YSU FOOTBALL Penguins get first hits

By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- The first two days of spring practice for the Youngstown State University football team didn't really tell first-year head coach Jon Heacock much about his team.
That all changed Friday afternoon when the Penguins had their first contact session of the spring.
"I thought the kids were excited out there today," said Heacock. "These kids have been doing a lot of work since last fall and it showed up out there today."
The Penguins worked the first two days of drills without pads and Friday was the first time contact was allowed.
"Really, we didn't even start playing football until today," the new coach added. "What we did in those first two practices we could have done in the gym in the winter."
Opening drill: Things began to heat up quickly with the annual "hoot n' holler" drill, which is always the first contact drills in the spring and fall.
"This probably was one of the most enthusiastic hoot n' hollers we've had in a while," Heacock added. "When you have a veteran group like we have they understand what those pads are all about.
"We still have a long way to go, and we want to look over the films of today, but we seem to be heading in the right direction."
The team scrimmaged for about an hour, first with all running plays, then with all passing plays, and finally with a mix of run and pass.
The YSU offense returns starters at every position this year and everybody was out there with the exception of senior quarterback Jeff Ryan.
Ryan, the three-year starter from Boardman, had shoulder surgery earlier this month and will miss the entire spring practice, but is expected to be ready for fall drills and the 2001 season.
Taking over: In his absence, junior Colby Street and freshman red-shirt Ben Bair are handling most of the quarterback duties. Heacock has also moved senior wide receiver Charles Mister over to quarterback, at least for the spring.
Mister, a 5-foot-10, 185-pound junior college transfer a year ago, played quarterback in high school in Missouri.
"We've moved Charlie over there this spring to give us a little depth so Colby and Ben don't throw their arms out this spring," Heacock said.
The defense, which must replace All-American Tim Johnson at linebacker and standout nose tackle Montrial Thomas, appears to be heading in the right direction after the first scrimmage.
Junior Jon Tekac of New Wilmington, Pa., appears to be the heir to Johnson's middle linebacker position, while junior Gary Quivers looks to fill the void at nose tackle.
In Friday's scrimmage there were some big plays on both sides of the football.
Street, who is known for his strong right arm and his ability to hit the long bombs as he did last spring, started out again Friday as he connected with junior wide receiver Jerald Burley on a 45-yard touchdown pass.
Big defensive play: The defensive big play was by freshman red-shirt Jake Godec, who picked off a Bair pass and returned it for a touchdown. He also had one of the best individual hits during the scrimmage.
The Penguins' practice this morning was moved up to 7:15 a.m. because of a soccer tournament that was scheduled at Stambaugh Stadium.
The team will resume normal afternoon sessions next week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and then hold its first jersey scrimmage next Saturday at 9:15 a.m.
The Penguins' annual Red and White Spring Game will be played April 20 at 7 p.m. at Stambaugh Stadium.