SPRING FOOTBALL Penguins find indoor time is beneficial

Snowy field conditions postponed Tuesday's outdoor practice.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- Youngstown State football coach Jon Heacock knows that he has no control over weather conditions, so he hasn't concerned himself with the latest snowfall which forced cancellation of Tuesday's spring practice session.
"The weather is going to be there no matter what we do, so we just don't worry about it," Heacock said.
Monday's snowfall forced the Penguins indoors for their fourth practice session and Heacock felt the session was very beneficial.
"We spent a lot of time teaching on Monday and we used our two-hour practice to include one hour of drills with each the offense and defense, while the other hour was used to review films of Sunday's practice," Heacock said.
Heacock said that the team probably got more of out Monday's practice indoors than they would have accomplished outside.
Monday's practice was held in the Stambaugh gymnasium.
"I thought it was a great practice day," he added. "We also used up one more shorts and helmets day and we are pretty much back on schedule since we now have had four practices when we were only scheduled to have had five at this time."
Timetable: The Penguins have 30 days to get in 15 practice sessions in the spring, one of those being the spring game. The Red and White game is set April 12 at 7 p.m. at Stambaugh Stadium.
According to NCAA rules the Penguins must divide their 15 practices in the spring into three days of shorts and helmets, three full scrimmage days (including the spring game), five practices with 50 percent contact and four practices with full pads but no contact.
Heacock is looking for a break in the weather to get back on schedule.
"We've scheduled a practice for [today] at 2:30 p.m. and then we'd like to hold our jersey scrimmage on Friday at 3 p.m.," he said.
"We probably won't hold our 'Hoot-N-Holler" [today], because I don't want them to have that and then a full scrimmage on Friday," Heacock said.
In stride: The second year head coach said that although the weather has been frustrating at times, the players have taken it all in stride.
"They've probable handled things better than I have," he said. "They show up ready to go every day not knowing whether we'll be getting out or not. That's why I felt so good about Monday's practice."
Heacock said that his coaching staff is working as hard as ever this spring.
"When we're not practicing we're in there watching films and making plans for our next practice," he said.
He said that there really hasn't been enough work time to pick out any individual standouts this spring.
"They are all working hard and right now they are all looking forward to getting out and doing some hitting," he said. "They've been cooped up all winter in the training room and gym and they're ready to start hitting somebody."
He also added that the team has suffered some bumps and bruises, but that everybody is healthy at this time.
"If we can get in [today's] practice and Friday's scrimmage we'll be in good shape, because our last week we really didn't have much scheduled and we have a lot of open days to make up any practices we missed," he said.
mollica@vindy.com