43
Summers quite cool in fi rst start
Jon Heacock said that the quarterback — a junior transfer — is going to grow into the job.
YOUNGSTOWN — Youngstown State University quarterback Brandon Summers was a man of few words during the postgame interview room following the Penguins’ 38-0 victory over Central State.
On the field, Summers showed a lot more poise and had a much better repertoire as he led the Penguins to their first victory of the season in his first start at Youngstown.
“Dangerous,” is how YSU head coach Jon Heacock described his new starter, who took over for Todd Rowan early in last week’s lost to South Dakota State.
“We’ll go grade [his performance], fine-tooth comb it and do all those things,” Heacock said. “Brandon showed he has the ability to really do some things with the football in his hands.”
In his first start, Summers had an efficient game, passing for 101 yards on 6 of 8 completions and two touchdown passes.
The junior transfer from Toledo, who had two Division I starts under his belt for the Rockets, also rushed for 12 yards on four carries and showed an outstanding ability to scramble in the pocket.
“He’s dangerous on the option,” Heacock said. “He has the ability to get to the edge and he showed that he can escape from defenders.”
Both of Summers’ touchdown passes came as he scrambled away from several Maraduer defenders before finding Ferlando Williams open for touchdowns.
Summers said he was a little nervous before his first start at Stambaugh Stadium.
“At first I was a little scared but as the game went along I started to loosen up a little bit,” Summers said. “I thought I could have made a few better throws but overall I think it went okay.”
Summers didn’t look nearly as comfortable in the interview room as he did in his No. 6 uniform on the field.
Most of his answers were short and to the point but he said that he is most concerned about getting better on the football field.
“Getting all the reps this week made it easier to come in and start this week,” Summers said. “I felt better this week than I did coming into the game last week.”
Heacock said that Summers is going to grow into the job along with all of the young players that dot the Penguins’ depth chart.
“I think he was successful because he didn’t try to put it all on his shoulders,” Heacock said. “We didn’t try to do that to him and I don’t think Brandon thinks he has to.”
Summers said that the team has worked hard all week and he thinks that work will begin to pay off.
“We just want to get better,” Summers said. “I think that people will see that I can run and throw the ball pretty well.”
Those words spoke volumes about Summers’ potential. He could be the spark that YSU needs as Missouri Valley Conference play resumes next week against North Dakota State.