YSU has some big holes to fill

By PETE MOLLICA

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

YOUNGSTOWN — The Youngstown State football team officially begins preparations for the 2008 season Monday as veteran head coach Jon Heacock will put some 90 players through opening drills at 6:45 p.m. at Stambaugh Stadium.

The Penguins will spend the first four days of fall camp in shorts working on conditioning and fundamentals and will put on full equipment for the first time on Saturday.

The Penguins have some big holes to fill going into camp as they lost eight lettermen on offense and 10 on defense, but the biggest hole left was at quarterback, where four-year starter Tom Zetts graduated.

Heacock, who begins his eighth season with a record of 50-31, is counting on junior Todd Rowan (6-3, 215) from LaBrae High, to take over for Zetts.

Rowan has been around the system for three seasons, but has completed just one pass in his collegiate career and saw action in just three games.

But he’s shown signs of being able to do the job, especially in his first two spring Red and White games, where he totally dominated.

Rowan has also had some injury problems, suffering hairline fractures in his shins the past two seasons which kept him out of action except for holding on field goals and extra point attempts.

Rowan isn’t the only quarterback prospect in camp as junior transfer Brandon Summers and redshirt freshman Paul Corsaro are ready to step in if needed.

Summers transferred from the University of Toledo, and was impressive during spring practice, while Corsaro was redshirted a year ago. The Penguins also have wide-receiver/quarterback Ferlando Williams, who the Penguins used quite frequently a year ago running out of the shotgun position.

“We have a lot of confidence in Todd stepping in and taking over,” Heacock said. “We also have several others capable of stepping in. There’s a chance than you might see more than one quarterback on the field at the same time, because of their versatility.”

Quarterback isn’t the only hole for the Penguins; they also lost three starting linebackers.

“We’ll be very young there, but we are talented enough that we should be able to fill those holes,” he added.

The Penguins have strength in both the offensive and defensive lines.

Four starters return offensively, while a fifth, Tyler Booth, returns after missing last season with injuries. Brad Samsa, Brian Mellott, Nhemie Theodore and Bobby Coates all started at times a year ago.

Heacock said redshirt freshman tackle Stiles O’Brien of Ellwood City has left the team. O’Brien played some last season until a season-ending knee injury against Lock Haven.

“Stiles has decided to join the work force and is getting a job,” Heacock said.

Defensively the front line is led by All-American and All-Missouri Valley Conference tackle Mychal Savage along with Torrance Nicholson, while Bobby Lykes-Knight returns after sitting out last season.

The Penguins should have one of the best special teams units in all of the conference led by second-team All-Missouri Valley Conference kicker Brian Palmer of Mineral Ridge and honorable mention All-League punter Ben Nowicki. Palmer, a senior, made his final 11 field goals in 2007. Nowicki is a junior.

Heacock said that the only other player who would not be in camp was freshman recruit Marquel Thomas, a wide receiver from Virginia Beach, Va., who did not meet the academic requirements, but hopes to do so this fall and join the team in 2009.