Weather was ideal for YSU

I don’t know if we could have asked for a more perfect day to bring a close to spring practice for the Youngstown State football team.

A beautiful, warm, sunny day that began with the football alumni golf outing at Oak Tree Country Club in West Middlesex, Pa., and concluded with the Red and White game at Stambaugh Stadium.

YSU coach Jon Heacock couldn’t remember a spring practice with better weather than this year.

“We never even came close to cancelling or postponing a practice and most of the sessions were perfect weather for football,” he said.

The alumni golf outing, which continues to grow, was a huge success in the morning and early afternoon. Probably one of the best moves by the group was moving this event to Oak Tree. Director of golf Bob Collins and his staff had the course in near perfect condition once again.

One of the highlights of the day, of course, was the appearance of former Penguins quarterback Ron Jaworski, who spent the entire day with his former teammates and the YSU family.

The thing that really stands out about the 17-year NFL quarterback was that he really enjoyed being here.

There was a lot of back-slapping going on at the golf outing as the ESPN Monday Night Football analyst came early and stayed late.

“Every time I come back here it gets better and better,” said Jaworski. “I’m so proud of my university and I just love seeing all my old friends and teammates.

Jaworski speaks to YSU team

Jaworski spoke to the YSU football team prior to the Red and White game and then took part in the pregame coin toss.

“I told the team about what it means to be a part of Youngstown State University and its football program and just what this program can do for them,” he said.

And how about the spring game.

I was surprised that the Red posted a 15-0 victory, especially since I was the one at the draft luncheon who said it looked like the White should be a 21-point favorite. I later cut that down to 14 points after the draft.

Riding down in the Stambaugh Stadium elevator after the game with YSU offensive coordinator Brian Wright, who just happened to be on the Red coaching staff, he quickly told me, “Never bet against Todd Rowan in the spring game.”

Rowan, the junior quarterback from LaBrae High had completely dominated the spring game the past two seasons, while leading the Red team to victories. He didn’t have anywhere near the statistics he had in his first two spring games, but it was certainly enough to post his third straight victory.

I wonder if any YSU quarterback has ever won four straight spring games.

Red defense big difference in game

But the real difference in Friday’s contest was the Red defense, which held the White to a minus-7 yards rushing and just 50 yards passing, while the Rowan-led Red offense was rolling up 261 total yards.

Senior defensive back Jarvis Richards said after the game that he thought it was the Red’s ability to be in the right places at the right time. “We just didn’t make any real big mistakes in the game,” Richards said.

Senior tailback Kevin Smith, who had a game-high 44 yards on eight carries, said the offense was solid for the most part.

Both players said that the real test for the Penguins will be over the next three months.

“Summer workouts is where it all has to come together,” said Smith.

Before football begins again in August, YSU will host two of the Horizon League’s biggest spring events next month — the outdoor track & field championships May 8-9, and the baseball tournament May 20-24 at Eastwood Field.

XPete Mollica covers YSU athletics for The Vindicator. Write to him at mollica@vindy.com.