PENGUINS Lee finds a home on YSU's O-Line

The senior guard also picked up another year of eligibility this season.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- Jamel Lee has finally found a home on the Youngstown State offensive line and he's even got an extra year to enjoy the role.
Lee, the 6-feet-3-inch, 280-pound senior guard from Cleveland Heights, bounced around between the offensive and defensive lines his first two seasons with the Penguins.
Last year when the Penguins were without two starters for most of the early part of the season, Lee stepped in an performed brilliantly in helping the Penguins to an 8-3 season and a share of the Gateway Conference championship.
Lee came to YSU as a freshman in 2002, but had to sit out that season while meeting NCAA eligibility requirements.
Meets obligations
Under the new NCAA regulations, in order to get back that season he missed, Lee was required to accumulate 85 percent of the credits needed to graduate with his freshman class and he met those requirements.
"It wasn't easy, but I had a lot of help," Lee said Friday. "From academic adviser Marilyn O'Bruba to the coaches and my teammates, everybody helped out."
Now Lee has another year to play and he's looking forward to it.
"Because we're a veteran offensive line we do have a little more pressure on us, but we like that pressure," Lee said. "It makes us work a little harder in order to perform the way we need to do.
"We've got a lot of good running backs, receivers and quarterbacks and it's important for us to do our job so that they can do their jobs," Lee said.
Only goal is to perform
Lee said that he only has one goal this season.
"That's to perform to the best of my ability and hopefully my teammates will do the same and we can go on as a team to be champions again," he said.
"We are an experienced group on offense, there is a lot of talent all over the unit and if we continue to work hard and come together as a group we should have a very good year," Lee said.
Lee's position coach Chris Bache is in his second season with the Penguins and he likes what he sees from his veteran linemen.
"When you look at it from last spring, a full season and then this spring the new concept that these guys have had to digest, it's actually incredible to see just what they've accomplished," Bache said.
"It always helps to have some great running backs and a talented quarterback along with the fact that there are a lot of veteran players who want to play this season and competition always makes for a better situation," he said.
The Penguins held a light workout on Friday, practicing just more than an hour.
Scrimmage time switched
Today's jersey scrimmage, which was scheduled for 9 a.m. has been moved back to 1 p.m. to allow the coaches and players to attend the funeral of former assistant coach Bob Dove.
The Penguins will hold their annual Bob Dove Red and White Spring Game draft luncheon on Tuesday at noon at the DeBartolo Club in Stambaugh Stadium.
The team will hold light workouts Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday to make final preparations for Friday's annual Red and White Spring Game slated for 7:30 p.m. at Stambaugh Stadium.
mollica@vindy.com