Everyone reading this knows who the guy in the middle is.  The other two guys are probably the best at what they do in Youngstown.  The man on the right is Dana Balash, WFMJ Sports.  Dana has been covering Youngstown area sports for a long time and people will not get sick of him because he has an obvious passion for what he is doing.  Balash is the go to guy for area sports.  Maybe I am biased because of his longevity, but to sit in a press conference when he is present is like going to school.  He asks the right questions. 

The gentleman on the left is Joe Scalzo, who I have stolen (and credited) information from concerning Kelly Pavlik on this website.  Scalzo recently ran in the Peace Race this past Sunday and finished 11th in his age bracket.  Sitting next to Scalzo at a few Scrappers games has been rewarding in many ways.  He is the most genuine person I have met in all media so far.  Joe has a firm grip on the boxing beat, but his true colors shine in Thursday editions of The Vindicator when he does his high school footbal rap.  Scalzo’s style is so genuine because he uses real life situations such as stories about his wife, personal texts he has received from a coach for not picking the local team to win, or just raving about a bands halftime performance from an obscure Columbiana County school. 

Here are some stories from other great sites:

• Vindy.com publshed Scalzo’s rendition of running the race Sunday, going back to run the last mile with his wife, and being satisfied with a reputable finish.  If you read this you will know why I am such a big fan of Joe Scalzo.
• Josh Q. Public draws a unique comparison of what it feels like for a Packers fan to watch Brett Favre as a Viking against what it felt like for Red Sox fans to watch Roger Clemens pitch for the Yankees.
• Detroit4Lyfe has video of Pistons rookie Austin Daye hustling back on defense to block a shot of D Wade’s in what should have been an easy lay-up.
• The Cage Doctors present 11 of the bloodiest MMA photos I have ever seen.
• PSAMP has visual proof that the WWE Divas looked pretty good in Steeler stuff on RAW last night.
• Buster Sports tracks the recruitment of college basketball star-to-be Harrison Barnes with neat plane tracking graphics.
• Not Qualified To Comment found some pretty cool footage of Johnny Knox returning a kickoff for a TD Sunday.  Watch the video closely as the ballboy keeps up with Knox for several yards.
• NESW Sports has video of Kobe Bryant shutting up Derek Rose. 
• Babes Love Baseball writer Sooze is going to the Twins vs Tigers one game playoff today in Minnesota.  Sooze writes about why 162 games are just not enough.

Youngstown State (3-2, 1-1) hosts Western Illinois (1-3, 0-1) in an almost must-win game for both teams this Saturday.  The Missouri Valley Football Conference seems balanced with an exception at the bottom (Indiana State), and a couple of great teams so far (S. Illinois, N. Iowa) at the top.  All of the teams in the middle of the MVC could end up beating each other up all year.  With one loss each, either team could still win the conference championship if they run the table. 

Youngstown State lost to Missouri State, 17-7, in a game that was decided by big plays and bigger miscues.  To drive for 16 plays and 90 yards and come away with no points can be disheartening to a team like Youngstown State.  The game could have easily been won by ten points minus three mistakes.  Those three mistakes were a high snap on a field goal attempt that prevented YSU kicker Stephen Blose to have a clean attempt, converting on fourth-and-inches on Missouri State’s five yard line, and controlling turnovers.  There are not many teams who can overcome four turnovers, a blocked field goal, and getting stuffed deep in the opponents red zone who would only lose by ten points.  I guess that is the best way to take a positive out of last week’s game.

Western Illinois lost to Southern Illinois, 30-10, last week.  When WIU scored a TD in the second quarter, they cut the SIU lead to 14-10, but would get no closer as the Salukis rattled off three field goals and a touchdown to seal a victory.  The Leathernecks have a legitimate deep-threat wide receiver in Lito Senatus.  Senatus caught six passes for 45 yards against Southern, but more impressively, has 30 catches for 435 yards in four games.  Western Illinois will try to run the ball with traditional power formations, a trademark of their teams for years.  However, they will throw a three receiver set in from time-to-time, something new and not seen frequently in the past.

Youngstown State has won the last 5 games against Western Illinois, with four of those contests being decided by seven points or less.  This weeks game marks the 25th meeting between the two schools with YSU victorious 14 times and WIU the winner 10 times.  Last year, YSU won a hard fought 31-28 game in Macomb to end the season.

Coach Jon Heacock looks for his team to roar back coming off of last weeks loss.  “We played outstanding at times.  We had a goal-line stand.  We drive it sixteen plays, and it ends with a turnover.  We went into the game leading the conference in turnover margin.  We turned the ball over 4 times and no longer lead the conference but have slipped down to fourth or fifth.”

Senior WR Aaron Pitts commented on the loss.  “We are definitely upset and embarrassed with our performance Saturday.  We really want to come back strong and get the next one.” 

Senior DL Crispin Fernandez alerted the media that the team is not looking back, but rather ahead.  “We seemed ready.  We did the same things we usually do to get ready.  We were not able to get pressure on the QB because they were picking up our twists and stunts.  We can get to the quarterback this week if we prepare right.”

Penguin Notes

• Senior WR Donald Jones played well in the loss as he tied a school record by having 11 catches in a game.  I sat next to a Philadelphia Eagles scout who was impressed with the effort Jones provided.
• YSU has lost seven consecutive games in October dating back to the 2007 season.
• Youngstown State has 8 interceptions in five games.  Last season they only had 12 in 12 games.
• Eric Rodemoyer has received the Penguins’ Offensive Lineman of The Game award in all four of his starts.  Rodemoyer is a transfer from West Virginia.
• Dominique Barnes is averaging 12.4 yards per catch, best on the team with 5 or more catches.

Welcome to Youngstown seemed to be a theme for area sports teams on Saturday.  Youngstown State’s football team gave one away to Missouri State.  USHL newcomer, the Youngstown Phantoms, also played the role of cordial host after coughing up a 2-0 lead and losing 6-2 to the Indiana Ice.  It was the first game of the new franchise’s inaugural season.

Brett Gensler and Joseph Zarbo scored first period goals to give the Phantoms a 2-0 lead going into the first intermission.  Indiana then ripped off six unanswered goals over the next two periods.

The Phantoms really struggled on a couple of power play opportunities in the third period.  In fact, the puck was in their own zone more than their opponents in the last two PP chances. 

Coach Bob Mainhardt was dejected and vowed to never see this type of contagious play again.  “We know it is a long season and we have to stick to the gameplan and come together as a team.  Overall, we played an undisciplined game.  Undisciplined penalties, undisciplined in our systems, and undisciplined in our work ethic.  We won’t be embarrassed like this at home again.”

The Phantoms head West to face the Des Moines Buccaneers on Friday and then head back East a bit for a next night game at Chicago.  Both games can be heard on AM-1240 with Matt Gajtka calling the action.

About the only cooperative factor in Saturdays Youngstown State football game was the weather.  The Penguins (3-2, 1-1) shot themselves in the foot several times and ultimately lost, 17-7, to Missouri State (3-2, 1-1).  Missed opportunities proved to be the difference in the game.  A blocked field goal, a failed 4th-and-1 on the Bears 5-yard line, and three uncharacteristic Brandon Summers interceptions proved to spell the fate of YSU in the loss.

The Missouri State offense didn’t take very long to get on the board.  All-American Tight End Clay Harbor hauled in a 52-yard touchdown pass from Cody Kirby to put the Bears up 7-0.  The drive, which only consisted of four plays, covered 64 yards in 1:26 with the big blow of 52 yards.  Sir Demarco Bledsoe almost knocked the pass down but missed on his swat.

After YSU went three-and-out, the Bears struck again, but this time only got three to extend the lead to 10-0 with 6:57 left in the first.  On the drive, Kirby found Jonathan Davis for a 57-yard completion.  Matt Hottelman connected from 25 for the three-pointer.  YSU dodged a bullet as Missouri State had the ball 2nd and goal on the YSU one, but were unable to convert.

YSU took the next kickoff all the way out to their own 49.  Brandon Summers went to work with a 25-yard gainer to Dominique Barnes, a 16-yarder to Donald Jones, and another 10-yarder to Barnes.  After a couple of runs and a penalty, YSU had a 4th and less-than-one at Missouri State’s five-yard line.  Summers tried to sneak for the needed yardage for a new set of downs but was stuffed and YSU turned the ball over on downs.  Missouri State took over on downs and ran a few plays before the first quarter ended with YSU trailing 10-0.

YSU got on the board with 3:34 left in the second quarter when Summers found Donald Jones for a 32-yard touchdown.  Dana Brown had 4 rushes for 23 yards on the 11 play drive that covered a total of 76 yards.  On the TD, Summers had all day and Jones kept running until Summers found him in the corner for a great hookup to make the score 10-7 in favor of Missouri State.

With Missouri State driving and under a minute to go in the half, Lenny Wicks made a remarkable one handed jumping interception to keep the Bears out of the end zone and the half ended with Missouri State leading Youngstown State 10-7.

Youngstown State took the second half kickoff.  Kevin Smith coughed up the ball and it would be costly as Missouri State drove 36 yards in seven plays and would cash in on a 4-yard jaunt from Jonathan Davis to take a 17-7 lead with 11:36 left in the third quarter.

YSU moved the ball somewhat effectively on their next drive.  The drive was ended when Stephen Blose attempted a 37-yard field goal which was blocked by Waylon Richardet to give Missouri State the ball back on their own 35.  Richardet was dominant on defense all day for the Bears.

The third quarter ended with Missouri State on top 17-7.

Richardet stopped another YSU drive single-handedly when he picked off a tipped Summers pass.  YSU was in a third-and-goal at Missouri State’s 4-yard line when Summers threw his third pick of the evening.  This drive, the third of its kind in the game, covered 90 yards and resulted in nothing on the scoreboard for the Penguins. 

YSU could not stop Missouri State after the turnover.  The Bears were obviously trying to run some of the clock down, and YSU would give up a couple of yards on runs, yet the Bears converted twice on third-and long situations to take more than 5 minutes off of the game clock.  The Penguins finally successfully stopped the Bears and got the ball back with 2:24 left in the game and no timeouts.

The Penguins were unable to score and could not convert when they had to in this game.  A blocked field goal, three interceptions and a failed fourth and inches in the first quarter ultimately spelled doom for YSU as they fell 17-7 to the Bears.

For the Penguins, Kevin Smith rushed for 80 yards on 16 carries.  Dana Brown added 72 yards in 15 carries.  Donald Jones tied a school record with 11 catches for 130 yards and a TD.  Dominique Barnes had 9 catches for 113 yards and finished the game with 169 all-purpose yards.  Summers finished 23 of 39 for 251 yards, a touchdown, and the three interceptions.

Missouri State was led by QB Cody Kirby who finished the game 19-28 for 252 yards with a TD and a pick.  Clay Harbor had 6 catches for 106 yards.  Jonathan Davis finished with 118 all-purpose yards.

After the game, a very disappointed Jon Heacock addressed the loss.  “Missouri State came in and played hard.  They played like their life was on the line, give them credit, they played like crazy.  They were able to pressure us with three and four guys and we were not able to pressure them when we were sending six.”

Heacock also commented on the team being able to bounce back next week.  “If they have got any courage and competitiveness, they’ll be up.  I think our team does.  It’s not going to be easy.  We better buckle up.  If they have any red blood cells they’ll be competitive.”

Mychal Savage addressed the media after the game and took the loss particularly hard.  Having interviewed Savage this past week, I got a vibe that he is the pulse of this defense, the leader.  “I personally feel like tonight I let my team down.  I feel like I owe these guys one and that they deserve more from me.  I feel like I could have did more for this team, and I didn’t do it.”   This particular statement was delivered from the heart and I really feel for Savage.  He is putting way too much blame on himself though.  It is just his nature to assume responsibility for his group during a bad time, the mark of a true leader.  Mad respect for him.

YSU goes back to work in preparation for their Missouri Valley Conference game against Western Illinois Saturday.  The game is set for a 6:00 kickoff.

Relax readers, it’s not a beauty contest, it’s hockey in Youngstown.  Ryan Jasinsky (pictured) has already achieved a level of success a USHL player wishes for.  Jasinsky was invited to Washington Capitals camp to work out and strut his stuff.  The beat-up look Jasinsky is sporting in the above picture was a result of a fight in last weekend’s exhibition game.  I recently had the pleasure of meeting Ryan and discussing everything from Kimbo Slice to Alexander Ovechkin.

Paneech: How has Youngstown been to you so far?

RJ:  It’s been great, I enjoy it alot.  I’ve had fun hanging out with the guys and going everywhere, it’s a great town.  All of the people seem nice and I haven’t had any problems with anybody. 

Paneech:  Talk about your trip to Washington and how you got the opportunity to participate in workouts with the Caps.

RJ:  Last year they [Washington] scouted me and invited me to rookie camp.  I went to rookie camp with all of the prospects and did really well.  I had a really good rookie game against the Flyers, played really well and had a fight there.  They were impressed enough to ask me to go to camp, and after a couple of weeks they sent me back.  They are definitely going to be looking at me this year and down the road something could happen with them.

Paneech:  When you say something could happen, does that mean they may draft you?

RJ:  Yeah, they could draft me or invite me back to camp next year. 

Paneech:  Tell me what went through your head when you got on the ice with Alexander Ovechkin.

RJ:  Obviously you are a little shocked when you are watching him.  When you get out there with him though, he is just another guy you are playing against.  He’s an unreal individual, person and hockey player.

Paneech:  Why do you follow MMA so closely?

RJ:  My uncle is in the military and he does stuff like that.  I know alot of guys back home, some SEALS, and other military guys who get out of the military and do stuff like that.  I got into it that way.  It’s the conditioning, the exercise, and making yourself into a machine that appealed.

Paneech:  Kimbo Slice or Big Country?  (which happened the night I was interviewing him)

RJ:  Almost gotta say Big Country (laughs), just becuase it is Big Country (which he predicted right).

Paneech:  How far can you take this dream of playing hockey and what makes you think you have what it takes?

RJ:  I felt like I belonged when I was in Washington and didn’t do badly.  The Caps told me that I had a really good showing and that they liked the way I can skate, hit, and fight.  Hopefully I will take this as far as I can and hopefully I don’t get injured to prevent me from doing my best.

Paneech:  Tell me about a typical day right now.

RJ:  When I wake up in the morning I usually go running or try to go to the gym.  Then we practice.  Usually if we have a workout day, I go to the downtown YMCA and have a workout there with Josh from The House of Speed.  Go to practice which is usually high-paced and energetic.   Today we had Pilates after.  Some days I go back to the gym to keep working out.  After it’s all over, I go home and eat dinner and call it a day.

Paneech:  How do you like playing for Coach Mainhardt?

RJ:  He is a great coach to have here.  He is one of the reasons I decided to come here and play.  The staff is a great group of guys who make you feel welcome and provide more of a family atmosphere.  They [the coaching staff] bring you in more like family rather than oh, he’s the head coach and he’s not gonna talk to you. 

Paneech:  Predict your goals and assists for the season.

RJ:  (laughs) I’m shooting for 25 and 25.

One Word Answers 

Favorite Meal Of The Day?  Probably dinner.

Favorite TV Show?  Ultimate Fighter and sometimes Family Guy.

Iced Tea or Milk?  Iced tea

Favorite Thing About Youngstown.  The atmosphere.

Ovechkin or Malkin?  Ovechkin.

Favorite NHL Team?  Washington Capitals (laughs).

Toppings On A Pizza?  Barbecued Chicken Pizza.

One Penalty In Hockey You Would Do Away With.  Instigator.

Gretzky or Lemieux?  Lemieux

Favorite Musician or CD?  Jason Aldean

The Best Thing Anyone Has Ever Done For You?  My mom supporting me doing all of my hockey stuff and always being behind me.

If I Were A Casual Hockey Fan, What Would You Say To Lure Me Into A Phantoms Game?  You will see bodies hit the ice. Hard. 

Delonte West is having issues.  First he gets caught with an armada then he goes AWOL at the Cleveland Cavaliers team media day.  If LeBron wants to lead and Shaq wants to help, they need to extend the olive branch to Mr. West who struggles from depression and anxiety.  This team is better served with him than without him. 

Here are some stories from other great sites!

• Major League Jerk thinks that Derek Anderson is the right choice over Brady Quinn in Cleveland.
• PSAMP writes about some drunk Chicago Cubs fans who had no idea that their team had just been swept in a doubleheader by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
• Buster Sports takes a better look at the hit that caused Tim Tebow to spend a night at the hospital.
• Steady Burn asks who the biggest waste of space is on your fantasy football team?
• Not Qualified To Comment argues that Ben Gordon is THAT valuable of a player to the Chicago Bulls.
• The World of Isaac has video of Joe Mauer tipping pitches to Twins batters from second base. Cheater.  Detroit4Lyfe follows up on the Mauer pitch tipping with a “who cares” everyone else does it and so what if he was story.
• Babes Love Baseball gives props to Ricky Nolasco of the Florida Marlins for setting a team strikeout record with 16, including 9 in a row, one shy of the MLB record!
• Bootlegger Sports finds soccer hero Renaldo being cursed by a warlock named Pepe who is guaranteeing an injury.
• NESW Sports finds Stephon Marbury bullying the chat room nerds.  I guess you find new hobbies when you sit out almost a whole NBA season.
• Style Points reports on Junior Seau getting walloped by a bull.
• Predominantly Orange tells why it is better to be a Denver Broncos fan than a Dallas Cowboys fan right now.

When an unprepared student gets called to go to the blackboard in a group activity and isn’t sure what to do, they write anything they can to get close.  Usually, the student is not very lucky, and is asked to return to their respective seat.  A good teacher will not make an example of the bad student but rather call on a prized pupil to come up and erase the board.  Once the slate is clean, the good student is then given repeat directions and comes through.

In Cleveland, they are running out of students.  Eric Wedge was the most recent student to bomb the visual demonstration.  In this case, the teacher (Mark Shapiro) let the student (Wedge) struggle longer than he should have.  Shapiro should have taken the chalk away from Wedge around Memorial Day and handed it to another student.  Unfortunately, Shapiro figured he would let his understudy try to work it out and get it right.  The sad part is the teacher knew the student was on the wrong track so long ago that he made the mistake of letting this student dig himself into a deeper hole.

Eric Wedge is a nice guy.  That may be the whole problem.  You never turned on Sportscenter and saw Wedge throwing a tirade about his team’s heartless play.  Yet everytime Lou Piniella batted an eyelash toward a player for not hustling, it was news.  Wedge is too passive to be the head guy.  He knows the game but lacks the firepower to motivate a team struggling to win.  This was obvious at the beginning of the season when the Tribe lost a bunch of games to start the season and dug a hole that they ultimately could never climb back out of.

When Shapiro saw the writing on the wall but opted to keep Wedge around until the end, he failed to establish future leadership which may cost Cleveland at the beginning of next season.  Why not bring in the new guy to have some game experience with his future instead of making an unnamed student wait until after recess to get to the board when they already may know the answer?

Maybe it is the teacher who should be evaluated for competence for leaving a struggling student at the board for so long.  Not only did Shapiro screw that up, but he traded his three best pupils to gifted classrooms for a larger quantity of special needs students.  Cliff Lee and CC Sabathia have improved at addition since leaving Shapiro’s classroom.  They are able to add larger numbers (wins, strikeouts, and payroll potential), subtract smaller numbers (ERA and WHIP), and have really taken a true understanding to greater than and less than quantitive equations.  They even got a couple of merits for excelling (Cy Young Awards).  Victor Martinez won a spelling bee and is the new steady pitcher for his classes kickball games. 

In all reality, Cleveland ownership needs to sweep the whole room, not just the corners.  If I owned the Indians, Mark Shapiro would be dealing cards at Mountaineer Casino (owned by the Jacobs family).  There is no reason to constantly do the wrong thing and not be punished. 

If the students keep failing, isn’t it time to evaluate the teacher?

Lenny Wicks was the toughest YSU football player I have had to interview.  He lives a very structured life and doesn’t have much spare time with football, classes, and a kid.  His time is limited but his effort on the field is limitless.  Lenny knows that something special is brewing in Youngstown these days and can’t wait for everyone to take notice of what a special bunch these 2009 Penguins really are.

Paneech: Talk about the injury that forced you to miss the first couple of games this season.

Wicks: In the Spring game, one of the defensive linemen fell on my leg and broke my fibula and dislocated my ankle and tore tendons in my ankle.  I couldn’t walk for about four months. 

Paneech: Any lingering effects from the injury?

Wicks:  I’m back up there.  It gets a little sore sometimes, but I’m good.

Paneech: Why YSU?

Wicks: Coming out of high school, I thought I was real big, but, I guess I really wasn’t.  I actually walked on here, I didn’t get a scholarship.  I walked on here because my brother  [Eric Wicks] told me this would be a good place for me to go.  he told me that they win games up here and that if I worked hard, I could be a part of that.

Paneech: Speaking of your brother Eric who had some great years at West Virginia, what would happen if you each got to cover Ochocinco for ten plays?

Wicks: Lock Down! (laughs)  Me and my big bro?  That would be alot of fun.

Paneech: What was your reason for choosing criminal justice as a major?

Wicks: When I first got here my grades were very bad.  I was an education major and wasn’t doing very well.  Then my advisor was asking me what my interests were and after she coached me up,  we settled on criminal justice for a major.  It’s been going real good and I find it interesting.

Paneech: With you returning, Crispin [Fernandez] coming back and Mychal Savage healthy, how good can this defense be?

Wicks: I don’t think there is a limit on how good we can be.  As long as we work together, we have the talent to be extremely good.  I can’t set a limit on how good we can be.  In our first couple of games we haven’t even seen how good we can be.  We are not playing as good as we can yet.  As soon as everything clicks, watch out!

Paneech: What have you learned about this team so far in 2009?

Wicks: We have alot of leadership on this team.  We have alot of people that want to win.  The younger guys are willing to follow the leaders and we don’t have too many big egos like we did in the past.  We have alot of leadership and alot of guys that are on board so we can be the best we can possibly be.

Paneech: Being one of 12 seniors, how much stress is there on you to do all of the right things?

Wicks: I don’t see it as stress because I want to do the right things.  I want to get done with school, I want to be a good example for the people under me, so I don’t really see it as stress, but rather what I should be doing, so that’s what I am going to do.

Paneech: Talk about being a parent, practicing, and attending classes during the week.

Wicks: (laughs) Why do people always ask me that same question?  It’s regular to me.  I had my daughter when I was in twelfth grade so it’s very regular to me.  I don’t know anything else.

One Word Answers

Favorite Meal Of The Day?  Breakfast, although I never get to eat it.

Best Class You Ever Took At YSU?  Weightlifting

Favorite NFL Player And Team?  Bob Sanders, but my team is the Steelers.

Nicest Thing Anyone Ever Did For You?  Still waiting for that.

Favorite TV Show?  Fresh Prince.

Best Video Gaming System Of All-Time?  I don’t play video games.

Favorite Vegetable?  Broccoli.

Favorite NBA Team?  I like players.  Kobe, LeBron and D Wade.

WWE or MMA?  MMA.

Favorite Dessert?  Brownies and ice cream.

The Youngstown State University Penguins (3-1) are just starting to scrape the surface of how good they can become this season.  The defense pitched a 28-0 shutout at Indiana State last week and the offense (especially the seniors) played when they had to.  Next up on the Penguin agenda is Missouri State (2-2).

Missouri State has lost to a couple of great teams.  The Bears lost at Arkansas in their opener by the score of 48-10.  They then won two in a row with victories over UT Martin (24-14) and Murray State (35-10).  Last week MSU lost to powerhouse Northern Iowa, 35-7. 

Missouri State has a weapon and a half in TE Clay Harbor.  The 6’4″, 243 lb. senior is an All-American.  YSU Coach Jon Heacock commented on Harbor saying, “Their tight end [Harbor] is a really special athlete.  He blocks like a tight end but runs like a wideout”.   In the Bears four games, Harbor has 16 catches for 149 yards.  Dual-threat QB Cody Kirby has thrown to 13 different receivers this season.  “With their QB [Kirby], a play is never dead.  You have to maintain coverage and contain or he can beat you”, said Heacock of Kirby.

Missouri State LB Antoine Wilkinson is the heart of a 3-4 defense that likes to blitz.  The other three linebackers employed in the scheme (Adam Beauchamp, Terian Washington, and Michael Keck) seem to be anywhere Wilkinson isn’t.  Heacock compared the 30 front to that of Southern Illinois and said it is a complicated defense to face because of the many looks a team can show.

YSU enters the game on a three-win roll.  Three of the next four games are at home and the schedule has been set up beautifully to assist the Penguins inexperience issues as well as getting healthy.  Defensive standouts Crispin Fernandez, Lenny Wicks, and Sir Demarco Bledsoe have not started a game together yet this season.  All three will start against the Bears this week.  If the defense can play like they did last week with their best unit on the field, it could be a very long day for Missouri State’s offense.

Senior TB Dana Brown (pictured) spoke about the offense coming out ready this week.  “We have had a tendency to come out flat.  We need to work on that this week.  This is a must-win game for them because they already have a conference loss.  We expect them to play their A-game with their backs against the wall, so we have to be ready.”

Youngstown State is 6-0 at home against Missouri State and have scored 30 points in five of the six wins.  The Bears won last year 42-28 in Springfield.  Missouri State Head Coach Terry Allen has a career record of 109-82 and will surely have his team ready on Saturday.

Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. and the game will be played under cloudy skies with a good chance of rain and temperatures expected to dip into the low 50’s.

Penguin Notes

• Stephen Blose missed two field goals against Indiana State.  Coach Heacock said, “You can’t start messing with mechanics of kickers and punters.  He just missed both tries and kicked the ball right where he was aiming.”
• Sir Demarco Bledsoe leads Youngstown State with 24 unassisted tackles and played only sparingly last week.
• Punter Ben Nowicki had a 67-yard punt last week, a career best.
• YSU has not lost a fumble yet this season.
• Dominique Barnes is the last Penguin to return a kickoff for a touchdown.  Barnes accomplished the fete in 2007 against Missouri State.

Mychal Savage has been in the national spotlight and has tasted the worst of times during his Youngstown State football career.  In 2007, Savage was named to the first team of the All-Missouri Valley Conference as he racked up 43 tackles (five for loss), five sacks, and three hurries.  Savage also received All-American accolades in his magical 2007 season.  In 2008, he was hurt in the Ohio State game and missed the rest of the season after undergoing surgery.  A medical redshirt opened the door for Savage to return to the trenches. 

Having watched this guy play, believe me when I tell you even if he is not making the tackle, he is disrupting the flow of a play in some way.  The most impressive thing about Savage is that he does not take plays off.  He is a leader both on and off the field, and I recently had the privelage of talking with him.

Paneech: Explain what it felt like to miss the 2008 season and watch your team suffer without you.

Savage: It was tough to watch.  Anytime I have ever had to watch, it is tough because I always want to be a part of it.  The biggest hurt from last year was watching and not being able to do anything about it. 

Paneech: Are there any lingering effects from the injury or are you playing at 100% right now?

Savage: I am going one hundred plus right now.  I’m ready to go!

Paneech: Comment on why it feels like this can shape up to be a special year.

Savage: I think the chemistry builds up every week.  As far as the defense goes, I feel we have the opportunity to do something spectacular.  The whole team itself can be absolutely fantastic and off of the charts.  If we do what we have to do I don’t think there is any other team, besides us, who can stop us. 

Paneech: Being one of 12 seniors, how do the underclassmen respond to you?

Savage: I guess they respond fairly well.  We have not had too many issues with the younger kids, I think they do a good job following everyone else.  I feel like the kids that have been here a little longer have a decent amount of respect for all of the seniors that have been here and that makes it easier.

Paneech: Tell me the differences between Youngstown and New York.

Savage: New York’s a lot bigger (laughs).  New York is more culture dependant on where you go and that is pretty much the major difference.

Paneech: What is it like going to a military academy and how did you end up there at Hargrave?

Savage: I wasn’t really scouted very highly out of high school, so I thought Hargrave gave me the best chance of getting more football exposure.  To this day, I still don’t know how I ended up at Hargrave on August 13th pulling into that campus and checking in with Sgt. Major Payne.

Paneech: You are majoring in biology.  How did you pick Biology as a major?

Savage: It’s going well and I am almost done with my classes.  I picked Biology because I have always been fascinated with science and getting to know how different things worked.  Biology has led me to learn more about living things and how they work.

Paneech: What have you learned about yourself since arriving in Youngstown?

Savage: I’ve learned about myself.  I have learned that I can pretty much give myself up to anybody that needs my help.  If someone asks for help, and I see they actually need it, I will do all I can to help that person.

Paneech: Have you worn #96 since high school?  Why #96?

Savage: It’s been my number since I got to Youngstown.  I wore #74 and #73 in high school and #68 at Hargrave.  When I got here, #73 was taken, I didn’t really care for #74 anymore, and #96 was open so I chose it.

Paneech: Who is your favorite NFL team and player?

Savage: Julius Peppers is my favorite athlete and my favorite team is the New York Jets.

Paneech: When can we expect this year’s YSU team to be ranked in the Top-25?

Savage: Soon.

One Word Answers

Favorite NBA Team?  New York Knicks.

Toppings You Get On A Pizza?  Pepperoni and Sausage.

Favorite Video Game Of All-Time?  Metal Gear Solid.

Worst Class Taken At YSU?  Plant Diversity.

Favorite Season?  Winter.

Best Friend On The Team:  Lenny Wicks  (Wicks was standing next to Savage when he answered).

Was It Funner To Dissect A Frog or a Fetal Pig?  Fetal Pig.

Biggest Regret In Life?  Diving to the ground at Ohio State.

Dream Car: A fast one!

Favorite Area Restaurant: Belleria Pizza in Struthers.