YSU Special teams roles are defined

The Penguins hold their final two-a-day sessions on Wednesday.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Youngstown State football team has worked hard on its special teams units and that results of that work was evident Monday evening at the kicking scrimmage.
The team will have a new placekicker and a new punter this season and from Monday's scrimmage it appears the Penguins will be better in both categories.
Nick Terracina, a 5-foot-9, 165-pound junior transfer from Lake Charles, La., will be the placekicker, and redshirt freshman Joe Bishop (5-10, 184) of Canton will punt.
The Penguins also have junior Ryan Martino of Cardinal Mooney as a punter, and sophomore David Mills of Chicago, who punts and kicks off.
Both Terracina and Bishop have strong legs and are accurate.
Interchangeable
The Red team won Monday's scrimmage, 15-12, although both teams used all the kickers during the session at Stambaugh Stadium.
"All of our kickers have worked very hard this camp," said Youngstown State coach Jon Heacock. "Nick and Joe are very talented kickers and they showed that tonight. Ryan and David have also worked very hard."
The scrimmage began with a kickoff and then became a punting contest.
When neither team got within field goal range, the session was stopped and each kicker came out and attempted five field goals. The first was from 32 yards.
Terracina hit his first three kicks and was 3-for-5, just missing the other two. Bishop made just 1-of-4, although one was nullified by a penalty and another was a fake.
Terracina then made 1-of-2 from 41 yards, while Bishop made 1-of-2, with one hitting the upright.
Trailing 12-9 late in the scrimmage, White tied the score when Terracina drilled a 53-yarder.
Bishop put the Red team on top for good by splitting the goalposts from 49 yards.
Bishop and Martino handled most of the punting. Bishop averaged 41.6 yards on six punts. His longest was a 51-yarder from his own 2-yard line. He also dropped a short punt inside the opponent's 10-yard line.
Martino averaged 41.8 yards on six punts and had the longest kick of the night, a 58-yarder, that got a lot of roll. But, he also had a punt blocked.
Mills had a 41-yard punt and also had two nullified by penalties and a couple of fakes.
Terracina's only kickoff went to the goal line, while Mills got his to the 5-yard line.
Pleased
Special teams coordinator Ken Conatser was pleased with the team's effort.
"We've got some great kickers and Nick and Joe showed what strong legs they have," Conatser said.
"I only coach them on kicks outside the 20-yard line," he joked.
The Penguins will work out today at 2 p.m., then hold their final two-a-day sessions on Wednesday, which will include a rehearsal scrimmage at 5 p.m. at Stambaugh Stadium.
After a day off Thursday, there will be a workout at 9 p.m. Friday. Preparations for the season opener against Edinboro University begin Saturday. That game is Aug. 28 at 7:30 p.m. at Stambaugh Stadium.
mollica@vindy.com