaching staff will provide insight into what fans will see on gameday and learn about pregame preparation and game planning. The coaches will involve the participants into all drills for even more hands-on training.

All participants will receive a gift bag and raffle prizes from local merchants will be awarded throughout the event.

Contact Director of Football Operations Dan Kopp at dmkopp@ysu.edu or call the football office at (330) 941-3478 for more information.

Parking for the event will be in the F-7 Lot north of the stadium.

Emotional. That would be the best way to describe the effort put forth by Youngstown State University on Saturday afternoon as they faced the best team in the Horizon League, #11 Green Bay.  Last season the Penguins lost by 59 points to the same team,this game went to overtime – the program has improved, drastically.  Unfortunately, Green Bay fought back from a seven point deficit to tie the game and force extra time, and pulled out a dramatic 77-72 win.

For Kenya Middlebrooks, Macey Nortey, and Tierra Jones, it marked the end of ‘home games’ and they were honored before the start of the game.  A defeat two days earlier that the Penguins should have won, Senior Day, #11, last home game, etc. were all whipped together in a mixing bowl by Coach Bob Boldon and staff to create the perfect storm, and it almost worked.

“Our kids showed a lot of composure today”, said Boldon.  “There were breakdowns, we made poor decisions, they made some tough shots.  They made all of their free throws in overtime and we didn’t – they capitalized on every mistake that we made.”

In the first half, the Penguins came out blazing.  Middlebrooks shot 4-6 from three-point range, Brandi Brown had eight rebounds and six points, freshman Kelsea Fickiesen contributed eight points which added up to a 34-32 halftime lead for the home team.  More impressively on the stat sheet at the half was that YSU held Julie Wojta to just seven points.  The Phoenix’ Wojta rates at the top of just about every offensive category in the Horizon.

The Penguins kept the ball rolling for a bit in the second half before Green Bay locked in and went a run to claim a 47-44 lead with 11:12 left in the game.  Brown snared a rebound with just over ten minutes to play to notch a double-double, her ninth of the season.  Jones hit a 15-footer on the baseline to make it a one point game with Green Bay ahead 47-46.

The Penguins took a 49-47 led with 7:21 left in the game when Brown drilled a three with a hand in her face.  Adrian Ritchie returned the favor giving Green Bay a 50-49 lead with a three of her own.  Melissa Thompson nailed a three on YSU’s next possession and the Penguins were all-in.  The Penguins took a 54-52 lead on a pair of free throws by Fickiesen, but Green Bay reclaimed the lead at 55-54 when Megan Lukan was fouled while making a layup.

Brown hit a three from the corner by the YSU bench to give YSU a 57-55 lead with just over two minutes to play.  Middlebrooks then drilled a three with 1:33 left to give YSU a 60-55 lead.  After a stop, Middlebrooks was fouled and calmly hit a pair of charity tosses to expand the led to 62-55.  Another stop and Middlebrooks was fouled again.  Middlebrooks calmly nailed both again to increase the lead to 64-55.

Watching the lead go away quick, the Penguins were ahead 65-63 when Fickiesen was fouled.  She missed the first but made the second with 28 seconds left.  Ritchie was then fouled while shooting a three, so she got three shots.  She hit all three, tie game, 68-68.  No one else would score and the game was headed to overtime.

In the overtime, Tierra Jones picked up her fifth foul with 3:24 left.  Four of the fouls that Jones was whistled for were petty.  Fine me. Green Bay hit four free throws to hold a 70-66 lead and the ball with 2:33 to play.  Nortey connected on a free throw to make it 70-67.  The Penguins had a shot to tie it, but Middlebrooks could not connect from three.  The Phoenix held a 72-67 lead  when Lydia Bauer buried  three right when the shot clock expired.

Youngstown State (10-16, 4-11) got good effort out of Brown.  The junior finished the contest with 18 points and 17 rebounds, to record her 36th career double-double.  Middlebrooks had 22 points, Fickiesen played perhaps her best game as a collegiate in collecting 12 points, as did Thompson for the Penguins.  Despite losing, give this team a gold star for playing their butts off.

“The good thing was that we played hard the whole game”, commented Middlebrooks.  A year ago, two years ago, we would have folded and gotten blown out.  So it is a positive measure of progress, but we feel like we should have won the game.”

Green Bay got 18 points and 15 rebounds from Wojta and 26 more from Ritchie.  The Phoenix improved to 23-1 and 13-1 with the win, but more importantly, survived a scare from a hungry YSU team.

“Youngstown played their butts off”, said Wojta.  “There is a lot of progress here and the girls and coaches should be extremely proud of how far they have come.  We play with a will to win and we never give up, we needed to be that way to pull this out today.

Boldon talked about how a close loss to the best team in the conference can help YSU entering the tournament in a couple of weeks.  “I would like to think it will help us.  We played close with each of the top four teams in the conference and in a one game format, I feel like our kids will have the confidence to compete.”

The Youngstown State football coaching staff will be hosting the 27th Annual YSU Bob Dove Coaching Clinic on Tuesday, Feb. 21 at the DeBartolo Stadium Club in Stambaugh Stadium. Registration starts at 5:30 p.m. with the program beginning at 6 p.m. The clinic is open to high school and college coaches.

The cost of the clinic is $5 and coaches can sign up by emailing YSU Director of Football Operations Dan Kopp at dmkopp@ysu.edu or by contacting the football office at (330) 941-3478. Details are also available at penguinsfootballcamps.com.

Third-year Head Coach Eric Wolford and has staff will offer insight into the Penguins’ program and hold coaching chalktalk’s on offense, defense and special teams.

YSU offensive coordinator Shane Montgomery will have a presentation at the clinic and all Penguins coaches will hold breakout sessions during the evening. The $5 will cover the cost of pizza, wings and refreshments for those participating in the event.

The clinic is in honor of former Penguin assistant coach and College Football Hall-of-Fame Inductee Bob Dove. Coach Dove was an assistant for YSU from 1969-91. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2001.

The Youngstown State Penguin Club will honor Dennis and Janet Haines as Penguins of the Year during the 22nd Annual Scholarship Ring Banquet on Feb. 19 at Mr. Anthony’s in Boardman.

Tickets for the event are still available by returning the order form or contacting Tom Morella at (330) 941-2351 or Jim Morrison at (330) 941-3270. Full tables of eight are $800, a scholarship dinner package of four tickets, a student-athlete sponsored dinner and an autograph ball is $500, an individual ticket is $100 and a student-athlete sponosored dinner is $25. Program advertising is also available by calling (330) 941-7227.

Student-athletes will be signing footballs and basketballs for those groups who have purchased them in advance.

All funds generated from the event go directory towards the Youngstown State Athletics

Dennis and Janet Haines have worked diligently to make an impact in many aspects of their lives. They are fine and upstanding people. They have raised two great daughters and have three beloved grandchildren. They have worked to make lives better for many hard-working individuals. They have spent countless hours making sure that less-fortunate people have the same opportunities as everyone else. And they are some of the most die-hard Youngstown State Penguins fans the university has.

For all of those reasons, and many more, Dennis and Janet Haines are the 2012 Penguins of the Year.

Dennis saw his first Youngstown State football contest in the early 1950’s at Rayen Stadium. He climbed through a hole in the fence to watch the game. He has been a YSU sports fan for nearly 60 years.

Together, the two have seen many milestones in Youngstown State Athletics history. They were in Statesboro, Ga., in 1991 when the Penguins defeated Marshall to win their first-ever FCS National Championship. Since that first trip, they have been to every title game since. They made the trip to Penn State to see the women’s basketball team play their first NCAA Tournament game in 1996. Also, they were on hand to celebrate at Eastwood Field when the Baseball program won the Horizon League Championship in 2004.

Among the first sporting events their grandchildren attended were YSU football, basketball and baseball games. For YSU, they sponsor the Haines Family Player of the Game as selected by the YSU Radio Broadcasters, have an endowed Athletic Scholarship – Attorney Dennis and Janet Haines Scholarship – and contribute to the department in many other ways.

Doors for the event opens at 6 p.m., the buffet will start at 6:15 p.m. and the program is set to begin at 7:30 p.m.

Every family has one…  that ‘hard to buy for’ relative that you can never figure out what to get for Christmas.  Here are a couple of nice gift options that are relatively inexpensive:

• The Youngstown State Athletic Department is selling a one-of-a-kind “Pete the Penguin” golf club head cover for $30. The head cover makes a great last-minute Holiday gift for any golf enthusiast.  All proceeds go to the YSU Athletics Department. To purchase a head cover, contact the YSU Athletic Ticket Office at (330) 941-1YSU or visit the Stambaugh Stadium Athletic Ticket Office. Supplies are limited.
• The 2012 football Penguins open with a three-game homestand in September featuring FCS playoff qualifiers Albany and Northern Iowa. YSU also plays host to South Dakota, Southern Illinois and Indiana State in MVFC action at Stambaugh Stadium next fall. Season tickets are available for $84 (reserved) and $60 (general admission).
• Baseball season tickets are available as well for just $40. The Penguins play 22 home games, including 21 at Eastwood Field in Niles. The cost is less than $2 per game with the purchase of season tickets. YSU is set to play host to non-conference foes Akron, Kent State, Pittsburgh, Toledo and Ohio while the league slate features UIC, Valparaiso, Milwaukee, Butler and Wright State. The home opener is set for March 16 against Milwaukee.
• The new Horizon League Membership in the Penguin Club begins on December 31 with the women’s game against rival Cleveland State. All Courtside Coaches membership levels are discounted 15 percent from the original full-season packages. YSU will play 18 home basketball games at the Beeghly Center between Dec. 31 and Feb. 25.
• As a friendly Holiday reminder, the only way to purchase tickets for next year’s football season opener at Pittsburgh on Sept. 1 is to be a Penguin Club member or season-ticket holder. YSU returns 10 starters on an offense that averaged a school record 36.2 points per game in 2011.

So why not spread a little cheer, and experience Youngstown State Athletics live!

Youngstown State sophomore quarterback Kurt Hess (above) was selected as the team’s John Delserone Most Valuable Player and Outstanding Offensive Player while senior defensive tackle Andrew Johnson was tabbed the team’s Outstanding Defensive Player for the 2011 season.

Hess (Dayton, Ohio) was a first-team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference selection becoming the first quarterback in school history and just the second sophomore in league history to earn the honor. For the season he set the school record for single-season touchdown passes (26), completion percentage (64.5), 200-yard games (eight), touchdown passes in consecutive games (11) and touchdown passes in a game (five vs. Missouri State). Hess had a career-high 187 completions for a career-best 2,468 yards during the campaign.

He is the first Penguin since Brandon Summers in 2008 to earn top offensive player and team MVP in the same season.

Johnson (Detroit, Mich.) was a second-team All-MVFC selection in 2011 and was named the team’s Outstanding Defensive Player and Jermaine Hopkins Defensive Lineman of the Year. led the team with 6.5 sacks and 11.0 tackles for loss. It was the most sacks registered in a regular season since Harry Deligianis had seven in 1997. He finished the year with 39 total tackles, including 27 solo stops. It marks the second straight year that a senior defensive tackle (Torrance Nicholson in 2010) has received both honors.

Junior center Mark Pratt (Tooele, Utah) was a second-team All-MVFC selection in 2011 and was tabbed the team’s Jim Zdelar Offensive Lineman of the Year. Pratt started all 11 games at center in his first year with the program. He was the leader of an offensive line that helped the Guins average a school-record 36.2 points per game and a school-best 458.6 total offensive yards per game.

Sophomore punter Nick Liste (Niles, Ohio) was named the Jeff Wilkins/Paul McFadden Specialist of the Year. Liste averaged 39.8 yards per punt on 53 attempts. Of his 53 attempts, 16 were placed inside the opposition’s 20-yard line while eight went for 50 yards or more.

Senior quarterback Marc Kanetsky (Hubbard, Ohio) was named the recipient of the Dr. Pat Spurgeon Torch Bearer Award and the Four Square Academic Award. Kanetsky was a four-year special teams standout as the team’s holder on placement kicks. He also served as a reserve quarterback and threw touchdown passes as a sophomore and a senior.

Sophomore Torrian Pace (Chantilly, Va.) was selected to receive the Dr. Neal R. Frost Outreach Man of the Year Award. Pace was a reserve tailback and member on special teams for the Penguins in 2011. He has been active on campus as a member of the YSU SAAC the past three years.

Senior tight end David Rogers (Kent, Ohio) was named the Ron Stoops Most Inspirational Player. A fifth-year senior, Rogers wore No. 13 during the season to honor a friend who was killed in Afghanistan. Rogers also returned to be a key contributor following a severe injury in the 2009 season finale at North Dakota State.

Freshman wide receiver Christian Bryan (Irwin, Pa.) was selected as the program’s Newcomer of the Year. Bryan, an honorable-mention All-MVFC pick and member of the conference’s all-newcomer team, led all of FCS freshman with 719 receiving yards in 2011. He was one of 20 finalists for the Jerry Rice Award, which is given to the nation’s top FCS freshman.

Also, for their efforts in the 56-14 Homecoming victory over Western Illinois, the starting offensive line of Andrew Radakovich, Lamar Mady, Pratt, Chris Elkins, and Eric Franklin were the recipients of the YSU Football Alumni Group’s Difference Maker Award.

The Youngstown State football team will open the 2012 season at Pittsburgh on Sept. 1, then have a three-game homestand, featuring contests against two FCS playoff squads, the Athletic Department announced on Monday. YSU also has three consecutive games against teams who reached the postseason this year.

YSU has previously traveled to Heinz Field (above) to play the Panthers in 2005 and 2009 and this will mark the eighth consecutive year that the Penguins have played a BCS-member school. Pitt will be in the second season under Head Coach Todd Graham. In 2011, the Panthers posted a 6-6 mark and were invited to the BBVA Compass Bowl against SMU. They have been accepted into the Atlantic Coast Conference, however, it has not been announced if they will join the league this fall. If they are member of the ACC in 2012, it will be the program’s first meeting against a member of that conference.

Things rev up when Youngstown State returns home to face Valparaiso (above) in the home opener on Sept. 8. It marks the second straight season the Penguins and Valpo will meet in the home opener at Stambaugh Stadium. The Crusaders were much improved in the final month of the season, snapping a nearly three-season losing streak with a win over Campbell and suffering a narrow loss at Davidson in the season finale.

The Penguins play three straight games against 2011 FCS playoff foes beginning with their first-ever meeting against Albany. The co-champions of the Northeast Conference, the Great Danes went 8-4 in 2011 dropping a 31-28 contest in the first round of the playoffs at Stony Brook. Albany led that contest 28-10 in the third quarter. The Great Danes are coached by Bob Ford who has 255 career victories in 39 seasons.

YSU opens its 16th season of Missouri Valley Football Conference action against UNI on Sept. 24 at Stambaugh. The Penguins have lost the past two games to the Panthers by four points each, while four of the last five contests have been decided by a total of 10 points.  While the Penguins get a Saturday off on Sept. 29, the schedule does not lighten up in the coming weeks.

For the second consecutive year, YSU returns to Fargo to face co-league champion North Dakota State on Oct. 6. The Penguins knocked off the then-No. 1 Bison, 27-24, on Nov. 12 at the Fargodome this past season. Of the six all-time meetings, none have been decided by more than eight points.

Youngstown State continues road MVFC play on Oct. 13 at Illinois State. The Redbirds won seven games in 2011, with their lone home defeat coming in double overtime to UNI on the season’s final regular-season Saturday. YSU defeated Illinois State 34-27 early in the conference opener for both school’s in 2011. The home team has won each of the past four meetings.

A return to Youngstown features a contest against Southern Illinois on Oct. 20. The Penguins have beaten the Salukis the past two years and will be going for their first three-game winning streak in the series since the late 1990’s. YSU’s 35-23 win in 2011 was its biggest over SIU since 2002.

The Penguins head back out on the road looking for their first win at South Dakota State since 1974 on Oct. 27. The Jackrabbits have won all four MVFC clashes with the Penguins since they joined the league in 2008. In 2011, YSU led 28-21 before SDSU scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns to rally for the victory.

Another first-time foe for the Penguins visits the Ice Castle on Nov. 3 in South Dakota. The Coyotes will be in their inaugural season of play in the MVFC in 2012. USD was 6-5 in 2011 with a win over defending FCS Champion Eastern Washington. South Dakota spent the past four seasons in the Great West Conference while making the transition from a Division II to FCS program.

The final regular-season road showdown of the year is at Western Illinois on Nov. 10. The Penguins have won seven of the last eight meetings with the lone blemish a 40-38 defeat in Macomb in 2009. This past campaign, YSU rolled to a 56-14 win over the Leathernecks to earn its 16th win in the all-time series. It will mark the 28th meeting between the two programs making WIU the second-most played foe in school history behind Akron(35 games).

The final regular-season contest is at Stambaugh Stadium against Indiana State on Nov. 17. The much-improved Sycamores are coming off back-to-back six win seasons for the first time since 1995-96. ISU held on for a 37-35 win over the Penguins this past September after jumping out to a 21-0 lead. They feature Walter Payton Award Finalist and MVFC Offensive Player of the Year Shakir Bell. YSU still leads the all-time series 18-3.

The first-round of the FCS playoffs is set to get underway on Nov. 24. A date for the National Championship Game has yet to be announced.

In 2012 and 2013, the Penguins will not face Missouri State. YSU and the Bears had played every year since 1996.

As always, season tickets for the upcoming season are available now in the Athletic Ticket Office at (330) 941-1978.

2012 Schedule

Sept. 1 at Pittsburgh

Sept. 8 vs. Valparaiso

Sept. 15 vs. Albany

Sept. 22 vs. UNI*

Sept. 29 (IDLE)

Oct. 6 at North Dakota State*

Oct. 13 at Illinois State*

Oct. 20 vs. Southern Illinois*

Oct. 27 at South Dakota State*

Nov. 3 vs. South Dakota*

Nov. 10 at Western Illinois*

Nov. 17 vs. Indiana State*

Nov. 24 FCS Playoffs

*MVFC Contest

Red = Home, Black = Away

Christian Bryan finished 2012, not only establishing himself as the future of Youngstown State football, but also by rewriting anything in the record books that had the word freshman next to it.  Bryan, an undersized receiver, was passed over by larger schools.  The records he broke in 2012 include most yards by a freshman in a game and in a season, most receptions by a freshman in a game and in a season, and the most impressive part about all of these broken records is that his totals are nearly double of what the old marks were.  He seems like a possession-type receiver with good hands, runs good routes, and isn’t afraid to go across the middle.

Paneech: How did you get to Youngstown State?

Bryan: During the recruiting process, I picked out a few schools and Youngstown State was one of them I liked.  Really, they [YSU] were the only ones who made an impression with me and they punched that ticket for me.  Some schools wrote me off because of my size and measurements, but Youngstown State extended themselves, so I committed early.  I had a good host on my recruiting visit, Kurt Hess.

Paneech: Tell me how Kurt [Hess] has helped you this season.

Bryan: I was one of the people that voted for Kurt to be a captain.  When I came in for my visit, I could just tell what kind of a person he was and what kind of teammate he would be.  When I got onto a field with him, his leadership and ability really stood out.  He deserves everything he gets and is on track to lead this program to great things.

Paneech: Are you surprised that you were able to make a quick impact as a freshman?

Bryan: Actually, I was very surprised.  I came in and wanted to prove that I had the right mindset and the right attitude.  Coach Coleman and the other coaches all seem to believe in me.  I feel like I fell into a good role as a possession receiver.  People will look at me and maybe think that I am just small and quick, but I like the role that I have now, I think I fit it perfectly.

Paneech: There were no seniors starting on offense a majority of the year.  What does that say about the great finish you guys put together and the future?  Do the seniors hold their lack of playing time against you?

Bryan: I think it is a sign of great things to come.  We had a great team this year and had a shot to get into the playoffs.  The seniors have been cool about the situation. Ely [Ducatel] was one of the guys when I got here this Summer that pulled me aside and helped me out with the playbook and in the weight room.  He has a great attitude and doesn’t  dislike any of the freshmen.  All of the older guys have been supportive, there is no hatred amongst any of us.

Paneech: How different is the speed of the game at this level compared to high school?

Bryan: There is a big difference, I was really shocked at how much the difference is.  When we lost my final high school game last season, I really started to doubt myself.  I regrouped and pulled everything together, worked really hard to get better, and so far it has been amazing – a dream come true for me.  I was a military kid, so I got used to moving.  Being this far away from Irwin, PA isn’t getting me homesick.  I miss my girlfriend, but I am only an hour and twenty minutes away.

Paneech: How has it been working for receivers coach, Andre Coleman?

Bryan: Awesome, but not easy.  He is very critical sometimes.  When I got here, I thought I ran good routes.  I thought I was pretty good when I got here, but I was nothing compared to where he has got me now.  Little things like rounding out of our breaks, if it is off a hair, he lets you know.  Little things like pressing up and exploding out of your breaks, he sees it all.

Paneech: What is the thing you like most about Youngstown so far?

Bryan: I feel real comfortable here in this environment.  I am around the right people, from my friends, to my teachers, to my coaches.  My coaches are good people in the sense that they really want to make me a better person for my future.  They are always tough on me whether I am doing good or bad.  I try to stay at the same level knowing they are going to push me to do more, to be more.

Paneech: What do you do with your free time?

Bryan: I am around my friends as much as possible, or I am just relaxing in my room.  We have study tables figured into our schedules, so I go there and do my homework.

Paneech: Who was your biggest influence to get into football?

Bryan: My father.  Aside from myself, he is my number one critic.  When I was in first grade, I wanted to be like a GI Joe type of kid.  He threw me into football and has pushed me to be the best that I can ever since.  He was my coach for a couple of years, and we would go at it.  I respect him so much though, and if it wasn’t for him, there is no doubt I would not be here today.

Paneech: If there were three people on the game show Jeopardy – Marc Kanetsky, Coach Wolford, and Coach Montgomery, who would win and why?

Bryan: (laughs) Coach Montgomery would win.  He is a genius.  That guy’s brain is always working on something.  He sees everything all of the time and his mind just never stops working.

One Word Answers

Typical Fast Food Order: Three Junior Bacon Cheeseburgers and Fries from Wendy’s.

Favorite TV Show: Sponge Bob.

Favorite NFL Team: Philadelphia Eagles.

Favorite Player: Desean Jackson.

Dream Place To Play: Penn State.

Favorite Fruit: Pineapple.

Song No One Would Expect On Your ipod? Bagpipe Music.

Biggest Phobia: Spiders.

Worst Habit: Always Playing with My Fingers.

High School Employment: Landscaping and Washing Cars.

In Eric Wolford‘s second season as football coach at Youngstown State, he gave some great quotes, things that will be repeated and remembered throughout his tenure as the head Penguin.  Respectfully, this guy is a quote machine when asked a question that triggers a unique response more times than not.  These were the three best from this season.  Enjoy!

When Wolford was asked if the season was over following a loss to South Dakota State to put the Penguins at 2-3:

“The season is not over.  I’ll tell you when it’s over.  If we can get on a roll, we can get right back into the playoff picture and I am not ruling any of that out yet.”

The week spent preparing for Valparaiso, a mismatch on paper, I asked Wolford if he was planning to do anything special or experiment with personnel:

“Well, our plan is to shine the car up, make it shine real nice, and then Saturday take it for a ride and see how it runs.”

At the Northern Iowa week press conference, Wolford was reminded that his team had not kicked a field goal yet and if he would try one if the opportunity presented itself:

“Our red zone offense has been outstanding and we have been getting in for seven.  Here is a math lesson for you guys, I learned in kindergarten that seven is greater than three.”

Wolford is a sharp-minded and glib quote machine.  His most repeated quote this season is one that I hope we continue to hear for a very long time:

“Our guys know that there is a standard around here, to win championships and get to the playoffs.  Anything less than that is unacceptable.”

Thanks for the accessibility Coach Wolford, I look forward to next season and a whole new batch of cleverly-worded poetry.