YSU FOOTBALL Punter relaxed, working

Kosta Karapetsas didn't have a good season last year.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- No one has worked harder trying to improve himself on the Youngstown State football team this spring than senior punter Kosta Karapetsas of Warren.
Karapetsas was the Penguins' regular punter last season and, in his own opinion, did not have a good season.
He punted 48 times last year and averaged 37.8 yards, downing 10 of them inside the 20-yard line with just five touchbacks. His longest punt was a 54-yarder, but he had his share of bad ones also.
Self-evaluation: Karapetsas has worked very hard in the off-season and again this spring to improve his kicking and he feels that he has made considerable progress.
"Last year everybody told me that you don't know what it's like until you get under the gun and they were right," he said.
If nothing else Karapetsas feels a lot more comfortable back there kicking now than he did a year ago.
"The year of experience has done a lot for my confidence this year," he added. "I think I'm kicking better this spring because I'm more relaxed out there."
"It was the same thing in high school, I made a big jump from my junior to senior season and hopefully that will happen here," he added.
This winter Karapetsas said he did a lot more running during winter conditioning and it has helped.
"We all did a lot more running this winter and I liked that," he said.
No. 1 holder: This season Karapetsas will have another duty to go along with his punting. He'll be the new holder for placekicker Jake Stewart.
"I kind of got the job by default, but I was the backup holder last season," he said.
It's been kind of difficult for him to work on his new position this spring since Stewart is only working out on the weekends because of class schedule, so the two haven't spent much time together.
"We'll have all summer to work together and then again in the fall, so it will get better," he added.
With Stewart absent from most of the spring drills, Karapetsas has been doing some kickoffs for the Penguins and could possibly back up Stewart in that department.
YSU coach Jon Heacock has been impressed with Karapetsas' kicking this spring.
"Kosta works very hard and he wanted to try kicking off some this spring and he looks very good there also, we're pleased with his progress this spring," Heacock said.
Getting it right: The Penguins worked out Thursday afternoon, with the second half of the workout spent getting the players situated on punts and kickoffs for tonight's Red and White spring game at 7 p.m. at Stambaugh Stadium.
"It has been a good spring, despite the weather," Heacock said. "We've accomplished most of the things we set out to do and we still have two practice sessions left."
Following tonight's game, the Penguins will work out Saturday morning and Sunday and will wind up spring drills with a team meeting Sunday night.
mollica@vindy.com