The former Warren JFK standout played the first three seasons at tailback.

The former Warren JFK standout played the first three seasons at tailback.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- Josh Cayson wasn't ready to end his football career at Youngstown State.
Cayson, the former Warren JFK High standout, earned a fifth season with the Penguins by meeting the NCAA requirements toward graduation.
Cayson, who spent three seasons at YSU as a running back, missed his freshman season because he did not meet NCAA academic requirements.
To get that year back Cayson had to accumulate 85 percent of the credits needed to graduate with his class this spring.
"That part of it wasn't that difficult," said Cayson. "I've always done well in class."
Switches positions
But this football season the 5-foot-10, 180-pound Cayson faces even a tougher challenge as he will switch from tailback to wide receiver. But it's a challenge he is looking forward to taking on.
"I went to the coaches and asked them where they felt that I could be of most help to the football team," Cayson said. "Wide receiver isn't that difficult of a move for me, actually there is less punishment involved and I've been used to taking punishment for a long time at running back."
"The biggest thing for me is to learn the routes and to be in the right place at the right time," he said.
Cayson said receiver fits his abilities.
"I'm an open field-type runner and wide receiver enables me to get the ball in the open field and to do what I do best," he said. "I've got pretty good hands and I can catch the ball, but what I'm best at is when I get the ball.
"Last season we had some good receivers, but while they made a lot of catches their yardage after the catch wasn't that big," he said.
"I know that the key is getting open," he said. "If I get open I'm going to get the ball, if not I'm not going to get it."
Team has something to prove
Cayson said the Penguins have something to prove this season.
"We got left out [of the I-AA playoffs] last year and that didn't sit too well with us, so everybody has a little extra incentive this season," he said.
YSU coach Jon Heacock is excited about Cayson's move to receiver.
"The thing about Josh Cayson is that he's not out here to try and make it work and if it doesn't OK, but he's out here because he's going to make it work," Heacock said.
The Penguins held their first contact of the spring season Friday and Heacock was pleased with what he's seen so far.
The team held a short scrimmage and the offense appeared to be slightly ahead of the defense during the drill.
"I think that they are a little bit ahead at this point, mainly because of all the veterans we have on the line and in the backfield," said Heacock.
"There was a lot of good hitting out there today and it was a sign of a lot of older kids out there who have been through this before," he said
Offense impressive
Junior quarterback Tom Zetts had a good scrimmage with some pinpoint passing, while senior tailback Marcus Mason, along with senior Justin Reams and sophomore Brandon Nicholson, all ran well during the session.
Junior transfer tight end Lou Irizarry made a couple of outstanding catches, one of them one-handed while leaping over the middle, which drew some shouts of "Sweet Lou" from his teammates.
"Louis made a couple of good catches out there, although he did drop the first one we threw to him," Heacock said, smiling.
Three starters missed the scrimmage. Senior center Ryan Jewell had class, while senior tailback Monquantae Gibson and junior linebacker James Terry were both sick.
The Penguins will practice again today at 8:35 a.m. at Stambaugh Stadium.
"We'll go through the same practice we went through today without the contact," Heacock said.
mollica@vindy.com