COLLEGE FOOTBALL Penguins' defense still not seasoned

Assistant Mike Kolakowski said lack of experience has hampered YSU's defense.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- Before the 2004 Youngstown State football season ever began, co-defensive coordinator Mike Kolakowski felt that size should not be a big factor in the Penguins' defensive scheme this season.
Now that the Penguins have started the year with a 2-5 record, 0-3 in the Gateway Conference, the first-year Penguin assistant coach has changed his mind, right?
Wrong.
Kolakowski said that size isn't the problem with the Penguin defense; experience is the big problem, and the Penguins went into the year with little in the way of playing experience on defense.
"If you watch out there you'll see us rotating players in and out on almost every play, especially at linebacker and in the secondary," he said.
Chenault as example
Kolakowski used red-shirt freshman free safety Dorian Chenault as an example.
The 6-1, 190-pound defender from Canton McKinley was a linebacker in high school.
"At the start of the season he wasn't a very good defensive back," Kolakowski said. "He's come a long way since the beginning of the year. Is he a championship caliber defensive back now? No, and he'll be the first one to tell you that, but he's improving each and every week.
"It hasn't been our size or our quickness that has gotten us into trouble this year, but just knowing where to be at the right moment has hurt us a lot," he said.
Kolakowski said that he'd like to do more blitzing and pressure the quarterback, "but you have to be smart on picking and choosing when or where to do it."
He was questioned Tuesday at the YSU football press conference about the fourth-down decision in Northern Iowa's final drive. The Panthers had fourth-and-9 at the YSU 46-yard line, and UNI quarterback Eric Sanders had plenty of time to throw a 12-yard pass that kept the final drive going.
"I made the call to drop back and make him throw the ball," Kolakowski said. "He was a freshman quarterback with not a lot of experience and I wanted him to throw it. I made the call and I'll have to live with it."
Giving their best shot
Kolakowski said that he's been pleased with the effort put forth by the defense.
"These guys work so hard every day. They deserve much better," he added. "They just keep coming back every day and working that much harder."
But, as YSU head coach Jon Heacock put it Tuesday, "hard work still only gives you a chance."
This Saturday the Penguins go back on the road for another Gateway Conference battle, as they travel to Normal, Ill., to meet Illinois State University in a 3:30 p.m. kickoff at Hancock Stadium.
The Redbirds are 3-3 overall, 1-2 in the Gateway and are coming off a 40-31 loss at Western Illinois. Illinois State defeated the Penguins 35-25 in Youngstown a year ago.
mollica@vindy.com