Sycamores better than 0-5 record

Indiana State gave nationally-ranked Western Kentucky a battle last week.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- Indiana State might be the best 0-5 football team that Youngstown State will face in a long time.
The Sycamores will play host to the Penguins Saturday in a Gateway Conference battle at Memorial Stadium in Terra Haute, Ind. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m.
Indiana State is coming off perhaps its best effort of the season when it took nationally ranked Western Kentucky down to the wire last week before dropping a 38-28 decision.
The Sycamores have losses against Eastern Illinois 24-13, St. Francis, Ind. 42-10, Murray State 27-15 and Division I-A Texas Tech 63-7.
Coach from Niles
First-year head coach Lou West knew he had a major project on his hands going into the campaign since the Sycamores have not had a winning season in eight years.
West, a Niles native and a 1973 graduate of Niles McKinley High School, accepted the challenge and has brought the Sycamores back to respectability.
"I waited a long time for the opportunity to become a head coach and I'm pleased to be associated with a fine university like Indiana State," he said. "We've come a long way in the first five weeks of the season, but we still have a long way to go."
The Sycamores enter the game averaging nearly 400 yards per game in total offense, including 253.6 yards a game passing.
Offensive production
Last week against Western Kentucky the Sycamores totaled 490 yards of offense, including 365 passing, but also allowed the Hilltoppers 521 total yards as the two teams combined for more than 1,000 yards of offense.
One of the big reasons for the Sycamores' offensive success has been the play of senior quarterback Blayne Baggett.
Baggett (6-2, 225) transferred to Indiana State this season after playing three seasons at Western Michigan under the Sycamore's new offensive coordinator Charley Molnar.
"Blayne knows the system we've implemented this year and he was way ahead of the rest of the offense, which is just now starting to catch up," said West.
In five games Baggett has completed 138 of 237 passes for 1,182 yards and four touchdowns. He has also been intercepted eight times.
Five good receivers
The Sycamores also have five receivers who have caught at least 16 passes this season. Senior wide receiver Sam Logan has 36 catches for 309 yards and one TD, while tight end Jamie Petrowski has 28 catches for 287 yards and two touchdowns.
The Sycamores can also run the football. Senior tailback Andre Forte (5-8, 205 pounds) leads the team with 425 yards on 79 carries and one touchdown.
Indiana State's offensive line is big but young, starting two true freshmen and only one senior, left tackle Paul McGuire (6-4, 325).
Defensively, the Sycamores are led by free safety Rafael Price (6-1, 185, Soph.) who leads the team with 37 tackles.
Top defender
Senior linebacker Doc Goodin (6-0, 235), a second-team All-Gateway pick last year, has 32 tackles and two tackles for losses and also blocked one of three kicks the Sycamores have stopped this year.
The secondary has come up with five interceptions and the team has four fumble recoveries on the year.
Indiana State has a solid placekicker in junior Kyle Hooper (5-10, 155), who is 5-for-5 in field goals, including a 40-yarder. Junior punter Phillip Johnson (6-3, 210) is averaging 36.8 yards on 29 kicks this year, eight of them inside the opposition's 20-yard line.