Zetts recuperating, but most likely able to start

Todd Rowan will probably get quite a few snaps at quarterback on Saturday.

By PETE MOLLICA

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

YOUNGSTOWN — Tom Zetts has been the starting quarterback in Youngstown State’s last 45 games and it’s a pretty good bet that the senior from Boardman will make it 46 in a row on Saturday.

The 6-1, 210 pound fifth-year senior was banged up last Saturday in the Penguins’ 14-13 Gateway Conference loss at Northern Iowa and has practiced little this week while recuperating from a sprained knee.

But all indications point to Zetts being the starter Saturday when the Penguins (5-4, 1-3 Gateway) make their final road trip of the season to Terre Haute, Ind., to meet the winless Indiana State Sycamores (0-9, 0-4) in a noon kickoff at Memorial Stadium.

YSU head coach Jon Heacock said he expected him to play Saturday.

“He took a mean hit in the fourth quarter and came out for one play, but after seeing the hit I was just glad to see him get up and hobble off the field,” Heacock said.

“I know that I’d have to bring a rope and tie him to the bench if we didn’t think he was able to play Saturday,” he added.

Zetts had his best game of the season against the Panthers, throwing for a season high 245 yards and hitting on 25 of 35 attempts with one interception and one touchdown.

The veteran quarterback currently holds or has tied six YSU passing records and is one touchdown pass and one more 200-yard game from adding two more. His 45 starts are a career record, as are his 618 completions, 1,044 attempts, 59.2 completion percentage and 7,234 passing yards.

He needs one TD pass to equal Jeff Ryan’s career record of 50 and one 200-yard game to pass Ron Jaworski in that category. They each have 12.

In three games against Indiana State in his career he is 35-of-54 for 395 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.

Although the Penguins have beaten the Sycamores 10 straight times and are 15-1 all time against them, Heacock feels that they will be playing their best game against the Penguins.

“It’s senior day up there and their last home game and they have 17 seniors who will be playing their final game at the stadium,” he added.

“They haven’t changed much since the coaching change and they have a young freshman quarterback who is really talented,” Heacock said.

Heacock said that with Zetts banged up, sophomore quarterback Todd Rowan will probably get quite a few snaps on Saturday. The former LaBrae High standout has played very little this year and is the heir apparent to take over for Zetts next season.

Heacock also said that last week’s loss was disappointing because the Penguins had the opportunities to win the game.

“When you’re on the road and looking for a win you have to take every opportunity you get and we didn’t do that,” he said. “I thought that our preparation last week was the best it’s been all season. We prepared to the highest, but we came up short.”

Following Saturday’s road encounter, the Penguins will close out the season with a home contest against Western Illinois on Nov. 10 in a 1 p.m. kickoff at Stambaugh Stadium. It will also be senior day for the Penguins.