Penguins set for tough test

Youngstown State meets James Madision in a playoff opener Saturday night.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- Youngstown State football coach Jon Heacock spent Thanksgiving morning with his football family and then the afternoon with his family, both times giving thanks.
"I have many things to be thankful for," Heacock said Tuesday at his weekly press conference. "But just one of them is for this opportunity to play at the next level."
The Penguins (9-2) worked out Thursday morning before getting the rest of the day off to be with family and friends.
"A lot of our kids live too far away to be with their family, but we had so many local families open their hearts and homes to our kids for Thanksgiving dinners," he added.
"We face a very tough task, a very tough challenge in a very tough bracket, but we are still very excited to be still playing at this time of the season," Heacock added.
Nationally televised
The Penguins are working hard this week for Saturday's opening round game in the NCAA Division I Football Championship series (formerly NCAA I-AA Playoffs) against James Madison at Stambaugh Stadium in a 7:30 p.m. kickoff, which is being televised nationally over ESPN2.
"James Madison is an outstanding football team with so many outstanding players," he said. "Their quarterback [Justin Rascati] is probably the best quarterback we've faced this season. He can run and pass, which makes it difficult for the defense.
"They do everything well, which allows them to be good."
James Madison has a two-time All-American, Tony LeZotte, at defensive back and "a linebacker [Akeem Jordon] who makes tackles all over the field," Heacock said.
But still Heacock feels that his team will match up pretty well against the Dukes (9-2).
The Penguins received the No. 4 seed in the championships and if they win on Saturday would also get to host a second round contest against the winner of the Eastern Illinois/Illinois State game also on Saturday.
The Penguins have won 12 straight home playoff games and are 12-1 overall. They haven't been in the playoffs since the 2000 season and haven't hosted a playoff game since December of 1999.
James Madison, which won the national championship in 2004, is making its seventh playoff appearance.
"Their playoff experience is going to be beneficial to them, but at the same time we feel that we've been in the playoffs the last four or five weeks of the season," Heacock said.
Open date timely
The Penguins also had the benefit of having an open date last weekend, which they needed to heal up several injured players.
"We played our regular season final without three key starters and survived," he said. "We're hoping to have them back for Saturday.
Senior tailback Marcus Mason, who is the No. 2 rushing leader in all of Division I football, missed the season final at Western Kentucky with an ankle injury.
Junior linebacker James Terry is also nursing an ankle injury and is probably the most serious of the Penguins injured.
Senior fullback Demetrius Ison also did not play against Western Kentucky.
"All three of them have been doing some things in practice this week, the first time in two weeks, so we're encouraged about their progress," Heacock said.
The Penguins have senior tailback Monquantae Gibson ready if Mason can't go and all the Louisiville, Ky., native did in the season final filling for Mason was rush for 236 yards on 43 carries and score two touchdowns.
Junior quarterback Tom Zetts is also ready for his biggest game in his three seasons as the team's starting quarterback.
Zetts, who runs the offense to perfection, has passed for over 1,400 yards, rushed for 286 more and scored three touchdowns.
The defense, which has struggled at times this season, appears to be one of the key issues on Saturday, since the Dukes are a potent offense, both running and passing the football.
If Terry's not ready then junior transfer Rashod Cotton will get the start at the linebacker position.
The YSU ticket office is open today from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. and again on Saturday beginning at 9 a.m.