5 turnovers pay off in YSU win

Aaron Marshall made the start at quarterback.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- After forcing just two turnovers in the first three games of the season, the Youngstown State football team came up with five Saturday and turned them into a 24-17 Gateway Conference victory over Southwest Missouri State.
In front of more than 12,000 fans at Plaster Field, the Penguins (2-2, 1-1 Gateway) built a 24-7 lead after three quarters and held off the Bears in the final period.
It was YSU's seventh straight win in the series and ended the Penguins' two-game losing streak.
The Penguins' defense with finished three interceptions and two fumble recoveries to support an offense led by redshirt freshman quarterback Aaron Marshall making his first career start.
Marshall, the third starting quarterback in as many games, didn't produce great statistics. But he made key plays and directed the offense to four touchdowns and a field goal, the Penguins' best offensive performance since the season opener.
Four full quarters
"It's always this way when you come down here," YSU coach Jon Heacock said. "We always know we are going to get four full quarters of action from [SMS]."
Marshall, who was moved to receiver prior to the season, completed just 2-of-5 passes for 17 yards, but one of the completions was a 10-yard touchdown to sophomore Phillip Larmon in the second quarter.
"We have four great backs behind me and anyone of them can do the job," Marshall said. "Our team just needs to follow their lead and we'll have a lot of great runs.
"[Josiah] Doby's run in the third was the big play and everyone took care of their assignments and gave us momentum," he said. "Everyone is starting to accept their roles. We've moved a lot of guys around, but we have still been playing real hard."
Ahead for keeps
Doby's 61-yard scoring run early in the third period broke a 7-7 tie and gave YSU the lead for good.
Junior tailback Mike Burns added another third period score on a 2-yard run and junior Jake Stewart kicked a 46-yard field goal to complete YSU's second-half scoring.
Two big mistakes by the Penguins led to SMS touchdowns. Marshall was intercepted by Darryl Robinson in the first half. Robinson returned the ball 67 yards for a touchdown. Kaila Williams picked up a Burns fumble and ran 52 yards for another score.
The only score the YSU defense gave up was a 48-yard field goal by Brian Long in the final quarter.
The Penguins rushed for 244 yards, led by senior P.J. Mays with 95 on 20 carries. Doby added 93 yards on 11 tries. Marshall also picked up 30 yards on 18 carries, including a 17-yard run in the third quarter that set up YSU's final touchdown.
Costly penalties
The Penguins had an opportunity to break open the contest in the first half, but penalties thwarted their chances.
On their second offensive series, the Bears made the game's first mistake. Junior quarterback Michael White's pass on second down from the YSU 39 was picked off by Jon Tekac at the 41. The pass was intended for Zach Dechant and bounded off his hands into Tekac's arms.
From there, the Penguins put together a 59-yard drive in 14 plays that consumed more than seven minutes.
The drive began with Mays carrying six straight times to the SMS 35.
On first down, Marshall carried for nine more. With the ball at the 20, Marshall rolled out and found a wide-open tight end in Dennis Dluglosz for an apparent touchdown, but the Penguins were called for holding.
On the second play of the second quarter, Marshall again rolled out and hit a crossing Phil Larmon for the touchdown.
Four plays after the kickoff, the Penguins thought they had scored again when Dechant appeared to fumble and Tekac returned it 45 yards to the end zone. But the Penguins were called for clipping on the return.
Two plays later, Marshall was rushed very hard and was hit just as he let go of the ball. Robinson picked off the weak pass and rambled 67 yards for the game-tying touchdown.
The Penguins picked up their third turnover of the half a series later as Dechant again coughed up the football on a hit by Scott Thiessen. Jake Godec recovered at the YSU 43.
mollica@vindy.com