Penguins lose Zetts

Going into the start of camp back in early August, Youngstown State football coach Jon Heacock was trying to figure out a way to be able to redshirt freshman quarterback Tom Zetts this season.
This wasn't what Heacock had in mind.
Thursday night, Zetts, a product of Boardman High playing in his first collegiate game and on his first rushing attempt, was hit hard by an Edinboro University defender after a 6-yard gain.
Zetts bounced right up and finished the series. It was later learned that he suffered a fractured collarbone and will miss the rest of the season.
It was obvious that Heacock was not going to redshirt Zetts this season after the 6-foot-1, 185-pounder had worked his way up to the No. 2 signal caller behind sophomore starter Aaron Marshall.
When he got hurt it was the third series that he had been used in the game.
"He took a very hard hit, but came right back up and continued, that takes a pretty tough kid," said Heacock.
Medical redshirt
The Penguins and Zetts will apply for an NCAA medical redshirt which he's eligible for, since he did not participate in more than two contests or 20 percent of the team's scheduled games.
He still will have four years of eligibility remaining beginning in 2004.
With Zetts out, junior Matt Rycraft, the former West Branch standout, will moved into the backup role behind Marshall. Senior Luis Gonzalez will be behind Rycraft on the depth chart.
Rycraft, who has been splitting time between wide receiver and quarterback the past week, will probably lose his "slash" title now and concentrate solely on quarterback.
Heacock indicated last week that when Rycraft is in the game at quarterback, the Penguins will work out of the shotgun formation more to give him more time to look over the defenses.
Heacock learned from his predecessor, Jim Tressel, who always believed that you needed to get your backup quarterback some snaps early into a contest so he gets the feel for the game.
Thursday night Zetts came into the game on the Penguins' third offensive series early in the second quarter. That drive only lasted one play as Zetts handed off to sophomore Josh Cayson, who sprinted 73 yards for the Penguins second score on their way to a 35-11 victory.
That means that you can look to see Rycraft calling signals sometime early this Saturday when the Penguins play host to their second straight Division II opponent, Slippery Rock University, at 7 p.m. at Stambaugh Stadium.
Marshall impressive
Marshall, by the way, looked impressive in his first start of the season. The 6-3, 220-pounder from Detroit showed a lot more poise and confidence and his throws were right on the money.
He was 5-0f-10 for 82 yards and a touchdown, but also had a potential touchdown pass dropped by Rycraft in the opening period.
Zetts' injury was the same one he suffered during his senior season at Boardman, forcing him to miss the final three games of the season.
Anybody who saw the hit on Zetts Thursday night had to be amazed that he even got up, let alone remain in the contest for four more plays before the drive ended.
Defensive concerns
If there was any concern about the prospects for this season after Thursday night, they were probably on the defensive side of the ball and on some special teams coverage.
Edinboro moved the ball very easily against the Penguins, too easily, racking up over 300 total yards. The overall size, or lack of it, of the Penguins' defensive front seems to be part of the problems. That, and a couple of starters need to get off the injury list and back on the field.
XPete Mollica covers YSU football for The Vindicator. Write to him at mollica@vindy.com.