Posts Tagged ‘Ron Strollo’

A little bit more than a year ago, Ron Strollo made a great decision.  That decision’s name was Eric Wolford. In a football hungry town, someone with more passion for the game of football, his players, his family, and anyone he meets was brought in to be the savior. At first, it was hard to tell if someone could be so passionate about so many different things.  Time is usually the best test and after his first full season, the passion is genuinely obvious.  Granted, a 3-8 season will not win many coach of the year awards, but a long-term plan is in place, a huge recruiting class of highly touted prospects has been added to the mix, and winning feels like it is only a moment away.  I got to sit down with Coach Wolford and review 2010, preview 2011, and just talk about football and life in general.

Paneech: Props on the recruiting class, very defense-heavy.  Did you feel like you filled some holes?

Wolford: No question.  We signed 24 players on defense.  I don’t worry as much about our offense because we are headed in the right direction and do the things we need to do.  Now we have the ability to rotate some guys in on defense and finish games.  That was our emphasis and you can see it when you look at the recruiting class.  Our staff did a great job, and we feel it is a very good class.

Paneech: How do you feel about the Youngstown media coverage you had in the last year?

Wolford: I have had a good relationship with the Youngstown media.  If something negative gets written or announced, I feel that they are entitled to their opinion and that is what sells papers and gets ratings.  Do I always agree with what gets said?  No, but I also understand that there are media versions of stories too.  Sometimes I give you guys the media version.

Paneech: A couple of weeks ago, there was a tragedy near campus where a young man and YSU student lost his life.  If people Google Youngstown State and that incident pops up , could it deter from your recruiting?

Wolford: There are multiple shootings happening on campuses across the country, unfortunately.  There was a football player at Arizona State who was recently shot.  In our society today, it has become a little commonplace because young people don’t know how to handle their emotions.  We all get caught up in it, but I do know that we have the third safest campus in the State of Ohio. I’ll continue to dwell on the positive.

Paneech: Last year at this time, you were more worried about acclamation of getting to know the players, it seemed to be a huge focal point going into Spring ball.  With that not so much of a hurdle this season, where is the concentration centered to?

Wolford: Last year there was an acclamation period for both players and coaches.  Now, it is completely different, we are 360 degrees from where we were last year at this time.  We don’t have problems with anyone talking back or guys being on time.  They understand work ethic and doing things right.  They understand that if you are running a drill and you have to touch that line, that line, and this line at full speed and they don’t go full speed or miss a line, that they are going to go again.  We are now at the next step and we are working on finishing, learning to finish better.  All of the character issues that surfaced in the past have been taken care of.  Are we all angels?  By no means.  You will really like this football team. They are good kids and very enjoyable to be around.  The chemistry is unbelievable. We know that we have a chance to be a good football team and we are close.

Paneech: How many steps are there to get where you want?

Wolford: I don’t feel there is a set number of steps.  It is a process that you have to patiently go through.  Any football program that has had sustained success has always had a good foundation.  This group that is here right now is the foundation and I feel good about building on it.  These kids push each other and hold one another accountable, they also take care of one another.  We put in a 2 a.m. curfew because nothing good happens after two in the morning, it was done for their protection.  Not one guy complained.  I am not out there checking, but if anyone gets in trouble after two, they are going to be in serious trouble.

Paneech: You did recruit a few wide receivers among your defensive slew.  Unfortunately, gone is Dominique Barnes.  Is that position a concern?

Wolford: At receiver, we lost Jelani Berassa, which was a bigger loss than anyone could have anticipated.  He is a tremendously talented young man who is maturing.  He is one of those guys that it is a pleasure to be around and he has got a bright future if he continues to work hard and do things right.  I think we are untapped at receiver and that we underachieved.  [Kevin] Watts came in here and did some good things as a freshman, but other than that, I think we underachieved, and that is not acceptable.  I have addressed that with my coaching staff and we are going to become overachievers at that position in the immediate future.  We signed three kids from South Carolina and one from Cleveland that are very talented.  They are going to be raw and are not a quick-fix solution, but we are not looking for a quick-fix, but rather a foundation.  I didn’t want to play a lot of freshmen last season, it just happened.  The best players are going to play.

Paneech: What about other positions like defensive backs and a new kicker?

Wolford: We have got two junior college safeties coming in here that can flat out play and they could have went a lot of other places, so we have competition now.  Donald [D’Alesio] is going back to corner a year older now.  Randy Louis is a guy who exceeded our expectations last season.  He is working hard and is up to 184 pounds now, he is all-in.  Obviously, we lost a great kicker, but we feel pretty good about [David] Brown. He is a highly-rated kicker whose film speaks for itself.  He has got a little bit of swagger but he knows what the expectations are.  Jake Smith decided to transfer and he isn’t even playing football anymore.  Football is not for everybody.  It takes work, it’s hard, and it’s tough and some guys can’t take it. We have raised our levels of expectation around here with stronger work ethic and more commitment.  Some guys can’t keep up, so they have to find something else to do. It doesn’t make them a bad person, I just say ‘I wish you well’, and let them know if there is anything I can do to help them out, that I would.

Paneech: Discuss the charity you are involved with and what sort of things you and your wife do to keep it active.

Wolford: We started a foundation because my wife and I have a son who basically has a disability.  We realized that there are a lot of costs that come with having a child with a disability that medical insurance companies don’t cover.  We said we wanted to start giving money to kids with disabilities to help them do various things.  This past year we gave 100 turkeys away at Thanksgiving.  We want to put something else together for Easter, we sponsor people for Christmas, I have paid people’s rent, I have given computers to families so that they can get their business back to a level where it needs to be to financially support their family, whatever the case may be.  It’s a very open-ended foundation with the key component being to help families or kids dealing with disabilities that don’t have the financial ability to make ends meet.

Paneech: The foundation is called No Stone Unturned, named after your son Stone.  Is it growing?

Wolford: It’s getting bigger and our goal was never anything other than helping people.  We give all of the money away.  I give away more money than I have.  It’s something I believe in and I call it “paying forward”.  I have been very fortunate to never have been hurting for anything, but I also believe part of that is from being generous.  I am a paying forward kind of guy.  My wife is the foundation.  We are having a Pancake Breakfast April 17th, the day after the Spring Game at Mt. Carmel in Youngstown.

Paneech: What were the highs and lows from last year?

Wolford: I think that there isn’t a day that  goes by where I don’t feel honored to be the coach here.  This is a very special place with tremendous tradition.  I know there is a lot of pressure and the average person cannot handle it.  I think there are so many speaking engagements where I see the community and people that support this program.  I embrace the expectations.  Last year is gone, and that was part of the process.  Would we have a solid foundation today if we won five games last year?  You learn more from losing than you do from winning.  When you win games, you just push forward and never address your weaknesses.  So what happens is, over time, your weaknesses become bigger cracks.  There are a lot of coaches who have never lost, they have never had to pick themselves up off of the floor.  Some people joke that God wanted to see if I was going to pull a Woody Hayes last year and just go crazy. Through my family and support, I enjoyed things.  It was a lesson learned.  Sometimes I feel if we would have won a bunch of  those games and would have came back with a false sense of security.  As much as I hate to admit it, we are not the most talented football team out there. We are gonna be someday, but we are not right now.  The guys that come in need to be developed.  There needs to be accountability.  We shouldn’t be the inferior team on the field, it’s unacceptable.  We’re Youngstown State, we are Youngstown State.

I’ll throw the prediction out there first. The YSU Lady Penguins are going to win 10 games this season.  Someone unfamiliar with the programs recent tailspin would scoff at a ten win season.  Those who haven’t seen this program celebrate a victory since 2008 understand that a few wins are steps in the right direction.

On a recent visit to a practice, I wondered how much the returning players remembered from last season.  New Coach, Bob Boldon, blew his whistle for a quick water break.  As the players approached the water dispenser, they went a little out of the way to say hi to me. Big deal?  To me, it was a nice gesture, but it proved that if they can remember a sports blogger from last season that they also retained a few memories to fuel and inspire a hard work ethic going into 2010.

Gone are the two boys who had to practice with the team so there would be enough bodies for a five-on-five drill.  Gone is Cindy Martin. Gone is the attitude that it just can’t be done.

Enter a new coach, a new attitude, a couple of new recruits, and a high-tech three-point shooting machine.  Enter girls who were hurt or had transfer issues.  Enter the bus while there is room, because it will be full in a few years.

Rachel Manuel and Kaitlyn March are the two players who graduated.  The returning women from last year are Macey Nortey, Kenya Middlebrooks, Boki Dimitrov, Makala Gasparek, Maryum Jenkins, and Brandi Brown.  The new faces are Shea Johnson, Kaitlin Rohrs, and Melissa Thompson who missed last year with injuries, and Youngstown native Tieara Jones sat out while meeting academic requirements as a transfer.  There are also three incoming freshmen – Liz Hornberger, Heidi Schlegel, and Boardman High graduate Monica Touvelle.

Coach Boldon is a good choice.  Talking to him is like talking to someone you have known for a couple of years.  After a couple of conversations with him, I applaud Ron Strollo on a solid selection to replace Martin.  Boldon is high on the three-point shot.  Expect every girl on the roster to be able to chuck up a long ball at any time.  There is a lot of motion in Boldon’s Playbook.  This is going to be a fun offense to watch once all of the pieces are in place and the players gain confidence in the system.

Can this team win?  “We have to change our culture. We have to develop and get better. Nobody wants to win more than the team wants to win. Nobody wants to win more than I want to win”, exclaimed Boldon.

Brandi Brown has been named to the Preseason Horizon League Second Team.  Coming off of a freshman season rarely seen at any college, Brown was the only player in the conference to average a double-double.  She was robbed of the Horizon League Newcomer of The Year award last season, and handed the runner-up ribbon in a statistical oversight.  I’m still not sure if all of the voters were from Detroit or if the award is given to a freshman on one of the best teams.  Either way, Brown will vindicate my sentiments with another big year.

Expect a higher-quality and more refined team to win at least ten games this season.

• The 2010 YSU Football season closes out this Saturday with a home game against Indiana State.  The game will honor seniors who played football, marched in the band, or cheered this season.
• South Dakota has accepted an invitation to join the Missouri Valley Football Conference beginning with the 2012-13 academic year.  USD received a formal invitation from Conference Commissioner Patty Viverito last Wednesday and accepted on Thursday.
• Youngstown State junior Kelsey Kempton was named First-Team ESPN the Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District IV, announced by the Academic All-America® Committee.  Kempton, who carries a 4.0 grade-point average with a major in exercise science, is the first Youngstown State women’s ssoccer player to be named to the first-team and just the second player in history to earn academic all-district honors.
• Youngstown State freshman Allison Ludwig was named to the Horizon League Women’s Soccer All-Newcomer Team.  Ludwig, who missed five league games due to a broken hand, tied a YSU freshman record and ranked fourth in the Horizon League with eight goals in 2010.

Nothing is easy. Taking over something that never worked right in the first place and trying to fix it is even harder. Bob Boldon has accepted the challenge of reviving a deflated YSU Women’s Basketball program with open arms.  In fact, Boldon expects to win, as soon as possible.  Hard to believe that the Sophomore girls on this team have never won a game.  In fact, going into this season it will be almost two full years since the team’s Juniors can recall what it was like to win.  Boldon is refreshing. I was ready to suit up for him after our talk, he will provide motivation and technique that this program has sorely missed.

Paneech: Let’s start out talking about where you have been and what you have picked up to help you become better prepared to be a Division I basketball coach.

Boldon: Lambuth was my second head coaching job.  It was good, because it helped me realize all of the things that I did wrong at my first head coaching job.  We played in a National Championship game, which was a great experience.  My first job was at Monticello, a team that only won one conference game the year before I got there, it was  complete rebuilding project.  We finished in third place my first year.  Every team I ever coached could score, offense comes easy to me, but I realized that I needed to become a better defensive coach.

Paneech: Presently, you have taken on the “Bill Parcells” role of taking a mess and making it happen.  Will it work at YSU?

Boldon: I want to be successful, and there are going to be people who say it can’t be done.  I have a staff with expectations to be successful.  It’s hard to make any real predictions until I get to know the players.  I expect to win every game we play.  My staff and I have watched almost all of last year’s conference games, and defense is an issue.  Offensively, the shooting percentages were horrendous.   We are going to be a good three-point shooting team, and that is something that can’t just happen, magically. The players have to take responsibility and games are won on days like today, not on the day of a game.

Paneech: What kind of player will you go out and look for?  A three-point specialist, a defensive stopper, a good rebounder?  Where is the biggest need at right now?

Boldon: We are looking for shooters and want to improve the offense immediately.  We will get better defensively by working hard at it and learning proper positioning, but the shooter is something we want.  As far as I know there will be 14 girls here on the first day of school ready to go.  Anything less than that number would really be a surprise to me.  Shooter is on the top of the list.

Paneech: How demoralizing is it for a player on a team to go 0-30 and can they be turned into winners after that?

Boldon: I think they have embraced the fresh start.  They know that this new staff has set forth different expectations, and at least those expectations are coming from a different person, if nothing else. Going through a year like that had to be tough and moving forward I’m sure it is something that none of them want to experience ever again.

Paneech: Have you adjusted to Youngstown yet?  Are there things here that you like already?

Boldon: We are here now and we have been ordering in a lot trying to get the house in order, it is a wreck.  I keep hearing about how I have to get to the Canfield Fair and how much my kids will enjoy it.

Paneech:  Yeah, the Canfield Fair is pretty unique, it is one of the few places you can go pet a pig and be eating a sausage sandwich five minutes later.

Boldon: (laughing) Yeah, that is a little bit ironic I guess.  I like the community  and the people are very supportive.  My staff and I try to go different places and have lunch, it’s been really good so far.  The community is really buzzing about the football team and that new staff, and their season comes first, and I am excited as it is one of my favorite sports.  The football team at any college set the tone and can get people geared up for the Winter sports.

Paneech: You go through the interview process with Mr. Strollo (above), does he tell you that you have to win and win now?  Does he want you to build from the ground up?  Or does he want anything better than the last few years to be the band-aid for now?

Boldon: Mr. Strollo showed the same expectations as I did in that we both want to win ball games.  There is nobody in this administration who wants to win more than I do, and I say that for my staff as well.  They all left jobs to come here and turn this around, and they did not come here to lose.  The idea that it is going to take three, four, or even five years is something that we are not going to lean on.

Paneech: Do you ever play those little nightmare scenarios in your head where you are coaching that first game and look around to see about twenty people?

Boldon: Not really.  If there is nobody at our first couple of games, I can’t say I blame them for not coming.  I’m not in a rush to get to Jacob’s Field these days.  After we win a couple of games, I would expect the interest to grow.

One Word Answers

Favorite Beverage: v-8 Splash.

Worst Habit: Biting My Nails.

Favorite Meal of The Day: Lunch, but I like ’em all.

Best Basketball Movie Ever: Hoosiers.

Biggest Phobia: Snakes.

Best Show On Television: The Mentalist.

Favorite NBA Team: The Cavs.

Game You Want To Make An Impression With: Opener vs Pitt.

Favorite Fast Food: Subway.

Youngstown State University is buzzing about the new staff that Head Coach Eric Wolford (above with AD Ron Strollo) has assembled.  This is no ordinary group of guys just along for the ride, but rather, a group of proven leaders who are united to parlay their experiences into molding a football program which needed stronger direction.  Coach Wolford has built a great staff, top to bottom, which will surely prove worthy by season’s end. 

The neat thing about the new regime is that they have done more community involved projects such as camps which welcome local high school players and coaches.  The local camps open the door for everyone involved.  A player learns what he must do to improve for a shot at the next level.  The visiting coaches learn new methods of teaching things.  The best part about the camps is that YSU is not getting rich conducting them.  Coach Wolford and staff see these sessions as a bond with the community, as well as, a deeper look at the potential recruiting classes of the future.

Everyone knows about Ron Stoops and Rollen Smith.  The Mooney and Ursuline programs have prospered for years under these two great minds.  To get both of them on the same staff is a big score, I don’t care what level it is.  Stoops and Smith are both respected locally and will assist Wolford with the additional local tags. 

Ron Stoops has more than 30 years of coaching experience at the high school level, including the last nine at Cardinal Mooney.  Stoops will coach the defensive secondary and will serve as the first-ever YSU Director of High School Relations.  “Coach Wolford is a great guy with a lot of energy and I am very anxious to work with him,” Stoops said.  “I’ve been very involved in Boardman and at Mooney, but to do it at the college level, and especially at YSU, is really exciting and I am looking forward to it.”

Rollen Smith was at Ursuline for the last 20 years.  In those twenty years, he coached and ran the strength and conditioning program for a school that made the playoffs 13 times in those 20 years.  Smith will serve as an assistant defensive line coach under Wolford at YSU.  Perhaps the most community-oriented coach ever, Smith is involved with the local juvenile center and is on numerous task forces and programs to assist the area.  He is respected because of his demeanor with the youth of Youngstown and I have never heard anyone say anything negative about this guy.  He is a quality addition as the last piece Wolford added to the puzzle.

Shane Montgomery will serve as offensive coordinator and will also coach the quarterbacks.  Montgomery is a former Miami (OH) head football coach.  Coaching in the D-I MAC level for four years is impressive, but to be the head coach for four years is superb.  Montgomery parted ways with Miami in 2008 and spent last season as the offensive coordinator at Akron University.  Coach Montgomery may have the difficult task of learning which quarterback can lead the team without making mental mistakes or turning the ball over, both problems in YSU’s recent past.

Carmen Bricillo has been hired to be the offensive line coach.  Bricillo has a good reputation as an up-and-coming coach who communicates well with student-athletes.  Bricillo spent last season at The University of Illinois as an offensive assistant coach.  In 2007 & 2008, Briciillo coached offensive tackles and tight ends at Akron.  He was a standout offensive lineman at Duquesne University where he graduated in 1996 and earned first team all-conference honors his last two seasons.

Rick Kravitz will serve as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.  Kravitz looks like the guy you thought you played bocce with for the last five years at the MVR Club.  Truth is, he wasn’t here yet despite looking like a veteran Youngstown resident.  Kravitz has coached at Western Michigan and NC State.  Perhaps his best work took place at South Florida where he helped build a program for bigger things.  While at South Florida, Kravitz served as assistant head coach and defensive coordinator.  He was also there for the jump from FCS Independent in 2000, to FBS newcomer as the Bulls made the jump in 2001.  To me, he is the biggest snag as an experienced D-I coach for this program.

Arguably, Tom Sims could count as the big piece in the puzzle.  Sims coached at Kansas last season and has spent the last nine years coaching defensive linemen at BCS schools.  Besides Kansas, Sims has gained experience while coaching at Minnesota and Illinois.  “His relationships and rapport with his players is something that I want all of our coaches to have,” claimed Wolford.  Sims played seven NFL seasons in Kansas City, Minnesota and Indianapolis.  His duties at YSU will consist of coaching the defensive line and being an assistant head coach.

Louie Matsakis will serve as special teams coordinator and work with running backs.  Matsakis also comes from Kansas where he coached running backs and coordinated special teams.  Matsakis first met Wolford while he played at Emporia, while Wolford was coaching there.  The biggest contribution, besides big-time experience, that Matsakis brings to the table is his wisdom of special teams.  Anyone who saw YSU’s special teams disasters last season may call Matsakis the big addition to the staff.

Phil Longo will coach wide receivers and serve as YSU’s recruiting coordinator.  Longo spent the last two seasons in the tent of the enemy, Southern Illinois, where he served as offensive coordinator.  He has the reputation of being a tireless recruiter and a very hard worker.  Longo commented, “I am excited about joining one of the most storied FCS programs in college football.”

Andre Coleman will coach tight ends.  “Andre has played at the highest level in the NFL playing and returning a kickoff for a touchdown in the Super Bowl,” Wolford said. “He is someone I have known for a long time and is a person I can rely on to get the job done at all times. He can relate well with our student-athletes and has a lot to teach them.”  Coleman, who graduated from not-so-far-away Hickory High School was a standout in the NFL where he was drafted in the third round of the 1994 NFL Draft as the 70th overall pick by the San Diego Chargers.  He also played for Seattle and Pittsburgh.

Pinch yourself Penguins fans.  This is quite a coaching staff that Eric Wolford has brought to Youngstown, perhaps the best in YSU history as far as being well-rounded, community involved, recruiting know-how, experience, and player development.  With the new WATTS Indoor Facility coming very soon, Mr. Strollo has proven with the hirings of Wolford and this staff, a long-term commitment to excellence.

Youngstown State University announced the hiring of Bob Boldon as the new Lady Penguins basketball coach.  Boldon, who grew up in Louisville, Ohio, was a standout point guard for Walsh University.  Coach Boldon has ten years of experience coaching basketball, five at the Division I level.  His most recent venture was in the role of top assistant coach for Division I Florida Gulf Goast University.

Boldon is in a unique situation with the new task he has accepted.  On one hand, there is nowhere to go but up as the Lady Penguins are coming off an 0-30 season and hold the longest losing streak in Division I.  On the other hand, he will have to establish his ways to two other coaches recruits while trying to sign a few student-athletes to attend YSU.

“I am very excited about the opportunity to be the next head coach at Youngstown State University,” Boldon said.  “Mr. Strollo has a great vision not only for the future of the women’s basketball program, but the entire athletic department.  I am excited and honored to be a part of it.  I am also thrilled that my family and friends will have an opportunity to share in the excitement of re-establishing a winning tradition for the women’s basketball program at YSU.”

Boldon has coached at Akron, Walsh, Gannon, Wilmington, Lambuth, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, and the University of Arkansas at Monticello.  His track record would suggest he is a good fit for the current situation of YSU basketball because he seems to go into struggling programs and turn them around for the better.

To sit there and watch World Middleweight Boxing Champion Kelly Pavlik and U.S. Congressman Tim Ryan look over a sheet with defensive schemes and offensive formations was just scary.  Pavlik and Ryan served as honorary coaches for the Red team in Saturday’s Spring Football Game at Stambaugh Stadium.

Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams (pictured) and State Senator Joe Schiavoni served as the honorary coaches for the White team.  Williams and I shared some good conversation on the elevator.  Amongst the topics were the rust working itself out of his golf game and what a beautiful day we had for the Spring game.

New YSU President Appointee, Dr. Cynthia E. Anderson, was also on the sidelines and having a good time.  I asked her how she could be an honorary coach and not be wearing headphones or instructing players.  Dr. Anderson laughed and replied, “I am much better at cheering and clapping and being happy.  I know nothing, so I am just going to stand here and be happy.  Seriously though, I think this is wonderful.  We have perfect weather and the school spirit is on display here today.  There is going to be alot of excitement here this year and we will have alot of people coming out.”

Former State Senator Harry Meshel was on hand to show his support for the program.  “The crowd is exhillerated.  Wolf brings alot to the coaching situation, you can see it in the ballplayers, even the ones who are a little shorter.  The guy [Wolford] has so much spirit, and we just have to keep making this game bigger every time we do it.”

At one point in the second half when the Red scored a touchdown, someone from Team Pavlik shouted out, “Nice call Kelly!”  Pavlik turned back with a keen smirk nodding his head saying, “Yeah, it was nice, wasn’t it.” 

A couple of moments later the chants of ‘Kelly-Kelly-Kelly’ started in the lower bleachers to which Pavlik turned, smiled, and tipped his cap to the fans.  The only other chant even close was a ‘Wolford-Wolford-Wolford’ chant that went up in the first half.

John Wooden would have had trouble winning a game with seven players dressed.  Pat Summitt would have quit midseason.  Phil Jackson would have went nuts.  Cindy Martin stuck it out.

With two years remaining on her contract, Coach Cindy Martin has resigned as head basketball coach at Youngstown State University.  In two seasons, Martin compiled a record of 3 wins and 57 losses, including an obstacle filled 0-30 campaign this year.  Beyond the numbers, so many factors worked against Martin in her two years.  This year, the numbers were a mess.  Having really only two post players made the Lady Penguins weak in the middle, especially when one would go out for a breather, or God forbid, foul trouble.

Martin only had two Seniors, Rachael Manuel and Kaitlyn March.  March dressed but was limited because of shin problems, and Manuel has been an improving work in progress since she got here.  Many of the players on the team were not even her recruits.  Credit her and the staff for finding Brandi Brown, a Horizon League Newcomer of  The Year finalist.

It’s a real shame that Martin has opted to go.  Those on the inside will tell you that there is nobody you will ever meet more competitive than Coach Martin.  Press conference after press conference, she always managed to take something positive and build on it.  She never used the numbers disadvantage as a crutch or an excuse.  Martin also never said a negative word about Youngstown, her staff, or her players because she believed in all of them.

Director of Athletics, Ron Strollo, said the choice to resign was Martin’s.  “We were surprised at Coach Martin’s decision to resign at this time.  She accepted a difficult challenge in rebuilding the winning tradition of YSU women’s basketball, and she and her staff worked tirelessly the past two years toward that end. We understand the end results of this past season put their efforts to the test, but a full examination of the extenuating circumstances that led to this year’s outcomes makes those familiar with the situation supportive of the progress she made.”

“I have decided to step down from my position because I feel in my heart it is what’s best for the program at this time,” Martin said. “I want to thank Youngstown State University and the athletic department for the wonderful opportunity. We signed back-to-back recruiting classes that are committed to their successes both on and off the court.”

Martin’s influence was obvious in her players who completed 30 community service projects over the past two years.  Academics were also important to the Lady Penguins as the team had a combined 3.29 GPA.

Best of luck to Cindy Martin!  She has paved the groundwork for the future of YSU Basketball over the next few years.

One opinion that I feel strongly about is that whoever the Youngstown State University Penguins name as their new football coach, the salary will be upped significantly from what Jon Heacock made this past season.

Executive Director of Athletics, Ron Strollo, made it clear at a press conference over a week ago that whoever is selected will have Division-I coaching experience.  He also talked about affordability, meaning Charlie Weiss, Bobby Bowden, and a few other yet to be fired coaches are eliminated.

Think about this for a minute.  This team had a winning record at 6-5 this past season.  There were 12 Seniors on the roster.  Those 12 guys will be tough to replace but there is experience coming back.  Three of the 12 were running backs, two were receivers, one was an offensive lineman, one was a punter, one was a quarterback, one linebacker, two defensive linemen, and a defensive back.

That means that there are numbers coming back next year.  In no way am I downplaying the accomplishments of 12 very hard-working seniors, they earned the respect that they deserve a long time ago.  What I am bringing to light is that whoever YSU selects to coach this team is going to have a chance to win games immediately.  There is a bunch of experience returning next season.

A couple of names thrown out into the mighty Mahoning Valey Rumor Mill were Rick Shepas, Mike Tressel, and Pat Narduzzi.  All three of these candidates have ties to Youngstown, but based on the criteria and the logic, they would be pushed down the list based on recruiting experience or Division-I coaching experience.

I would love to see Mike Stoops here for a few reasons.  First of all, Cardinal Mooney has been a national institution for high school football.  Most of these guys go elsewhere, bigger 1-A schools.  Stoops would be the best recruiter in keeping some of the locals here.  Granted, many transfer back here if the big plan does not go as drawn up.  Taylor Hill is a perfect example.  Hill played football at Mooney, went to Michigan, and for whatever reason, returned to Youngstown.  The same can be said for any great athlete that comes out of these area schools.  Why not try to keep them here.  I know it is not as easy as it sounds, but with Stoops, you have a better chance than with any other candidate on a short list.

Another reason Stoops would be a good fit is because it would rouse the locals.  This is a family, a Youngstown-based family with extended families.  They all have neighbors, and those cousins have neighbors too.  I think attendance would dance back up in the 80-100% capacity based on the name and the weight it carries in this area.

The downside to Stoops is that he will not come cheap.  Expect Stoops to want close to $275,000.  Is this a case of you get what you pay for?  I think it is.  The quality Stoops will bring to the program coupled with a big attendance increase will help cover the money that must be generated to cover the salary increase.  Nothing will happen until after Saturday when Arizona faces off against USC.  WFMJ-TV aired a clip in which Stoops was quoted as saying, “I’ve invested too much in this program to go anywhere with this stuff until after the season.  I work for my brother [Mike] and all this stuff takes care of itself later.”

Mark Snyder, who recently stepped down at Marshall, would be next on the short list.  Snyder would also command a higher salary than what is available.  I don’t see him recruiting quite as well as Stoops, which is why he is second on my list.

Ron Strollo has known Jon Heacock for almost half of his life.  According to Strollo, YSU’s Executive Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, they spent more time with each other than they did with their own families over those years.  Strollo addressed the media at a special press conference on Monday and spoke about a host of issues including why Heacock chose to step down, who will be considered for the vacancy, and what factors will finalize the decision.

Heacock surprised many on Sunday when he announced that he would be resigning.  Being only the fifth head coach in Youngstown State University’s history, the decision was surely a tough one because of his obvious passion for both the football program and the university.  Strollo claimed that had Heacock not voluntarily stepped down, that he would have been heavily evaluated.  Strollo also commented on the recent turn of events saying, “We talked last week.  I knew it was something he was considering.  I spoke with him yesterday about an hour before he spoke to his team and staff.”

Strollo commented that the assistant coaches are under contract until February.  When asked if the staff will be somewhat retained, Strollo remarked, “They will have opportunities to speak with the new head coach.  However, it would be hard to hold a head coach accountable if you tell him who his soldiers are.”

This search will be like no other because there is little time to work with.  Strollo noted that the candidate they will be looking for should have Division-I coaching experience, have alot of energy, and be devoted to a busy recruiting process.  He also said that many schools, unlike the Big-10, are still playing their regular season out and it would not make sense to bother anyone while they are doing their job elsewhere.  Once the time is right, the field would be narrowed.  Strollo admitted talking to an old friend, Jim Tressel, about the sudden turn of events.  “I talked with Coach Tressel yesterday.  I asked him if I could bounce something off of him.  He told me when we get to a final group that he would be happy to give his input.  The advantage that we have is what Tressel gave.  Because he made a successful transition to Ohio State, it makes this job more attractive.”

Many coaches at the higher level have agents, some who have already called to inquire about the vacancy.  Names will not be released because it is not the intent of YSU to damage the reputation or pride of any candidate.  Heacock was the lowest paid coach in the Missouri Valley Football Conference and Strollo said that the pay for the new YSU Coach will be contingent on the qualified candidate’s experience.

The reality of it is there will be mad speculation over the next few weeks.  The Youngstown rumor mill will be busier than GM in saying why or why not on every single name brought up.  I asked Strollo after the press conference if Charlie Weiss was on his list.  He semi-chuckled and said affordability would be an issue.

Some of the more realistic choices on my unofficial list are Mark Snyder, who is probably going to get canned at Marshall by Christmas.  Rick Shepas, a former YSU player who is coaching football at Waynesburg.  Anyone named Stoops who is not a head college coach, or anyone named Pellini or Mangino (I am playing the hometown name association card here).

The whole press conference was sad.  Strollo and Heacock are both quality people.  They are cut from the same mold in so many ways and neither guy was a “win at any cost” type.  They both valued a student’s education and emphasized that what a student-athlete does after the games are over with their lives is what matters most.  Strollo is a class act, he said Heacock will have no problems at all finding employment based on his reputation.  Heacock knows that there are expectations that he was not meeting.  It is an amicable split where hopefully both parties benefit in the long run.