Offensive tackle: Depth is central to YSU's success

The Penguins have averaged 277 yards in their first two games.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- Youngstown State University was expecting to have a pretty good veteran offensive line this football season, but the big question mark was whether the Penguins had enough depth to back up the starters.
Before the season started the Penguins were without two returning starters, Josh Tanner and Pat Walker, and immediately that word "depth" quickly came into play.
Tanner, a sophomore guard, and Walker, a junior tackle, haven't played a down this season, yet the Penguins are off to a 2-0 start and the offense has been churning on all cylinders.
"Depth is the reason we are running the football better than we did all last year," said senior offensive tackle John Bartos, one of the three returning starters who are playing this year.
"We've had guys like Tyler Booth, Jamal Lee and John Foster just step up and take over, and everything has just been running smoothly," Bartos, an Ursuline High graduate, added.
Big offensive numbers
The Penguins have been averaging more than 250 yards a game on the ground in the first two games, getting 287 yards in the 44-14 win over Slippery Rock and adding 267 last week in a 35-16 win over Northeastern.
"We've blocked very well on offense," said YSU coach Jon Heacock. "That success running the football has opened up so many other options for us."
"We knew going into this season that we had backups for every position on the line," Bartos continued. "And anytime somebody went down, like Josh Tanner or Pat Walker, we had somebody ready to step right in and take over."
The Penguins have used as many as four tailbacks and two quarterbacks in the first two games, but Bartos said that isn't a problem for the line.
"As long as we stay together and continue to do our jobs on the field it really doesn't matter who's back there," he said.
Bartos, a 6-foot-3, 287-pound tackle, has started every game for the Penguins the past two seasons. He has twice won offensive lineman of the game honors, first in 2003 against Kent State University and last year in the win over Liberty.
Saturday the Penguins will make their first road trip of the season when they travel to Lynchburg, Va., to meet Liberty University.
"Liberty's defense is probably the most athletic defense that we've faced this year," Bartos said.
"Our line is very close to being where it needs to be this season," he continued. "A lot of it has to do with the comfortable feeling that we have among each other. That feeling is in the locker room and on the field, and if we can keep it going this could be a great year for us."
The last time the Penguins played in Lynchburg, in 2003, they trailed 3-0 after one quarter before lightning delayed the contest for 83 minutes.
The Penguins came back out and outscored the Flames 34-0 over the last three quarters to win easily.
Saturday's kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
mollica@vindy.com