YSU FOOTBALL Kickers look good in practice

Senior Nick Terracina made 10-of-14 field goals in the scrimmage.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- Youngstown State football coach Jon Heacock knew long before Sunday that he had some outstanding kickers on his team.
That's why Heacock wasn't surprised when senior Nick Terracina and sophomore Joe Bishop were impressive at the spring kicking scrimmage at Stambaugh Stadium.
"It was another good scrimmage, the enthusiasm was just outstanding out there today and this is the third straight day we have worked them pretty good," said Heacock.
Sunday's kicking scrimmage was held in a winds that gusted to 20 miles per hour and it played havoc with some of the kicks, especially the punts.
Terracina, the senior from Lake Charles, La., who last season broke the YSU record with a 56-yard field goal against Liberty, was on the money for the most part Sunday.
He connected on 10-of-14 field goal attempts, including a 51-yarder with the wind, while three of his misses were against the wind including a 57-yard attempt and a 45-yard try.
"I'm still not sure just why we tried that 57-yard kick," said Terracina. "I didn't think I could make it, so I lined up and just tried to concentrate on kicking it straight."
Wind problems
The punters had much more trouble with the wind as the punts ranged from 5 yards to 56 yards.
Senior Ryan Martino and junior David Mills did all the punting in the first half of the scrimmage, while Bishop, who had averaged over 40 yards per punt last season, handled most of the duties in the second half.
Mills and Bishop each got off 56-yarders with the wind, while Martino had the best kick into the wind of 36 yards.
Terracina opened the scrimmage with an onside kickoff attempt, which he recovered, but the officials ruled that he touched the football before it went the required 10 yards.
Junior tailback Josh Cayson had one of the best returns when he raced 34 yards with a punt.
Nice visit
The kickers were excited by the visit of Dr. Pat Spurgeon this weekend.
Spurgeon, a native of Statesboro, Ga., first came in contact with the Penguins in 1991 when YSU played in its first national championship game at Statesboro.
Spurgeon became close with former YSU coach Jim Tressel and came to Youngstown every spring and fall to work with the kickers.
"I think I learned more in this past weekend than I have in my entire kicking career," said Terracina, "and that just came from listening to Dr. Spurgeon.
"We had fun out there today, but I couldn't have done it without my holder Aaron Marshall and my snapper Tanner Dunlap," Terracina added.
Heacock said he gave the team today off.
"I don't even want them around the stadium," he said. "Tuesday will review these films and have some meetings and then practice Wednesday."
The Penguins will hold their second jersey scrimmage Friday at 3:30 p.m. at Stambaugh Stadium.