Penguins think big in 2006

"Older and wiser" could actually be the theme behind the Youngstown State football team in the upcoming 2006 season.
Jon Heacock, who next month will receive his award as Ohio College Coach of the Year, has a veteran group returning this season and has high expectations from his team.
"I think you saw it today [Friday]," Heacock said. "There was more good passing, more good runs and more good hits on the first day of contact then you've seen in a long time around here and that all comes from experience.
"With that experience you can do more things quicker and was obvious today," he added. "Because of that experience we're doing things on the first day of pads that we wouldn't normally be doing until the sixth or seventh practice in the spring."
Heacock feels that the Penguins have motivation going into the 2006 campaign, which will get underway in August when the Penguins play host to Slippery Rock University at Stambaugh Stadium.
Motivating factorsfor this season
"I think that they have two motivating factors going into this year," he said.
"First, and I hope most importantly, they got a taste of what success was like last year, having a good season, sharing in the Gateway championship," he said. "I hope that they use that to their advantage this season.
"Secondly I think they now know that they can't depend on anybody else to help them and they have to take it upon themselves to get this team to the next level," he continued.
Most experts around the university predicted that this would be the year that the Penguins break their five-year drought in the NCAA I-AA playoffs. They almost pulled it off last season, but didn't get any help from the playoff selection committee.
YSU has veteran players returning at almost every position, including third-year starting quarterback Tom Zetts, a veteran offensive line and a veteran backfield.
Defensively, the Penguins have strength at linebacker and at defensive backs, and a defensive line that appears sound after losing both of its ends through graduation.
Still some holesfor YSU to fill
The Penguins do need to find some replacements on special teams with the snapper and holder.
Sophomore placekicker Brian Palmer has been kicking the ball very well this spring, but the key to his success will be finding a snapper and holder.
Another slightly unknown position is at wide receiver, where the Penguins lost their three players from a year ago, but that spot also has great potential.
One of those possible replacements is 6-foot-5, 250-pound tight end Louis Irizarry, a former Ursuline High standout who was originally recruited by Ohio State.
Irizarry could be a great weapon for the Penguins this season because despite his size, he runs like a wideout, leaps like a defensive back and has great hands.
In Friday's scrimmage he made two catches that had the coaches drooling.
Both were over the middle where he had to go up high and make the grab, well over top of the defensive back.
Defensive coordinator and secondary coach Mike Kolakowski was impressed by Irizarry.
"He's going to make our secondary so much better, because they are not going to see a better receiver this year from our opponents," Kolakowski said.
Irizarry played in 2003, his freshman season, with the Buckeyes, but then got into trouble and eventually was let go by the university.
After sitting out a year, he returned last season as a walk-on with the Penguins and played most of the season on the scout team.
He's already received a nickname from his teammates. "Sweet Lou" is what they were yelling when he made those catches Friday.
"Sweet Lou" and "older and wiser" combined could just get the Penguins back into the I-AA playoffs and a trip back to Chattanooga, Tenn., in December.
Pete Mollica covers YSU athletics for The Vindicator. Write to him at mollica@vindy.com.