YSU’s Samsa prepares for another new position on offensive line

By Pete Mollica | August 10, 2008 at 5:40p.m.

YSU's Brad Samsa

YOUNGSTOWN — Brad Samsa gets around a lot on the Youngstown State football team’s offensive line.

In fact this year he’ll be playing his third different position for the Penguins.

Samsa (6-foot-3, 280 pounds) came to Youngstown State in 2004 out of Howland High School where he was a first-team All-Ohio selection as a defensive lineman.

After being redshirted in 2004, Samsa saw action in six games as a in 2005 and was named the offensive lineman of the game against Western Kentucky.

As a sophomore Samsa moved into the Penguins’ starting lineup at right guard was named second team All-Gateway Conference, owning the highest cumulative grade percentage of all the linemen during the regular season (77 percent). Three more times he was named the offensive lineman of the game.

Last season Samsa started the first three games at guard, then because of injuries, moved to left tackle for the final eight games. He was again named first-team All-Gateway Conference and was second team All-American.

This spring the YSU coaches decided to move Samsa back to center and the standout made the move with ease as he gets ready for his third season as a regular.