YSU FOOTBALL Week 4, but it's like the playoffs

With two losses already, the Penguins are in must-win mode.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- Youngstown State football coach Jon Heacock still has a lot of confidence in his Penguin players and expects things to turn around quickly.
The Penguins (1-2, 0-1 Gateway) travel to Springfield, Mo., to meet Southwest Missouri State in a conference battle at 2:30 p.m.
"Nobody is happy with the way things have been going this year," Heacock said. "We all know that everybody -- players and coaches -- have to step up this week and get things turned around."
Last Saturday the Penguins committed three turnovers and lost 13-7 to Western Kentucky in their conference opener. It was a game the Penguins could have won -- one of their turnovers was a fumble at the Hilltoppers 4-yard line which cost YSU a possible touchdown.
The Penguins have been played well enough defensively to win, but the offense has struggled. Last week Heacock made several lineup changes hoping for the right chemistry, but things still didn't work out.
Green started at QB
Senior quarterback Justin Green made his first start and played well, but he was involved in the goal-line fumble.
"One thing about football is that it is never one guy who is the problem," Heacock said. "This is a team sport and everyone is involved on every play."
Special teams has also failed to play up to par. Senior punter Kosta Karpetsas is averaging 38 yards per kick, but opponents have returned eight for an average of 18.5 yards per return.
Opponents have also averaged 26.3 yards on kickoff returns.
"We were trying some different things last week and since I handle the punters I was asking Kosta to do some things that he just couldn't do," Heacock said. "This week we are going back to punting the ball as high and as far as we can and get our coverage down there."
Few points
YSU is allowing just 18.3 points per game, but the offense is only averaging 15.7 per game.
Senior linebacker Jon Tekac has been the leader of the defense; the New Wilmington, Pa. native has made 40 tackles in three games and leads the team with nine tackles for losses and three sacks.
"Out defense has played very hard, but they still need to play harder and we have to keep improving every day that we go out on the field," Heacock said.
Offensively, the only bright spot has been senior tailback P.J. Mays, who in three games has rushed for 347 yards and four touchdowns to lead the team in both categories.
Senior tight end Dennis Dlugosz is expected to return to the lineup to help out senior John Schumacher, who has been shouldering most of the load.
At receiver, freshman T.J. Peterson had two catches against Western Kentucky, and freshman redshirt Shawn Carlson of Boardman played well. Senior Jerald Burley, the leading receiver a year ago, is nearly back to full health and sophomore Phil Larmon saw his first action last week.
Green is still listed as the starter on the depth chart with freshman redshirt Aaron Marshall as the backup. But senior Colby Street, who started the first two games and saw relieved Green last week, was injured in the game and is listed as day-to-day.
Senior defensive end Tim Frost had arthroscopic surgery on his knee Wednesday and will be out of action from two-to-six weeks.
Saturday's contest will be televised by WYFX (17/62) and Fox Sports Pittsburgh as the Gateway TV Network's game of the week.
mollica@vindy.com