Penguins’ veteran offensive line makes changes

By Pete Mollica

Two of the three seniors returning will be in new positions this season.

YOUNGSTOWN — The offensive line for the Youngstown State football team is always a key spot toward the success or failure of the team, but this season the O-line might even be more of a determining factor.

The reason this year is so important is the Penguins will have an inexperienced quarterback starting for the first time in four years. YSU has three quarterbacks on the roster, but none of them have experience and only one has taken a few snaps in a YSU regular season game.

Three seniors return to bolster this season’s line, but two of them will be playing different positions.

Fifth-year senior Tyler Booth, who missed last season with a knee injury, received a medical redshirt and returns to the lineup. The 6-6, 315 pounder from New Philadelphia will be the only one of the three seniors to stay at his regular position at tackle.

Senior Brad Samsa, a second-team Associated Press All-American selection a year ago at guard and a three-year letterwinner, will move over to the center position this season, while senior Nhemie Theodore, who played tackle last season, will move to guard.

Samsa, a Howland High graduate, is excited about the season even if it means learning a new position.

“Playing at guard or tackle you really only have to worry about one thing,” Samsa said. “At center you have to know what’s going on both sides of you and then you have to concentrate on getting the snap down.”

The 6-3, 280 pounder, played both guard and tackle last season because of injuries on the line, but he hasn’t played any center since he was a freshman at YSU.

“I never played any center in high school and when I came here they made me a center my first year before switching me to guard,” he said. “My biggest concern right now is getting the snap down. I pretty comfortable with the snap with the quarterback right under center, but the shotgun snap is what worries me the most. I figure to get in a lot of snaps this spring and that should help.”

Booth is just happy to be back playing football and being healthy again.

“I feel real good right now, better than I’ve been in a long while,” he added. “With the three seniors back and several younger players who have really come along, we should be pretty solid up front this season.

“With a new starter at quarterback we will definitely have to be playing well, because whoever the starter will be will need to have confidence in his line to give him the protection and open the holes.”

Theodore, the 6-3, 315 pounder from Irvington, N.J., will also be playing a new position this spring as he moves from tackle to guard.

“I came in one day and the coaches told me that I was now a guard,” he added. “I said OK and that’s been it.”

“This spring is an important time for all of us,” he added. “It’s a time for the line to come together as a group and I see a lot of help around from some of the younger players.”

Junior Brian Mellott, a 6-3, 281 pounder from Austintown, is back for his second season on the line, but he too will be playing another position. Mellott started last season at center and then moved to guard. He was injured late in the year and missed the final two games.

Mellott had offseason surgery and will not practice this spring.

The Penguins have several other young players who will be counted on for playing time this seasons. Redshirt freshman Stiles O’Brien (6-5, 300 from Ellwood City, Pa.), sophomore Bobby Coates (6-4, 290 from Canton), sophomore Justin Rechichar (6-3, 290 from Jeannette, Pa.) and sophomore Chris Gammon (6-3, 280 from Akron) could all see action this spring.

The Penguins will hold their third and final practice in helmets and shorts today at 9:30 a.m. at Stambaugh. The first full pads and contact drills begin Sunday at 3:30 p.m.