Posts Tagged ‘Aaron Pitts’

Donald Jones, the former Youngstown State Penguin, came home for a visit and he didn’t come alone.  Jones ran routes on the Stambaugh Stadium turf early Monday morning.  Scouts from Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Indianapolis were there early to evaluate select Seniors in various categories.

To enter Stambaugh Stadium at 7 am brought back memories of the dreaded eight o’clock classes.  Looking around, the weight room was full of life as several people were doing workouts.  Unsure of where the scouts, players to be tested, or Donald Jones were, Jon Moffett, of the Vindicator, and I walked into the gym to strategize where to be.  Walking toward us was Donald Jones.  Jones had a big smile on his wide awake face and stopped to chat.  “It feels great to be home”, exclaimed Jones.

When asked what to expect today, Jones knew exactly what he would be doing.  “They [NFL scouts] are pretty happy with my numbers from the combine.  All they want me to do today is run routes.”  Jones did just that putting on a good show as classmate Aaron Pitts threw balls to Jones.

Jones enhanced his draft status with a good showing at the NFL Combine a couple of weeks ago.  He tied for first benching 225 pounds a set amount of times and he also ran a 4.47  40-yard dash.  He is projected to go in the fifth round, where he would be a steal.  Jones has the size, speed, and hands to carry a team and as an added bonus the NFL needs a few guys like DJ with their heads screwed on straight.

Phil Kreidler, a scout from the Pittsburgh Steelers organization, remembered me from the Pitt and South Dakota State games, where we spoke about Jones.  His task on this day was to put other Penguins through some tests in hopes of scooping up a good free agent or two.  “We have the guys run two forties, vertical jump, broad jump, and we look for explosiveness.  We also see how many times each person can bench 225.  We then move to some agility drills to evaluate their overall athletic ability and a few change of direction drill as well.”

If someone performs well, Kreidler reports back to the Steelers.  “We grade every Senior and look to see if maybe someone can be helpful to us as a free agent.  Every guy gets a specific grade based on their performance here today.  We then get together and go over every single player we give a draft grade to.”

Many of  last years Seniors were present for the testing.  Mychal Savage (pictured), Lenny Wicks, Dana Brown, Jabari Scott, and Brandon Summers, were all there to get timed, tested, and put there numbers on the board in hopes of making it to the National Football League.  Good luck to all who participated!

In a season where the expectations were high so high at the start, the ending somewhat lived up to its advertised billing.  Youngstown State rallied from an 11 point deficit in the fourth quarter to defeat North Dakota State, 39-35, at the Fargodome.

Youngstown State scored first as Marc Kanetsky, who started the game at quarterback for Brandon Summers due to shoulder soreness, connected with Donald Jones from five yards away staking the Penguins to a 7-0 lead at the 10:59 mark of the opening quarter. 

Pat Paschall, the leading rusher in the Missouri Valley Football Conference coming into the game, tied things up when he went over from one yard out.  Paschall will be an NFL back next year and finished the day with 140 yards on 27 carries.  Hard to believe, but the 140 was below his season average of 150+ per game.  The touchdown came at the 12:33 mark of the second quarter and John Obarski’s extra-point attempt was good for the Bison, 7-7 at the dome.

On their next drive, Youngstown State reclaimed the lead when Summers found Dominique Barnes for a 6-yard touchdown.  Stephen Blose split the uprights for the extra-point with 7:14 left in the first half to give the Penguins a 14-7 lead.

Paschall scored from a yard out for the second time in the game with just under five minutes remaining in the opening half to again knot the contest at 14. 

Youngstown State finally got a big play on special teams as Lenny Wicks returned a blocked field goal attempt 79 yards for a touchdown with just over a minute left in the half.  The Penguins, however, would yield a game-tying touchdown when Bison QB Jose Mohler found Warren Holloway for a 21-yard scoring connection.  At the half, this one was all tied up at 21 apiece.

The Bison struck first in the second half at the 6:08 mark of the third quarter.  Matt Veldman hauled in a 27-yard toss from Mohler.  With the PAT successful, the Penguins were on the wrong end of a 28-21 score.

The Penguins managed to get three points in the opening minute of the fourth quarter as a red-hot Stephen Blose nailed a 28-yard field goal to cut the lead to 28-24.

Paschall would give the Bison a seemingly comfortable cushion as he scored his third touchdown on the afternoon, this one a three yarder.  With just under eight minutes, Youngstown State began their unforgettable march to vicory.

The three amigos, Aaron Pitts (#83, left), Dominique Barnes (#29, middle), and Donald Jones (#81, right) have been awesome all year.  Summers has found these three receivers and the offense seemed to be at its best when the ball was headed their way. 

On this particular Saturday, the trio would show their value as they (along with Summers) spearheaded an amazing comeback.  With 5:13 left in the game, Pitts would be the first to step up as he caught a fourth down, four-yard touchdown pass from Summers.  The touchdown made the score 35-30 in favor of North Dakota State.  YSU lined up for the two-point conversion, which was a success when Summers hit another essential cog in the machine, Kevin Smith, for a two-point completion making the score 35-32.

The YSU defense was on fire as they forced the Bison to run three plays and punt.  YSU then started a fantastic drive to really exclamate what could have been.  Summers had several tosses to Jones to move the ball at a rapid rate on both of the last two scoring drives.  Barnes then got to relish in the glory when Summers found him for the go-ahead points with just 22 seconds left in a wild finish.  Blose kicked the extra point to give YSU a four point lead.

North Dakota State had a shot at the end zone on the last play of the game , but YSU’s Scott Sentner picked off the Bison scoring effort to end the game.

Youngstown State was paced by Kevin Smith who had 101 yards on the ground.  Summers finished the game with 259 yards and three touchdowns.  Jones caught 10 passes for 98 yards and a touchdown.

North Dakota State got 238 passing yards out of Mohler along with a couple of touchdowns, as well as a pair of interceptions.  Paschall finished with 140 rushing yards and a 5.2 average on 27 carries.  Holloway caught three Mohler passes for 88 yards and a TD.

Youngstown State (6-5, 4-4) completed the season in unbelievable fashion.  North Dakota State (3-8, 2-6) Coach Craig Bohl will surely want to put this season behind him.  It must be noted that Youngstown State took several more chances and opened up the playbook in the last couple of weeks.  The result of those two games were 63 offensive points (the six by Lenny Wicks on the blocked FG don’t count).  

Congratulations Senior Penguins!  I salute you for not throwing in the towel and exhibiting class under the worst of times.  No fingerpointing, no excuses, and no bickering really made this bunch special to cover all season.  The positions you are leaving will be tough to fill in the future.  All twelve of you are competitive winners, you had the respect of the players under you, the coaching staff, and at least one sports journalist.  Good luck with your futures and thanks for the good memories this season!

On Senior Day, the weather and general atmosphere on the sidelines was warm. It was nice to see the Senior Penguins with their parents before kickoff as they were recognized for their outstanding efforts as Youngstown State athletes.  Coach Heacock stressed all week that it was about this Senior class to succeed in this game, to find ways to involve them into the gameplan in a positive fashion.  They all seemed to contribute.  Pictured are two of the Seniors, Aaron Pitts (left) and Mychal Savage (right).

In what looked to be an even match on paper, Youngstown State and Illinois State were not playing for a championship or a postseason berth, but rather for pride.  The Penguins dug into the cupboard of forgotten plays and tried some new wrinkles on offense. Some of the results were good, others needed to stay in the cupboard. The result was a 30-18 Youngstown State victory.

Youngstown State took their opening possession on their own 14-yard line. The Penguins marched 45 yards in 12 plays to allow Stephen Blose a 45-yard FG attempt. Blose was successful on the attempt, and at the 4:37 mark, YSU held a 3-0 lead.

Coach Heacock rolled the dice and tried an onside kick that the Penguins recovered and the Penguin offense went back to work. Brandon Summers hooked up with Donald Jones for a 30-yard completion, but the Penguin drive stalled and Senior Ben Nowicki buried the Redbirds on their own 5.

The first quarter would come to an end with Youngstown State ahead 3-0 and driving. The Penguins stalled around the Illinois State 19 and were forced to take another Blose field goal to increase their lead to 6-0.

YSU tried a second consecutive onside kick that the Redbirds recovered. The Illinois State offense cashed in on the good field position as Zach Kutch connected from 41 yards out to cut the Penguin lead to 6-3 with 11:11 remaining in the first half.

A scenario the Penguins have become accustomed to this year came back to haunt them. The Redbirds Bert Whigham came up the middle almost untouched and blocked Nowicki’s punt. The ball rolled right into the end zone but the converging Redbirds were unable to come up with the recovery for a touchdown and YSU was lucky to give up a two-point safety. Weird score as YSU still lead 6-5.

The free kick following the safety further exposed the kryptonic special teams play of Youngstown State as Illinois State’s Ben Erickson returned the kick all the way to the YSU 40. Four plays later, with 8:03 left in the half, Cliffton Gordon scampered four yards to paydirt and just like that YSU was behind 12-6.

Southern Illinois caught the onside kick fever and tried their own, unsuccessfully. When the YSU drive appeared to stall and Blose kicked a field goal of 22 yards, a penalty of roughing the snapper set the Penguins up on the three. On the next play Kevin Smith got into the end zone for a 3-yard score and Blose knocked in the extra point to give YSU the lead back at 13-12.

Zach Kutch connected on a career-long 49-yard field goal to give the Redbirds a 15-13 lead with just over a minute left in the first half.

Blose tried to give YSU the lead back on a 42-yard attempt to end the opening half. The kick was blocked and the special teams hamster race continued. Halftime at the Ice Castle, Redbirds 15, Penguins 13.

Youngstown State finally got a big play. Dominique Barnes hauled in a 55-yard touchdown pass from Brandon Summers. Youngstown State held a 20-15 lead at the end of the third quarter.

The Redbirds effective kicker, Zach Kutch was again clutch, this time from 42 yards. The field goal shaved the Youngstown State lead to two points as they clung to a 20-18 lead.

Not to be outdone, Stephen Blose connected from 37 yards away to vault YSU to a 23-18 lead. For Blose, his third field goal capped his most productive day on the season.

At the 9:32 mark of the fourth quarter, Donald Jones caught a Brandon Summers pass from 8 yards away. YSU moved the ball 56 yards in 2:35 in increasing their lead to 30-18. Summers was 2-2 on the drive for 25 yards and a 3-yard run.

The Redbirds had a little left in the tank, but YSU was able to keep them out of scoring range and kept the score where it was to seal the victory.  Final score, YSU 30, Illinois State 18.  With the win, the Penguins improved to 5-5 and 3-4 in the Missouri Valley Football Conference.  Illinois State fell to 5-5 and 4-3 in the conference.

YSU was paced by Brandon Summers who finished the game one yard short of a career-high with 346 passing yards on 25-38 passing.  Kevin Smith (pictured) had his third one hundred yard game of the season and finished with 136 all-purpose yards.  The deadly duo on the sides clicked again as Donald Jones caught 7 balls for 105 yards and Dominique Barnes hauled in 8 for 122 with each scoring a touchdown.  Aaron Pitts chipped in with 68 receiving yards on three catches.

The Redbirds Freshman Quarterback, Matt Brown, finished the game 32-49 for 328 yards.  Cliffton Gordon carried 18 times for 58 yards, and TE Cody White had a career-high day with 6 receptions and 76 yards.

After the game, Coach Heacock again praised this Senior class.  “It was a special day for them.  We had a nice breakfast with the parents and loved ones this morning.  They came out and played hard and it was great to see so many of them play their hearts out.  Of all the Senior plays today, none was bigger then Ben Nowicki preventing Illinois State from scoring a touchdown on the blocked punt.”

“Everyone wants ‘THE’ answer, if it was that simple, teams would never lose.  I have been in this business a long time and I don’t believe that there is ever an answer to ‘THE’ problem”, was what Coach Jon Heacock had to say when asked why the seemingly talented team he coaches can’t register wins or finish games in a favorable manner.  Last week, Youngstown State (4-4, 2-3) dropped a hard-fought contest which was again decided by a couple of mistakes.  The loss came at the hands of #9-ranked South Dakota State.  This week, the train of hard stops continues as YSU travels to Cedar Falls to face a very good Northern Iowa (5-3, 3-2) team.

If Northern Iowa sounds familiar to the casual fan, it is because they almost beat Iowa University in the opener for both schools this season, but ultimately lost by one point to the still-perfect Hawkeyes.  The Panthers then rattled off 5 straight wins before consecutive losses to Southern Illinois and South Dakota State.  Northern Iowa is now fighting for its own postseason privelages and YSU is in the unfamiliar role of spoiler.

Northern Iowa is paced by the play of Pat Grace at QB.  Grace is a 6-2, 240 pound Senior with plenty of big game experience.  Grace completes about 63% of his passes and has 17 TD’s through the air this season.  The Panthers also feature a pair of speedy receivers, D.P. Eyman and D.J. Hord, who have combined for 1,000 receiving yards on the season.  Coach Heacock was complimentary of the Panther attack saying, “They throw it down the field.  We will have to defend the run and keep the deep ball to a minimum because they [Northern Iowa] don’t need any help.”

YSU QB Brandon Summers expressed how Youngstown State feels about not going to the playoffs by saying, “We’re disappointed and we’re heartbroken.  We want to win the last three games because it’s not how you start but how you finish that is important.”

When asked what kind of grade he would give his team for the year, Heacock responded, “You didn’t get an ‘A’ so you didn’t pass the test.  The playoffs were the goal this season, and we are not going to be in the playoffs and that is unacceptable.”

Senior WR Aaron Pitts (pictured, #83, left) said says YSU owes the Panthers a little.  “We don’t give up.  We have got to be ready for Northern Iowa.  We lost to them by one point in each of the last two years.  We want to go in there and get it done.”  Pitts was making a reference to last year’s 21-20 loss and 2007’s 14-13  loss at Nothern Iowa. 

Penguins Notes

• Northern Iowa has won 15 of the last 18 games against YSU.
• The last time Youngstown State won at Northern Iowa was 1999 and they are 3-11 all-time at Cedar Falls.
• YSU Freshman Taylor Hill posted a career-high 12 tackles in the loss to South Dakota State.
• UNI Coach Mark Farley is 80-31 and has never lost to Youngstown State (8-0).

The game kicks off at 5:05 and will be aired on AM-570 with Bob Hannon, Dick Hartzell, and Robb Schmidt on the sidelines.  The air team hits the dial at 4:30, so be sure to tune in.  The weather has no bearing this week because the game will be played at the infamous UNI Dome.

Youngstown State University needs to work on their costume a bit for this weekend.  The Penguins will host the South Dakota State Jackrabbits on Halloween.  Coach Jon Heacock has unfairly taken alot of criticism for the costume not being at its full potential yet, but promises to work on making the proper alterations needed for Halloween success.

The Penguins (4-3, 2-2) are coming off of a 27-8 loss at Southern Illinois.  The South Dakota State game marks this years Homecoming and YSU Hall of Fame Induction.  The Jackrabbits are undefeated in conference play and stand at 6-1 overall.   

You probably read the first paragraph of this game preview and said,  What?  A writer defending Coach Heacock?  I am.  Let me tell you why.  The coach of a football team does not miss a tackle, he puts a player in position to make a tackle.  If the player misses the tackle it should not fall back on the coaches.  A coach does not snap on punts or field goals, he does not fumble, throw interceptions or miss blocks, players do.  All a coach can do is prepare a team for what they can expect to see by breaking down hours of film, installing a gameplan, and teaching that gameplan in a very short period of time.

Last week against Southern Illinois, I went to the weekly Monday press conference and listened to Heacock outline his plan to the media: 

•  Objective #1 was to stop All-American RB Deji Karim.  Check.  Karim had an average game by his standards and finished well below his season averages.
• Objective #2 was to pressure Saluki QB Chris Dieker.  Check.  Dieker leaves the game with a shoulder injury but felt pressure while he was in there.
• Objective #3 was to attack the defense, get after the linebackers (two of them were also All-Americans), and move the ball without turning it over.  Check.  YSU had success moving the ball and put themselves in a position to score more than once in a first half where they came away with zero points.

Ultimately, a standup coach takes the blame in a loss.  That same coach also deflects the praise back to the players in victory.  Heacock follows this trend, he is a standup guy.  At this weeks press conference, I mentioned that it seems this YSU team is snakebitten.  It is not an insult, just a feeling.  Bad luck is something you can’t coach against.  Two special teams plays cost the Penguins 10 total points.  Heacock remarked, “We practiced punt team more than anything else during the bye week.  Apparantly, we did not work on it enough.  You can’t have a punt blocked or a 2-yard pass go for 86 yards.  In three-and-a-half minutes we went from being in a dogfight to being down 14 points.”

Lay off of him already. 

Moving forward, things will not get any easier for YSU.  Another Top-10 ranked school is on the agenda for this week.  South Dakota State (6-1, 5-0) is ranked #9 and coming off of a huge road win last week at Northern Iowa.  The Jackrabbits are a very physical team.  They do not give up many points and Heacock called them the best defensive team in the conference.  Redshirt-Freshman Thomas O’Brien was 26-37 against Northern Iowa for 285 yards and a pair of TDs.  He was not sacked, a credit to the Jackrabbits O-Line.  Kyle Minett rushed for 105 yards and caught four passes for 39 more.  YSU will have to stuff the run and get pressure on O’Brien to be successful on defense this weekend.

Alignment has been an ongiong problem for the YSU defense.  When asked how the defense can still have alignment issues 7 weeks in, DL Mychal Savage (pictured) responded.  “They change the things that we see, so we have to change what we do.”  Makes sense to me.  The things a coach sees on film are not the guaranteed cliffnotes to a victory.  Teams DO change the things they do on both sides of the ball every week. 

Kickoff is set for 4:07 and the weather looks decent with mostly cloudy skies and 55 degrees.

Penguin Notes

• YSU is 4-4 all-time in Halloween games, 47-19-1 on Homecoming (19-8 at The Ice Castle), and 5-5 all-time against South Dakota State. 
• South Dakota State won last years meeting 40-7.
• Donald Jones 11 catches against Southern Illinois again tied a school record.  Jones tied the record earlier in the season.
• Senior Aaron Pitts had his best game ever against Southern Illinois with 102 yards on 7 receptions.
• Junior Na’eem Outler also had his career best effort with nine tackles against Southern Illinois.

Special teams errors and a Freshman QB proved to be the difference in Southern Illinois 27-8 victory over Youngstown State University (4-3, 2-2).  The Penguins outworked the Salukis (6-1, 5-0)  in the first half yet found themselves in a 14-point hole at the break.  A couple of bad snaps on special teams and one bad play on defense worked into a 17-point swing in favor of Southern and YSU could never get back into the game. 

Youngstown State came out fired up and stuffed the Salukis high-powered offense in three plays.  The Penguins then took possession on their own 20 following a punt and moved the ball all the way to the Southern Illinois 25-yard line before failing to convert on third and fourth down and less than a yard to go.

Southern Illinois took over at their own 25 and drove to the YSU 33.  Chris Dieker was sacked by Andre Elliott setting up a 3rd-and-11 and the Salukis got called for a penalty on the next play.  The third down play was unsuccessful and YSU forced a punt which Saluki Punter Scott Ravanesi rolled to the 6-yard line.  After picking up a first down on a Brandon Summers to Donald Jones passing play, the Penguins had the ball out past the 20-yard line where the first quarter would come to a close locked in a scoreless tie.

Southern Illinois blocked a YSU punt after a high snap and pounced on the loose ball at the YSU 2.  On a second-and-goal from inside the one, Saluki FB Jon Goode powered his way into the end zone to put Southern Illinois in front 7-0.  Starting QB Chris Dieker did not come out for the drive as Southern Illinois sent true freshman Paul McIntosh out.  It was later learned that Dieker had a broken collarbone and is out indefinitely.

After a Penguin punt and a penalty, Southern Illinois took the ball on their own 10-yard line.  On a third-and-six yards to go from their own 14, the Salukis struck big.  McIntosh found Joe Allaria for an 86-yard touchdown, and just when it seemed the momentum was swinging the Penguins way, they found themselves down 14-0.  McIntosh filled in brilliantly for the injured Dieker and finished the game with 133 passing yards and 12 rushes for 81 yards.

The Penguins then got a good kickoff return from Dominique Barnes out to their own 44, but a penalty brought the ball back to the 11-yard line.  Behind six Summers completions and the emergence of Freshman Jermaine Cook’s running, the Penguins moved the ball all the way to the Southern Illinois 12-yard line.  The offense went numb in the red zone again.  Stephen Blose came out to attempt a 25-yard field goal, but the snap was poor and the kick never had a chance.  At the half, it was all YSU (at least it seemed that way), yet they trailed 14-0.

Southern Illinois scored again in the third quarter on a 3-yard run by Deji Karim.  The Salukis started the drive at the YSU 45 after a poor punt by Ben Nowicki.  The TD by Karim, the weapon Coach Heacock said the Penguins needed to neutralize most, was one of his few shining moments in the game as the YSU defense did well containing him all day.

Southern kicker Kyle Dougherty added a pair of field goals  of 44 and 45 yards to complete the Southern Illinois scoring.

YSU got on the board when Summers found Senior Aaron Pitts for a 56-yard hookup.  Pitts had a tremendous game for the Penguins finishing with 7 catches for 102 yards.  The TD made the score 24-8 with a successful two-point conversion.  Donald Jones again tied the school record with 11 catches in a game, the second time he has done so this season.  Jones finished the contest with 11 grabs for 96 yards.

Brandon Summers (pictured) finished the game with 45 passing attempts, a career-high.  He completed 30 of those attempts for 296 yards.  He also finished the game with a touchdown and two fourth-quarter interceptions.  Unfortunately, Summers was also sacked 4 times and finished the game with -41 yards rushing.

The Penguins need to win their final four games to have any shot at all at the postseason.  The task will not be easy as they host South Dakota State (6-1, 5-0), a 24-14 winner at Northern Iowa,  next weekend.  The Penguins then head to the evil dome that is home to Northern Iowa to face another great team.  I’m sure that Coach Heacock will tune up the special teams problems that hurt YSU in the loss to Southern Illinois knowing that you cannot give good teams like this extra reasons to win football games.

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.

Youngstown State University’s offensive unit was flat in the first three quarters, but the defense played outstanding for all four as the Penguins (3-1) got by a pesky Indiana State (0-5) team 28-0 in Terre Haute on Saturday.  YSU pushed the Indiana State losing streak to 31 games in a row, third longest streak in the country.

The Penguins got on the board in the first quarter when Brandon Summers found Dominique Barnes for a 36-yard touchdown.  Summers also hit Donald Jones for a 13-yard completion within the initial scoring drive.  Stephen Blose connected on the first of four extra points to give YSU a 7-0 lead.

Not much else happened in the first half until the Penguins marched 67 yards to the Sycamores 17.  With 2.4 seconds left in the half, Blose came out to attempt a field goal.  Indiana State employed the ‘ice the kicker’ strategy successfully as Blose missed the chip shot to the left keeping the score 7-0 at halftime.

In the third quarter, sophomore Randy Louis picked off an Indiana State pass at the Sycamores 30-yard line.  An apparent touchdown was nullified when Donald Jones was called for interference in the end zone.  Blose came back out for redemption but missed a 43-yard attempt keeping the score at 7-0.

The Penguins first possession of the fourth quarter yielded points.  Kevin Smith capped a 75-yard drive with his 21-yard touchdown dash.  Summers completed five passes on the drive which gave YSU a 14-0 lead.

The next series featured zero passing yards until Summers used a play-action pass to Aaron Pitts for a 1-yard TD.  The drive, which started at YSU’s own 38, showcased the versatility of three running backs.  Smith, Jabari Scott, and Dana Brown ran YSU from their own 38 to the ISU one.  Pitts’ TD reception pushed the Penguin lead to 21-0.

On Indiana State’s next series, Na’eem Outler picked off a Travis Johnson pass and returned the interception 37 yards to extend the Penguin lead to 28-0.  It was the second straight game that YSU scored on an interception.

Summers finished the game 21-33 for 194 yards with two TD’s and a pick.  He also rushed for 11 yards.  Kevin Smith led the way on the ground with 16 carries for 78 yards.  Barnes finished the game with 7 catches good for 86 yards and a TD. 

Youngstown State returns home for a game with Missouri State Saturday.  Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. at Stambaugh Stadium.

Youngstown State University has a pretty good track record against Indiana State University.  The Penguins have won 12 straight against the Sycamores, 17 of 18 in the all-time series, and have never lost in Terre Haute (9-0).  Sounds like a perfect way to open the Missouri Valley Conference schedule, doesn’t it?  To see YSU Coach Jon Heacock at the weekly press conference on Monday, you wouldn’t know whether YSU was playing Indiana State or Pitt again, a compliment to his ‘underestimate nobody in this conference’ attitude.

In reality, Indiana State has not been a very productive team in recent years.  Head Coach Trent Miles has a career mark of 0-16.  In fact, the last time Indiana State won a game was on October 21, 2006.  They have 14 consecutive home losses and have played a total of 30 games without a win.

Before writing the Sycamores off, understand that they have all of their skill position players back.  Junior tailbacks Darrius Gates and Antoine Brown have experience.  Heacock said, “One of the tailbacks runs as fast sideways as he does downhill”, citing the speed that the Sycamores bring.  They have last year’s quarterback playing at receiver now, they have other receivers back who started last year.  The only new guy is Freshman QB Travis Johnson.

Coach Heacock made it clear that his team will not play inferior football or treat this week with a lazy approach.  “From a defensive standpoint, it’s really easy.  We will just turn on the film from last year’s game and watch their returning tailback run for 120 some yards on us.  It was 21-7 in the first half last year and they were ahead.” YSU ultimately won last year’s contest 35-21.

Brandon Summers is putting up numbers to indicate that the strong finish YSU had at the end of the 2008 season was no fluke.  Against Northeastern, Summers had three rushing touchdowns unveiling his magnitude as an offensive weapon.  He also is quick to praise the YSU defensive unit as well as his blockers, receivers and backs.  When asked about pass distibution and trying to keep everyone happy, Summers replied, “I try my best [to distribute evenly], I don’t want to have any enemies on my side of the ball”.   So far he is doing well as Donald Jones has 13 catches, Dominique Barnes has 12, and Aaron Pitts has 7.

I look for the YSU running backs to have a big week.  Although no conference game can be taken lightly, it is nice to have an opponent that is 0 for their last 30 games to tune up the running game.  Kevin Smith should put up 100 yards against a Sycamore defense that has given up 672 rushing yards in four games or roughly 168 yards per game.

The game is set for a 12:05 kickoff in Terre Haute, Indiana at Memorial Stadium.  The forecast is calling for partly cloudy skies and a high temperature of around 79 degrees.

Penguin Notes

• The winning team in all three YSU games this season has scored 38 points.  Pitt scored 38 against YSU.  The Penguins put up 38 against Northeastern and Austin Peay.
• Junior Andre Elliott is turning into Mr. Momentum for YSU.  Elliott intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown against Northeastern.  He also blocked a punt against Austin Peay.
• YSU is 9-3 all-time in Missouri Valley Football Conference openers since joining the conference in 1997.
• Lenny Wicks should be back to 100% and will strengthen up the YSU secondary.
• The last time YSU played a game without a penalty was in 1995 against Indiana State.
• The last time YSU scored 50 points was also against Indiana State in 2006.

Don’t be fooled by their record, at least that is what Youngstown State Football Coach Jon Heacock thinks about Northeastern University’s football program.  The 1-1 Pengiuins travel to Boston to face the 0-2 Huskies, who lost to Maine last week 17-7.  This marks the first time since 1992 that these teams have met in Boston.  In the 1992 contest, Northeastern won a tight one, 28-23.  Coach Heacock is 1-0 lifetime against the Huskies, a contest that YSU won 35-16 at home in 2005, the last time the teams squared off.

Last weeks Austin Peay vs YSU contest won by YSU, 38-21, showed an offensive balance.  YSU passed for 232 yards and rushed for 202.  The defense showed signs of greatness at times.  There are still many things to iron out on both sides of the ball before this team can be looked at as a National Championship contender.

Northeastern is coached by Rocky Hager.  Coach Hager is in his sixth season and has gone 17-40 over that span.  Coach Heacock was full of praise for the Notheastern program and knows that if the Penguins let their guard down they could have a long Saturday.  “It’s a difficult place to play.  They [Northeastern] are a hungry, competitive, and tough football team.  I don’t care about their record, I have been there enough times to know what we are getting into.  Maine was rated 20th in the country, and that game was to the wire.  You watch some of their games from last year, Villanova, that game was to the wire.”

Heacock talked about what to expect from Northeastern.  “On offense, they are different than anyone we have seen.  They run a spread and a no-huddle, very similar to our offense.  They line up fast.  Against Boston College and Maine, defenses were having trouble lining up right because they get set fast.  They run a pressure defense.  We will be doing some blitzing and stunting during practices this week to prepare for what they might do.  I expect the game to be tough and physical.”

Senior RG Brian Mellott commented on what he saw on film that impressed him about Northeastern.  “Their noseman, #57 [Mike Lukenda] is an excellent football player.  Playing against Williams and the guys we played against two weeks ago [Pitt] we know what to expect.  The two inside linebackers look excellent.  One of them,  #34 [Craig Kenney], is the captain of their team, he is the heart and soul of that defense.  We are in for a challenge.”

Mike LB Dionta Tate described the Huskies QB, Matt Carroll, as a ‘running back who plays quarterback’.  Anytime a team spreads the field and has a quarterback who can run, defenses better know their responsibilities or they will get picked apart.  The YSU coaching staff has made this clear to the players for this game.

The Brandon Summers – Donald Jones show got rolling last week.  Kevin Smith ran hard and made the most of his chances. Mychal Savage is a beast, period.  Aaron Pitts made a huge fourth down catch.  Players on this Penguins team are definitely playing their roles.  The twelve Seniors on this team are leading by example.  Watch this young offensive line improve as they gain valuable game experience.  Brian Mellott may be the best talker I have ever heard at a press conference.  I know he is communicating well with the younger guys as they gain time.

Kickoff at Northeastern is set for 1 o’clock and the game can be heard on AM-570, WKBN with Bob Hannon and Dick Hartzell.  The game can also be purchased to watch online for $8.95 at GoNU.tv.  The early weather is calling for a chance of showers on a 67 degree afternoon at Parsons Field.

Penguin Notes

• Against Austin Peay, YSU Strong Safety Sir Demarco Bledsoe finished with 15 tackles, most by a YSU player in a game since 2004.  The 15 tackles were also the most recorded by a member of the YSU defensive secondary since 2002.
• YSU’s Dominique Barnes has caught a pass in 14 consecutive games, longest streak on the team.
• Lenny Wicks should be ready to suit up for action this week vs Northeastern.
• Seasons that end in the number nine have been kind to the Peguins over the past few decades.  In 1999, YSU played in the NCAA Championship Game.  In 1989, YSU reached the FCS quarterfinals.  In 1979, YSU played for the Division II National Championship.  Can 2009 continue the pattern?