YSU gets good news for Saturday’s finale

By Pete Mollica

Senior Ferlando Williams and junior Jabari Scott will return to the lineup.

YOUNGSTOWN — Finally, there’s some good news coming out of the Youngstown State football training room.

All season long, week after week, it was one player after another going on the injury list and missing playing time, some for the entire season.

This week, following the Penguins’ open week, some good news was released. Senior Ferlando Williams and junior Jabari Scott are returning to action for the Penguins season finale on Saturday at Western Illinois.

Kickoff in Macomb, Ill., will be at 2:05 p.m. Fans can watch the game over WBCB-TV.

Williams (6-0, 195) from Warner Robins, Ga., has not played since the Oct. 25 Northern Iowa contest. He missed the past two games after suffering an infection in his arm that hospitalized him for a week.

The wide receiver had 26 receptions for 306 yards and four touchdowns. He’s expected to see considerable action at tailback behind Scott.

Scott has not played since the Penguins’ contest with Southern Illinois on Oct. 18. He has missed four of the last six games and has been on the field for just 29 snaps in the games he played against Missouri State and Southern Illinois.

Scott is the Penguins’ No. 2 rushing leader with 403 yards on 55 carries in seven games. He has scored five touchdowns.

“It’s good to have them back with the team,” YSU head coach Jon Heacock said. “Ferlando will get some work at the tailback spot this week. That position has been hampered by injuries all season.”

“It will be his last football game here and for a lot of players on Saturday it will be the last football game they will have played,” Heacock said.

And it would be nice for the seniors to go out winners.

“That would be huge,” Heacock agreed.

The Penguins are sitting at 3-8, 2-5 in the Missouri Valley Football Football Conference and going nowhere after Saturday’s game. So what’s their motivation?

“I know for me it’s another football game and one we want to win, but I think there is motivation for the players also,” Heacock said.

“It’s the last game and it is against a very good football team,” Heacock said. “They will probably be playing against one of the top running backs in the country in Herb Donaldson.”

Heacock said that the Penguins practiced three days last week, while making sure they got plenty of rest.

“After 11 straight games we certainly needed it,” he said.

YSU was the only team in the conference that played 11 consecutive games this season.

“Our practices have been very sharp,” Heacock said. “Monday, we worked out in the snow.”

The Penguins have won the last four meetings against the Leathernecks, including two of them in Macomb.

“Some of our guys have gone there and won before, so this should help us on Saturday,” heacock saiddded. “Western Illinois is a very physical football team and very well coached. Donaldson is a very talented football player and with him they run the ball very well.”

As to whether the week off will be a plus to the Penguins, Heacock is still uncertain.

“We really took it very easy last week,” he said. “We will be fresher and we are rested, but we’re still pretty banged up and we’ll just have to wait and see Saturday if the week off was a plus or not.”

“Regardless this will be great challenge for our young defense.”

mollica@vindy.com