Limongi: YSU must forget

The lineman said the Penguins' loss to Pitt is history. The Gateway season is about to commence.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- Nobody had to tell Youngstown State senior Tony Limongi that he and the Penguins didn't play very well last week against Pitt.
And nobody has to tell Limongi or the rest of the YSU football team that they have to forget about last week and get ready for the team's second season of football -- the Gateway Conference.
The Penguins, 3-1 after last Saturday's 41-0 loss to Pitt, will begin play in the Gateway on Saturday when they play host to Illinois State (3-1) in a 6 p.m. kickoff at Stambaugh Stadium.
"We obviously didn't play as well as we expected last week," said Limongi, a Niles native. "We went out there and the first few snaps we felt like we could play with them, but then I don't know what happened.
"It was disappointing and we might have been a little overmatched, but we still didn't play anywhere near what we're capable of doing," he added.
Second year starter
The 6-foot, 300-pound senior guard is beginning his second season as a starter on the YSU offensive line and he knows this week's game will provide a big challenge to the Penguins.
"Illinois State is a good football team and one that is playing very well," he said. "They have a strong defense and we have to get back to what we were doing in the first three games this year to be successful against them.
"I think we're ready to get back out there and show what we can do. The Gateway is a tough league and we want to get off on the right foot on Saturday," Limongi added.
Since coming to YSU in 2001 as part of coach Jon Heacock's first recruiting class, Limongi has worked his way up the latter to the starting team.
After being redshirted his freshman year, Limongi shared time on both offense and defense in 2002, but was moved back to offense in the spring of 2003 and played in 10 games that season.
Starter last season
Last year he moved into the starting lineup and started all 11 games at left guard. He was named the offensive lineman of the game against Slippery Rock and played 99 snaps (offense and special teams) in the game at Western Kentucky.
"Saturday begins a new season for us and because it begins the Gateway season we know that we have to be at our best in order to win," he said.
"Every game in the Gateway will be a battle this year, but it's a challenge that we look forward to having.
"There is really not a lot of pressure on the line this week, because we know what we have to do," Limongi said. "If we play the way we're capable the rest will take care of itself.
mollica@vindy.com