YSU's rival can be spoiler

Missouri State has shown that it can score points and play with anyone.
By TOM WILLIAMS
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- When Youngstown State football coach Jon Heacock examines Missouri State, he doesn't see a 3-3 team that is two games out of first place in the Gateway Conference.
Instead, Heacock sees a spoiler that took Southern Illinois (4-2) to overtime, rallied to upset Northern Iowa (4-2) and produced 21 fourth-quarter points against Western Kentucky (5-1), this week's top-ranked Division I-AA team.
"They are playing very well," said Heacock whose Penguins (6-1, 3-0 Gateway) welcome Missouri State to Stambaugh Stadium for Saturday's 6 p.m. homecoming game.
"They're scoring a lot of points in the fourth quarter. They are a team that continues to fight and play."
Although the Bears are 1-2 in the Gateway, they still have a shot at the I-AA playoffs if they win their remaining four games. (Their Sept. 24 game against Sam Houston State was canceled because of Hurricane Rita and won't be made up).
"When you look at their scores by quarters, their fourth-quarter performance is really something," Heacock said. "That tells you that they are going to play right to the end."
Forced overtime
Against Southern Illinois (4-2, 2-1), Missouri State forced overtime before losing, 30-23. After defeating Northern Iowa 24-21, the Bears lost 37-28 at Western Kentucky.
"Just look at the last three games," Heacock said. "They ran the ball for more than 200 yards against Northern Iowa and not many folks do."
Against Southern Illinois, "they had a chance to win in regulation and just didn't get the ball in [to the end zone]," Heacock said. "Last week against Western Kentucky, they scored 21 points in the fourth quarter to bring them back to within two points.
"They are a very talented team."
Tailback Lee Baker, a transfer from Middle Tennessee, split end Michael Sparks and quarterback Scott Carroll, a transfer from Purdue, are the Bears' offensive weapons, but it's the huge offensive line that will be a challenge to the Penguins' defense.
They are guards Steve Kohenskey (6-feet-2, 306 pounds) and Seth Reichert (6-4, 311), tackles Groshawn Edwards (6-5, 330) and Justin Williamson (6-6, 262), and center David Tillman (6-3, 284).
Lot of passing yards
Their size is one reason Carroll has passed for 1,132 yards by completing 91-of-152 passes. Baker (5-7, 188) has rushed for 497 yards on 107 carries.
"[Baker is] not very big, [you] can't hardly see him," Heacock said. "He's very athletic, fast, tough to tackle and has great balance. They are as good as an offense as we have seen with the exception of Pitt."
Despite Carroll's statistics, Heacock won't mind seeing the Missouri State quarterback forced to throw.
"I've been coaching defense a long time and I still believe you have to be able to run the football to win and win consistently," Heacock said. "I don't get as nervous about large passing numbers."
The Penguins are tied with Western Kentucky atop the Gateway standings thanks to a fourth quarter rally last Saturday in the 23-21 victory over Western Illinois.
Tailback Marcus Mason scored a 28-yard touchdown on a draw play with 3:57 remaining for the winning points. Cornerback Codera Jackson's interception set up the go-ahead drive.
YSU gains confidence
Heacock says his team is gaining confidence from that victory plus the Oct. 1 comeback over Illinois State (20-17).
"Success is contagious," Heacock said. "You start to believe that no matter what happens, you start to handle adversity better, you don't go crazy when things go bad.
"As a collective whole, that was not our sharpest game. We had some great series and some great plays with tremendous individual efforts. We found a way to win in the end and that was critical, but that was not our finest football game by any means," he said.
Mason rushed 21 times for 125 yards. Quarterback Tom Zetts completed 15 of 32 passes for 202 yards.
One of the Penguins' highlights was limiting the Leathernecks to 48 yards rushing on 38 carries.
"We stopped the run against Western Illinois, which at times we have not been able to do," Heacock said. "There were some pretty good things in that game."
williams@vindy.com