YSU defense is adjusting

The Penguins' defense is undergoing changes under two new defensive coordinators.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- When Youngstown State football coach Jon Heacock brought in two new assistants to head up his defensive unit, he expected there would be some transitional problems at the start.
Mike Kolakowski and Dana Chambers were brought in by the Penguins in early March, and will serve as the team's co-defensive coordinators for what Heacock hopes is many years to come.
"They are both veterans and they've been around the game for a long time," said Heacock. "You don't have to tell them what to do, you just sit back and watch them do it."
Both Kolakowski and Chambers have added some things to the YSU defense this spring, and it has taken the unit a while to adjust to the changes.
In the team's first jersey scrimmage, the offense ran and passed all over the defense, rolling up over 600 total yards and posting a 45-13 victory.
Just a week later, in the second jersey scrimmage the offense had to score on its final possession to post a 27-22 victory over that same defense.
Process of adjustment
"This whole spring has really been an adjustment for our kids and the coaches," said Kolakowski. "The bullets just started flying two weeks ago, and what we've tried to emphasize to them is now we have to let go and just start playing football and everything else will take care of itself.
"I'm very pleased with what has transpired in just the last week," he added.
"You watch this offense here and it can cause a defense a lot of problems, and you put a new defense in and the slightest little adjustment can cause problems and that's now where are kids are starting to feel a little more comfortable with it," Kolakowski added.
"The biggest difference this spring has been in the terminology and when our kids come back in the fall they'll be just that much better because all this will be familiar with them," he said.
Both Kolakowski and Chambers feel good about the personnel they have to work with this year.
"I think we are in good shape, our front line has been doing a great job, our linebackers are working very hard, we just have to be sure we have the right ones in the right positions and are secondary is coming along fine," Kolakowski said.
Position needs help
If there is one spot that Kolakowski feels needs some work it is the free safety position.
"We need somebody to step up there and take the lead, we are strong at the corners with J.P [Jason Perry] and Durell [Preston], while Mike Bracken is the strength of our defense as strong safety and Bob Perez adds strength there," he said.
Kolakowski, who spent last season at Cincinnati, is the secondary coach.
Chambers was at Upper Iowa, a Division II school.
He is in charge of the defensive line and has been pleased with its progress this spring.
"We got some hard working guys over there and some promising young players," he said.
"We still have a couple of players out this spring like Ron John-Finn and Chris Rice, but players like Matt Briggs, Nate Baston and Matt Porter are stepping it up in their place.
"We've got a couple of promising youngsters like Leon Edwards and Blake Halverson, who give us needed depth on the line," he added.
The defense
The Penguins will play a 4-3 defense this season with former linebackers Justin Scholes and Brandon Brown playing some defensive end.
"We still have a long way to go to be ready for Slippery Rock in September, but we are make progress and that's the important thing," said Kolakowski.
The draft for the Red and White Game is Wednesday at noon, which is open to the public at the DeBartolo Club in Stambaugh Stadium.
The team will hold its final workout Wednesday afternoon before Friday's spring game at 7:30 p.m.
mollica@vindy.com