Posts Tagged ‘Jamaine Cook’

If you were to ask Kurt Hess or Jamaine Cook why the Youngstown State offense has been so successful over the past couple of seasons, I would bet they could give you at least five big reasons.  One of those five reasons is DJ Main.  Coach Eric Wolford knows that big games between two good teams are won in the trenches.  Main and company have owned the trenches so far this season.

DJ Main is a fifth year senior from Strongsville, Ohio.  He was recruited by Jon Heacock to play football here and is one of the few to survive, and prosper, under a new coaching staff.  Main is finishing up his requirements before departing with a degree in Exercise Science, but he has the size and the work ethic to keep doing something he has loved doing since third grade – playing football.

Paneech:  Sometimes when a coach leaves, recruits may follow him.  In this case, you had nowhere to follow Coach Heacock to, so were you ever contacted to transfer to Kent or anywhere else after the coaching change?

Main:  No, I never really thought of coming here as dedication to a coach.  I saw it more as dedication to the program that I signed to be a part of.  When I signed to come to Youngstown State, I knew I would fulfill my four or five years here.  I haven’t had any contact with Coach Heacock since he left.  Youngstown stayed in contact with me since I was a junior in high school, so there is loyalty on my end.

Paneech:  The edge for a player in a program this competitive is that they have an understanding of the playbook and system.  You lost that edge with the coaching change.

Main:  We did have to learn a whole new system but the coaches were really willing to work with us because they knew it was unfamiliar to the players.  They took time during individuals to work on form and technique.  Truthfully, the coaches have been the building blocks of this system.

Paneech:  Talk about Coach Bricilo and how he has been to work with.

Main:  Coach Bricilo is in ‘in your face’ guy, but I think those are the best coaches.  Those coaches will not let you slack or just settle on being average.  They want the best for us, and sometimes that means they are not our best friends.  Off the field, things are totally different.  We are laughing and hanging out, but we know when we are on the field that it is business.

Paneech:  What do you see yourself doing after this whole experience is over?

Main:  Everyone always has NFL aspirations.  I have got it set up so when I finish up my degree in the Spring, regardless of what happens, I will leave here looking for a job.  As an Exercise Science Major, I would love to be a strength coach for a college or high school.  I am going to enjoy the rest of what is left because the potential of this year’s team is off the charts.

Paneech:  When you got here, there was no WATTS, just a bunch of weeds and a gravel track.

Main:  I don’t know if you could even call what was here a track when I got here.  There was weeds growing inside of the track and it wasn’t even a flat surface.  The programs that this institution have changed are unbelievable, like night and day.  It has all been for the better.

Paneech:  What have you done to make yourself a better player since you got here?

Main:  Improvement comes a lot with the strength staff.  When you get here as a freshman, you are on top of the world because you got recruited.  You get a rude awakening when you get to the first practice and see guys that are bigger than you.  They take you under their wing and teach, it is great to learn from veterans.

Paneech:  I have heard wild tales about you lineman and your ability to do some damage on the dining facilities in the Mahoning Valley.  Share some of the horror with me.

Main:  We are a very close group of guys.  We have done some damage at Chipotle.  You get more bang for the buck there and you get a lot of food.  Chris Elkins can eat two double wrapped burritos in less than ten minutes, it is disturbing.  I get a double wrap burrito too, but only one.  I am done doing weight gain.  We did the Quaker Steak And Lube all-you-can-eat wing night last year.  It wasn’t just linemen either, there was a large group of us that went.  Elkins only ate about twenty, but my man Radak [Andrew Radakovich] with a plate of wings in front of him is pretty gross to watch.

Paneech:  Do you like amusement parks?

Main:  I used to when I was younger, but the last time I went, I got on a ride where the floor drops out from under your feet.  My feet were still touching after the floor fell, so they made me get off of the ride.  The rides don’t work out real well for me anymore.

Paneech:  Do you have to deal with the stereotype that linemen aren’t very smart?

Main:  Everyone knows that is a complete lie.  Any program that you go to, if that team is having any type of success you look at their offensive line and I can guarantee that they are mentally strong enough to take care of their business up front.

One Word Answers

Favorite NFL Player:  Joe Thomas

Favorite Breakfast Food:  Pancakes

Favorite Drink After Practice:  Gatorade

Best Football Movie Ever Made:  Remember The Titans

Favorite NFL Team:  Bengals

Other Sports You Watch:  Basketball – I Love March Madness

Worst Habit:  Going To Bed Too Early

TV Show:  Everybody Loves Raymond

Dream Destination:  Anywhere There Is A Beach

Youngstown State University entered their game with Northern Iowa 1-0 when there was a rain delay (Pitt).  YSU also entered the game riding an 11-game losing streak to UNI. When the clouds yielded, the teams were both granted 45 minutes to stretch out and warm up before the kickoff.  The delay lasted 45 minutes and about 3/4 of the announced crowd of 19,277 (largest in Stambaugh Stadium history) was noisy.  When the smoke cleared, the Penguins ended the losing streak and kept the rain-delay streak alive with a dramatic 42-35 win over Northern Iowa.

The Penguins stopped a last-minute threat by the Panthers offense to preserve the win and improve to 4-0 and 1-0 in MVFC play.  NIU had the ball at the YSU 11 and a fourth down pass to the end zone resulted in an incompletion.  YSU Coach Eric Wolford said they noticed NIU would run a pick play.

“We saw it on films and told the refs to look for it at some critical juncture in the game”, said Wolford.

“Our crowd proved to be a difference and that is what we expect around here.”, remarked Eric Wolford.  “Right now we are 4-0 on all of our assignments, the guy upstairs is watching out for us.”

Youngstown State took the opening kickoff and put together a drive filled with a little of everything.  There was a reverse, a dive, a couple of tight end pass-plays out of tight formations, an option, a sweep, and a touchdown too.  Jamaine Cook capped off the Shane Montgomery masterpiece at the 10:00 mark of the first quarter.  The twelve-play drive covered 73 yards.

On Northern Iowa’s first possession, the Panthers struck on a 32-yard pass play to tie the game.  After converting a third down, Sawyer Kollmorgen hit Terrell Sinkfield with a bubble screen on the left hash.  Sinkfield caught the ten yard pass and made a nifty move through the Penguins secondary on the touchdown.  The 7-play, 77-yard drive  gave the impression that both offenses were better than the other teams defenses.

Kurt Hess and the offense took the ball on their own twenty to start their second drive.  The offense traveled 80 yards on five plays, with the score coming on a nice 38-yard pass play.  Hess faked a reverse and found Andrew Williams on a post pattern.  Williams got a few steps on the defense and Hess hit the 6’2″ redshirt freshman in stride.

With 9:26 left in the first half, the Penguins increased their lead to 21-7.  Nate Adams, the third tight end on the YSU depth chart, caught his first-ever touchdown pass to cap off another diverse effort by the YSU offense.  At this point in the game, Hess had completions to nine different receivers.

“To see those guys [Williams and Adams] get in the end zone is great. “, said Hess.  “They both work very hard in practice and it was nice to see those two get into the end zone tonight.  I always miss Drew and was very happy to find him in the end zone tonight.”

With :27 seconds left in the half, Kollmorgen found David Johnson for a five yard strike.  The touchdown cut the lead to seven points and YSU was content with that lead to kneel out the ball to end the first half.

In the second half, UNI returned the kickoff to the 50.  Johnson would score again three plays into the half when he took in a short slant route and danced his way around would-be tacklers like pylons and then hit the afterburners outracing everyone to the end zone.

Johnson continued to torch the Penguins. With 8:59 left in the third quarter he broke a 23-yard run that gave the Panthers their first lead of the day.  Johnson’s run capped a 64-yard scoring drive that only took six plays and gave UNI a 28-21 lead.

On a fourth-and-two, the Penguins gambled.  Hess faked a handoff on the NIU 45 and then stepped back to find Will Shaw streaking down the right sideline for a 43-yard score.  The touchdown not only tied the game but also gave the Penguins defense a much-needed boost of momentum.

“We are not afraid to go for the big play on fourth down”, said Wolford.  “Youngstown has had hard times.  We play for this university, and I have a great coaching staff.  It is a great situation we are in, but we must remain humble.  Our mindset is to play 15 or 16 games.  Our kids realize that.  You can’t be conservative though and I wasn’t going to be conservative at that moment.”

Jeremy Edwards ended a threatening UNI drive when he picked off an out route on a third down play.  The Penguins were unable to cash the turnover in for any points and ended up punting.

The Johnson show continued when UNI’s 6’3″ sophomore ran another in, his fourth of the game, from 16 yards away.  The touchdown came with 12:42 left in the game and gave UNI a big 35-28 lead.

Torrian Pace pulled the Penguins back into a 35-35 tie when he plunged in from a yard out capping a drive that spanned 5:28.  A Hess to Shaw pass on a fourth and four that put the ball on the UNI three was the play that made the drive work.

The Penguins regained possession with 5:51 left in the game.  What happened from there was season-defining.  The Penguins drove the ball 69 yards in eight plays.  The drive was capped by a great pass from Hess to Christian Bryan for a 26-yard score.  The touchdown put the Penguins ahead 42-35 with 1:50 left in the game.

For the Penguins, Hess was 20-28 for 290 yards and four touchdowns.  Shaw hauled in five of the Hess balls for 95 yards and a touchdown.  Cook carried the ball 32 times for 147 yards and a touchdown.

Northern Iowa got a great game from Kollmorgen who rallied his team back almost every time they fell behind.  He finished the game 23-38 for 333 yards and three touchdowns.

Johnson gave the YSU defense fits with 6 catches for 76 yards and 17 carries for 87 yards and a total of four touchdowns.

Perhaps the biggest hero of the game was Donald D’Alesio.  D’Alesio sat out most of last year with injuries, but has been a solid performer since he returned.  He had in a hand in five pass breakups in this game including the final threat.

“There is no doubt that it felt good to contribute”, said D’Alesio.  “I owed these guys that much.”

As the minutes count down to Saturday’s 7:00 p.m. game against Northern Iowa, the Youngstown State University Ticket Department is running out of supply to fill the demand.  In what will be the biggest football game to be played at Stambaugh Stadium since 2000, the house will be packed, despite a poor weather forecast.

Showers was the word nobody wanted to hear, but the only word being said during the weather segments on the radio and television stations.  Tickets, however, remain scarce as the Penguins will try to end an 11-game losing streak to Northern Iowa to open Missouri Valley Conference play.

“We want to fill the place up”, said Eric Wolford.

Jamaine Cook, YSU’s senior tailback may have said it even better.  “We want Ron Strollo to have to build another section of stands.”

With the crowd expected to be large and loud, the tailgate lots also needed expansion. The atmosphere will be festive and the football game should mark the official, ‘we are really good’ mantra from the fence-sitters.

“Third down is a huge down”, said Wolford.  “We want the crowd to be very loud on third down to make it hard for them to hear and concentrate.  This place should be rocking.”

Wolford says that the UNI game is not a ‘must-win’ for his Penguins.  Earlier in the week on the MVFC conference call, UNI Coach, Mark Farley, declared that this is a must win game for his 1-2 Panthers.

With losses to Wisconsin and Iowa, Farley may be dramatizing a week-one conference matchup, but this guy marches to his own arrogant beat anyway.  Usually in this pregame article, there are quotes from a player of the opposing team.  Farley has a policy that forbids opposing media to speak with his players the week of the game.

Hmmmm..  Pitt bent over backwards to make sure I could get someone to get quotes from.  So did Michigan State last season.  I guess those teams aren’t as big as Northern Iowa in their coaches eyes.

All week long, Eric Wolford said his YSU Penguins would not look past Albany.  The Penguins were focused enough to pull out a 31-24 win.  The Penguins jumped to 3-0 and like Aronde Stanton said at the postgame press conference, any win is a good win.

“Albany did a good job coming in to play hard, they are well-coached “, said Wolford.  “You can see why the coach has been there for 40 years.  I was encouraged that we found a way to come away with a win in the fourth quarter.  In any championship run, there is always a game like this.”

YSU started the game with the ball.  After picking up two quick first downs, Kurt Hess found Will Shaw for a 20-yard completion, but Shaw was blindsided and coughed up the pigskin.  Albany capitalized on a flea-flicker that saw Cole King haul in a 44-yard scoring toss from Will Fiacchi.

Trailing 7-0, the Penguins offense responded quickly.  Jamaine Cook (above) scored the first of three first half rushing touchdowns.  This one would come from two yards out and capped a 10-play, 87 yard drive.

Albany would respond quickly to tie the game at 14 when Omar Osbourne rattled off a nice 32-yard touchdown run.

YSU started their next drive with nine minutes left in the half.  The Penguins offense would cover 7 yards in 11 plays to reclaim the lead on a Cook 7-yard tally.

Albany would score with nine seconds left in the half to tie the game at 21.  Drew Smith caught a Fiacchi pass in the left flats and got into the end zone almost untouched for the Great Danes.

After both teams failed to convert their initial second half drives, Kyle Sirl sacked Fiacchi on third down to halt the next Great Danes possession.

“I started the season as a two and knew that everyone had to contribute”, said Sirl.  “It was great to contribute, and it was a lot of fun.”

YSU (3-0) would build off of that momentum and take a 24-21 lead with 2:15 left in the third quarter.  Extra point specialist David Brown got to kick a field goal, from 25 yards to pull the Guins in front.  The field goal capped a 12-play 70 yard drive that chewed up 6:48.

With Albany on the move again, Sirl came up big for the second time in the half with another third down sack to stop a drive.  On the next drive, Sirl would have a hurry in what was turning into his best game ever.

“We needed to play tougher and hit them”, said Sirl.  “That was the big adjustment at half. ”

“Kyle [Sirl] is a guy that has been in the program.  He isn’t the flashiest guy, he is an overachiever”, said Wolford.  “He deserves all of the accolades for his hard work.”

Ali Cheaib blocked a punt for the second consecutive week.  The blocked punt would set YSU up at the Albany 29 with just over five minutes left in the game.  With 2:48 left in the game, YSU would ice the contest when Torrian Pace went off of left tackle for a one-yarder to make it 31-21.

Albany would kick a field goal to make it 31-24, but Dale Peterman fielded the onside kick attempt with :56 left in the game to seal the win for the Penguins.

Cook had his best game of the year for the Penguins.  The senior tailback had 33 carries for 161 yards and three touchdowns.

Hess finished the contest 15-22 for 183 yards.  He showed maturity and poise more than once on third down plays in the second half.  Hess also had five rushes for 26 yards.

“It  was a fight.  Jermaine and I saw that from the beginning”, said Hess.  “We responded and got a win.  It is going to help us.  They were a very disciplined football team.”

Fiacchi was 23-35 for 28 yards and two touchdowns.  Cole King caught seven passes for 115 yards.

The Penguins open Missouri Valley Conference play next week when Northern Iowa comes to town.  Northern Iowa lost to Iowa this week.

It was like watching my grandmother play Yahtzee with seven dice instead of five.  It was so out of hand by the half that the pee-wee continuous clock theory may have been a viable option.  To put it mildly, it was a total mismatch.  Youngstown State scored early and often in pounding Valparaiso, 59-0, to open the home portion of their schedule.

“It was good to see our kids come out focused after last week “, said Coach Wolford.  “We brought in Reverend Louis Macklin.  He said we are on assignment.  On assignment for the community, the program, and the university.  The assignment is to go 1-0 every week.”

YSU got on the scoreboard at the 13-minute mark of the first quarter when Kurt Hess connected with Christian Bryan for a 12-yard touchdown (next photo down).  The Penguins drive covered 65 yards in just five plays.  Hess connected with Kintrell Disher for nine and 20 yard completions on the drive.

Ali Cheaib blocked a punt on the ensuing Valpo possession.  The block was recovered by Ricardo Dixon at the Crusaders 11-yard line.  Hess then found Will Shaw for an 11-yard strike to put the Penguins ahead 14-0.

Next Valpo possession, the revamped YSU defense roared again when Travis Williams forced a fumble that Jeremy Edwards would scoop up and run seven yards with, to make it 21-0.

In the second quarter, Eric Wolford and staff started getting into the depth chart a bit giving the ones time with the twos.  Torrian Pace rambled in from three yards out to make it 28-0.

“It is always encouraging to see the twos get time with the ones”, commented Wolford.  “We want the twos to be able to blend in with the ones.  We have to continue to be creative.”

Pace talked about playing in these types of games.  “It was a very good day for us offensively.  The O-Line played great.  Overall, we executed and did what we needed to do.  It was a good home opener, but we are taking it one week at a time.  Our approach was to go into this game as if we were playing Pitt.  Every week it has to be like that.”

Jamaine Cook, who saw a short work day with eight carries for 51 yards would plunge in from two yards out with 12:54 remaining in the first half to make it 35-0.

Demond Hymes would be the third YSU running back to hit the stat sheet in the second quarter when he scored from a yard out, increasing the Penguins lead to 42-0.

Pace would again score before halftime on a 14-yard scurry to make it a 49-0 game.

Hess had another productive game, or in this case, a productive first half.  The junior signal-caller was 7-10 for 138 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

David Brown kicked a 27-yard field goal in the third quarter to make it 52-0.  It was obvious that Wolford took his foot off of the gas in the second half.  In the third quarter, Valpo made it across the 50 for the first time in the game.

The Penguins would score one last time to make it a 59-0 when Hymes would cap off a 2:32 yard drive with a 3-yard scamper.

Edwards, a defensive leader, commented on the defense posting it’s first shutout since 2009, a 28-0 win at Indiana State.

“It is a 24-hour rule, but we are a confident group and we will be ready for next week.  I wasn’t aware of the shutout being that long ago.”

Patrick Angle got some time at QB for the Penguins.  Angle started the second half and was 5-7 for 45 yards before yielding to Dante Nania for the last couple of Penguins drives.

To put the game into perspective, Valpo collects about $70,000.00 for coming to Youngstown State.  It is a tier-two money beating.  Youngstown State collected $400k last week on the visit to Pittsburgh, so the shoe was completely on the other foot this week.

YSU will have a similar contest next week when they face Albany.  The attitude will be business as usual and the Penguins will not take anyone lightly.  Wolford will surely get more reps for both, the offense and the defense, as a big challenge looms the following week when Northern Iowa comes to Youngstown to open Missouri Valley Football Conference play.

The Youngstown State University football team was last at Heinz Field in 2009.  In that contest, the goal was to score and make it to the bus with half the team able to walk.  The result was a 38-3 beating.  Fast forward to 2012, Eric Wolford‘s first shot at the Panthers.

The Penguins recovered an early fumble, marched the field, and never trailed in a 31-17 dismantling of D-I Pittsburgh in what can be considered the biggest win in the Wolford Era.  Kurt Hess looked masterful in running an offense everyone thought could produce, but it was the defense that played with a chip on their shoulders and forced the issue in the upset.

The game was delayed by inclement weather for a half hour, but when it finally started, it was obvious that YSU was in Pittsburgh to do more than take a check home and hopefully score some points.

“We expect to win”, said Wolford.  “This win is a compliment to our staff, our players, and the community.  We demand perfection, coach hard, and know it is a high standard at YSU, to win championships.”

In the first quarter, with the Panthers driving, the YSU defense did something that it hasn’t done in one of these D-I games, create a turnover.  Pitt’s Ray Graham was tackled by YSU’s Dubem Nwadiogbu, who popped the ball out.  Jeremy Edwards picked the pigskin up and advanced it a few yards before YSU’s offense would take the field.

Kurt Hess (above) and the Penguin offense went to work and put together a productive 10-play, 79-yard drive that resulted in a touchdown.  Hess found Andre Stubbs on a short route that the redshirt freshman turned into a 27-yard touchdown reception.  With the extra point, the Penguins took a 7-0 lead.

Pitt would respond with a touchdown of their own on their next drive when Isaac Bennett capped off an 11-play, 75-yard drive with a four-yard rush to paydirt.  Early in the drive, Pitt QB Tino Sunseri made a good pass to Devin Street on a 3rd-and-8 to keep the drive going.

The resilient Penguins would march again, this time covering 92 yards in 15 plays.  Shane Montgomery, the Penguins offensive coordinator, did a fantastic job of calling plays that kept the Pitt defense on their heels all afternoon.  The Penguins touchdown was a nice 14-yard strike from Hess to Will Shaw to give YSU a 14-7 lead.

“The play calling was great”, said Hess.  “It was a very efficient game plan and we were able to execute it.”

Pitt would drive again, but had to settle for a Kevin Harper 33-yard field goal.  That would make the score at the end of the first half YSU 14 and Pitt 10.

In the second half, YSU took the opening kickoff and marched down the field, aided by a 15-yard facemask penalty.  On a fourth-and -1 play on the Pitt 24, YSU went to the bag of tricks and Jamaine Cook took a pitch to the right side and backed up to fire a little pass to Shaw, who had nobody ten yards around him, for an easy six.  David Brown‘s extra point gave the Penguins a 21-10 lead.

“That play is called Penguin”, explained Wolford.  “We practiced it this week and knew we would use it when we  had a chance on a fourth-and-short situation.”

What happened on Pitt’s next drive may define the Penguins season.  The defense stuffed Pitt on a fourth-and-1 deep in YSU territory.  It was Tevin Williams and Travis Williams stuffing the play to give the Penguins the ball back with 5:55 remaining in the third quarter.

“Anytime it’s fourth down, on either side of the ball, it is a big play,” said senior Aronde Stanton.  “On the play we stuffed them, I was out with cramps and two sophomores stepped in and got the job done.”

From there, Montgomery used Hess to carry out a drive that would cover 78 yards, but more importantly, result in a touchdown that would kill 8:34 of the game clock and boost the Penguins lead to 28-10.  The drive ended when Stubbs gathered his second touchdown of the game, a 13-yard run.

When Pitt got the ball back they used several short plays in hurry-up mode and looked in a hurry to get all 18 points they trailed by throwing some unsuccessful deep balls.  Tino Sunseri missed an open receiver in the end zone by a bit.  On the next play, YSU hurried Sunseri to set up a third-and-10.  The senior quarterback would connect with Joshua Brinson to cut the deficit to 28-17.

With control of the game, the Penguins got the ball back on their 25 with 9:17 left to play.  The YSU offense had to chew clock and get a few first downs.  Facing a 3rd-and-4 with six minutes left, the Penguins Stubbs broke loose and took the ball all the way to the Pitt 22.  Wolford the starting doing exactly what he said he would do – substitute fresh capable bodies.  Torrian Pace was inserted and had two five yard runs.

The drive stalled and YSU settled for a FG from Brown, a 25-yarder that would close the scoring with YSU ahead 31-17.

“We all thought we could do this”, said Stubbs.  “I knew coming in that I would have a chance to make some plays.  We have to stay humble now because we still have ten games to play.”

Stubbs finished the game with six carries for 71 yards and four receptions for 61 yards with one touchdown in each category.

“Andre Stubbs was too short for most schools to recruit”, said Wolford.  “We don’t recruit based on size, we look at the films.”

Hess had a strong game, more than statistically, as a leader of a machine.  Hess finished the game 13-23 for 154 yards and a pair of TD’s.  He also had 9 rushes for 47 yards and just made good decisions for four quarters.

Dale Peterman had nine unassisted tackles for the Penguins.  Teven Williams chipped in with seven tackles.  The Penguins defense did a fantastic job of keeping the Ray Graham / Isaac Bennett combination in check for the majority of the game.  New defensive coordinator Jm Tresey also deserves credit for being aggressive and cleverly scheming against Pitt.

“Obviously, we’re disappointed in the outcome of the game”, said first year Pitt head coach Paul Chryst.  “My hat goes off to Youngstown State.  They are very well coached and tonight they were the better team.”

The Penguins will have their home opener next Saturday when they welcome Valparaiso to Stambaugh Stadium.  Kickoff is set for 4 p.m.

The time has finally come… Game Week…  In reality, it is the last opener for a good Senior class that includes Jamaine Cook, Will Shaw, Aronde Stanton, and D.J. Main, just to name a few.

In the past, a game like the one YSU has coming up this Saturday, at Pitt,  was simply seen as a beating that a smaller school would hope to leave healthy, unable to have any say so about the outcome, and sign a fat DI paycheck for showing up.

This year, the competitive juices are flowing like never before under the watchful eye of Eric Wolford.  Now in his third year, Wolford seems poised to deliver on his promise that there is no acceptable outcome other than to win championships.

“The strength of this football team is the chemistry”, said Wolford.  “We don’t have too many selfish guys and our work ethic has been where it should be.  We have a confident group.”

Kyle Bryant is one of the Penguins who has made an impact at camp and will see some time, possibly at the expense of Andrew Radakovich.

“Kyle Bryant is pushing him [Radakovich], commented Wolford.  “Bryant stepped in when Radak got hurt, then he had an issue with his knee and Radak came in and played well, so we figured whoever plays the best will start next week, there is nothing like competition.”

One of last year’s experiments, was moving Will Shaw from linebacker to the other side of the ball, at tight end.  It has been a good move as Shaw has been productive and will surely be heard from this season.

“I am real confident this year”, said Shaw.  “I had the Spring and camp to work out the kinks and have had a full year to prepare.  I have a really good feel about this offense and where we are going.  As long as we keep focusing on the little things and try to get better every day, we will be fine.”

Expect a lot.  This is the time that everyone has been waiting for in the Youngstown State Football community.  Coach Eric Wolford, in his third season with the Penguins, expects to win.  Kurt Hess and Jamaine Cook, leaders of an explosive offense that returns everybody, expect to win.  Enter a slew of defensive transfers to mix in with what worked last season and you should pretty much expect to win in 2012.

What will you win besides the Valparaiso game?  How about every game.  People automatically rule Pitt out as a potential win.  Blame the defense or perhaps the “big school” theory as early reasons this team cannot succeed.  These games are not money beatings anymore, they are winnable contests, ask Michigan State.

“I have had pressure on myself since Day One”, said Coach Wolford.  “I am at a school that has won four National Championships and the pressure does not effect me.  We are flying around, we’re faster, we’re stronger, and the defense is more accountable.  It has been a process to get to that point, but recruiting can solve a lot of problems.”

YSU had problems on defense last year, but not many on offense.  Wolford and staff have done a tremendous job scouring the United States looking for defensive help, and they came up big.  Chris Charles, Julius Childs, Dale Peterman, and Ricardo Dixon add instant impact to a secondary that limped to the finish line last season.

“I think our defensive back play has been better”, said Wolford.  “It is early, but they are really making our receivers work.  The defensive line is definitely more mobile and stronger than where we have been in the past.  At linebacker, we can flat out run.  We have to stay healthy.  We definitely solidified our defense and developed some depth.”

So the polls and writers that picked Youngstown State to finish third, the experts, citing YSU’s defense as a sore spot probably should have waited to see the talent in camp that wasn’t even here yet before predicting.

I will say that YSU will finish the season at 10-1 and gain at least a share of the Missouri Valley Football Conference.  The Pitt game and the North Dakota State contest will be tough challenges for the ‘Guins, but if this team can stay healthy they have the potential to make a run deep into the playoffs, this season.

I could be wrong, they could go 11-0.  They could go 9-2, but I don’t think that this team will finish any worse than that.  The playoffs are within reach and Hess knows that undefeated is a goal only achieved by winning one game at a time.

“We want to go out and win games”, said Hess.  “I really think we are going to continue to build team chemistry.  As far as not being picked to win it all, there are a lot of defensive players who just got here that will have a say in those predictions.  We have so much invested it would be devastating if we don’t reach the playoffs.  We expect to get there by going 1-0 every week.”

As the challenge of going to Pitt  on September 1 nears closer, a group of young men and coaches in Youngstown are readying themselves for what can be more of a war than anyone might predict.  Just four years ago, YSU traveled to Pitt and pretty much got spanked.  The goals of scoring a touchdown and staying close at halftime (Penn State), and being in a game against a D-1 team in the second half (Michigan State) have all been met.  All that is left is to win.  Expect to win.

 

The Youngstown State football program is one of just two FCS squads with two players on the Walter Payton Award Watch List, The Sports Network announced on Thursday. Senior tailback Jamaine Cook and junior quarterback Kurt Hess both represent the Penguins.

Cook and Hess joined Sam Houston State juniors Timothy Flanders (running back) and Richard Sincere (all-purpose) as teammates who made the preseason list.

Twelve of this year’s initial 20 nominees were finalists for the award last year, including finalist Shakir Bell of Indiana State. Ten running backs, six quarterbacks, three wide receivers and an all-purpose performer make up the preseason Watch List group.

Cook, who earlier this week was tabbed a third-team preseason All-America by the Sports Network, rushed for 1,386 yards on 271 carries and scored 13 touchdowns. In 2011, Cook was seventh in the FCS in rushing (126.00) and 14th in all-purpose yards (145.36) per contest.

Hess passed for 2,468 yards while completing 187-of-288 attempts in a breakout campaign during the 2011 season. He averaged 245.8 yards passing per contest and his 164.9 passing efficiency rating was fourth best in the FCS. He set school records 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).

The Payton Award Watch List can undergo revision during the 2012 season. Ballots will be sent to a panel of about 175 sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries following the regular season on Nov. 19. The top three vote-getters will be invited to The Sports Network FCS Awards Presentation.

Kurt Hess threw two first-half touchdowns, and fellow quarterback Patrick Angle had 158 passing yards and a touchdown as the Red Team beat the White 28-14 in the 40th Annual Red-White Spring Game on Friday evening at Stambaugh Stadium.

The Red offense and White defense were comprised of first-string players, and the Red defense and White offense were the second-stringers. The first half featured standard timing rules, and the second half had a running clock.

Hess finished 11-for-19 for 154 yards and two touchdowns in the first half, and the junior-to-be spent the second half on the sideline. Angle was 7-for-14 for 94 yards in the first half for the White team, and he was 4-for-8 for 61 yards and a touchdown in the second half for the Red.

Angle and White quarterback Dante Nania connected with wide receiver Andrew Williams nine times for 135 yards, which was a game high. Jelani Berassa led Red with 82 yards and was one of four players to catch a touchdown pass. Carson Sharbaugh and Kevin Watts added scores through the air for the Red team, and Nate Adams had a touchdown reception for the White.

Jordan Thompson rushed for a game-high 67 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries, and Jamaine Cook had 64 yards on 12 carries for the Red. Torrian Pace headlined the White rushing attack with 51 yards and a score on 12 carries.

Pace impressed offensive coordinator, Shane Montgomery.

“Torrian has had a really good Spring for us”, remarked Montgomery.  “He is faster than he was last year.  We know we can’t keep Jamaine [Cook] on the field as much as we have the last two seasons.  With Adaris Bellamy recovering, Jordan [Thompson] and Torrian got some good reps, I feel real good about our depth at that position and at tight end.”

Travis Williams had 10 tackles, including seven in the first quarter, for the White defense.  Josh Garner and Jeremy Edwards played pretty well for the White defense.  That trio of defenders will play a big role in the defensive turnaround efforts targeted for this season.

With the running clock, Angle put the game out of reach on the Red team’s first drive of the fourth quarter. He connected with tight end Will Shaw for a 25-yard gain on third-and-19 to get the ball down to the White 22, and he found Watts for a six-yard score on the 13th play of the drive.

Shaw and the other two tight ends combined for 114 yards and two touchdowns on six catches.

Jimmy May, Jr. intercepted Angle in the second quarter for the game’s lone turnover. The Red team fumbled twice but recovered each. Brandon Neal and Julius Childs both had pass breakups for the White defense.

Kicker David Brown missed a field goal.  We already know that Coach Wolford likes the math sounds of seven being greater than three and if the Penguins will have a weakness in the red zone, it will be the kicking game.

The Penguins will have a light workout on Monday to finish up the spring practice season.