YSU FOOTBALL Terracina set to celebrate homecoming

The placekicker's home is in Lake Charles, La., also the site of McNeese State.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- Nick Terracina is going home on Saturday and he's taking the entire Youngstown State football team with him.
Terracina, the Penguins' senior placekicker, was born and raised in Lake Charles, La., site of the team's game Saturday night against McNeese State.
The 5-foot-9, 176-pound senior is excited about going back home, but more so about seeing family and friends.
"It really gives folks back home a chance to see me play," said Terracina. "It's really just another football game and that's all it should be."
Growing up in Lake Charles, Terracina saw a few McNeese State games as a youngster, but once he began playing he never saw another game there.
"I never thought about what it would be like to play there [Cowboy Stadium], because I never knew where I would be playing college ball or even if I would be playing in college," he said.
"It's going to be great for my family and friends to get a chance to see me play," he added.
Played soccer
Terracina grew up playing soccer, which he did all through high school at Barbe High in Lake Charles.
"I played soccer right through my senior year, but I also played football from my freshman year on also," he said.
"I still play a little soccer -- pick-up games -- and once in a while I still kick it around with the YSU women's team," he added.
His parents, Lucas and Jean Terracina, are excited about having Nick back home for a game. He also has two sisters, Claire and Diane, and a brother, Jacob.
"My parents have a couple of tailgate spots for the game and they are inviting any YSU fans going to the game to stop by before," he said. "My dad makes a great gumbo."
Terracina says that there are several players on this year's McNeese State team that he played with and against in high school.
"They are a very good team, but so are we," he added. "It should be a great game and hopefully we can put it together and come out with a win."
Junior college transfer
Terracina came to YSU a year ago as a junior college transfer from Jones Junior College, where he was one of two players in the National Junior College Athletic Association to finish ranked in the top 10 in both punting and kicking his sophomore season.
Last year, his first with the Penguins, Terracina made 13 of 17 field goals and led the team in scoring with 68 points.
He set a YSU record when he kicked a 56-yard field goal against Liberty University, beating the old mark of 54 yards held by Paul McFadden.
Terracina was named to the All-Gateway Newcomer team last season and was named the Gateway and national special teams player of the week after the Liberty game.
His 56-yard kick was the longest in all of I-AA last year.
Has struggled this year
Terracina has struggled so far this season and he's still trying to work out his problems.
"I'm not sure just what it is," he said. "I changed some things this summer, trying to get away from the jab-step, but I wasn't kicking well at all, so I went back to my old ways."
Twice during fall camp he went on streaks where he made every kick he tried, and both times there were NFL scouts present.
"It's funny because after practice somebody came up to me and said that I kicked pretty well for the NFL scout, and I was surprised because I didn't even know they were there," said Terracina, an Industrial Engineering major.
Terracina said that he'd love to get a shot at the pros if the opportunity arises. He would be the third YSU kicker to do so following McFadden and Jeff Wilkins, now with the St. Louis Rams.
"If it happens that would be tremendous, but if it doesn't that's OK, too," he said. "That's why I'm going to school to help take care of the future."
mollica@vindy.com