N. Dakota offers top challenge

By Pete Mollica

YSU pummeled a Division II team for its only victory.

YOUNGSTOWN — It’s time for the Youngstown State football team to get down to serious business.

The Penguins (1-2, 0-1 Missouri Valley Football Conference) have played two bad games and one pretty good game. Saturday evening, when No. 2-ranked North Dakota State invades Stambaugh Stadium for a MVFC contest, the Penguins need to be at their best.

Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.

YSU was soundly beaten in its first two games — 43-0 at Ohio State and 40-7 at MVFC rival South Dakota State. Last Saturday, the Penguins rebounded with a 38-0 thrashing of Division II Central State in their home opener.

North Dakota State (2-1) comes into the contest after suffering its first loss, a 16-13 defeat to Wyoming on a last-second field goal. The Bison rolled in their first two victories over Austin Peay (41-6) and Central Connecticut State (50-14).

YSU coach Jon Heacock says his Penguins progressed rapidly against Central State.

“After a victory you feel better about yourself,” Heacock said. “It shows them that working hard does pay off and the whole team felt good about the improvement.

“We know that we are going against the No. 2 team in the country this week and we know that this is our next big challenge,” Heacock said.

Offensively, the Penguins showed some continuity for the first time this season behind the play of junior quarterback Brandon Summers, who was making his first start at YSU.

Summers passed for two touchdowns, both to senior wide receiver Ferlando Williams. Junior tailback Jabari Scott ran for two more, a big improvement over the first two games which produced just one touchdown.

Heacock was pleased with the improvement in the offensive line.

“They were blocking better and really seemed to be getting a handle on what they are doing,” he said.

But Heacock knows the Penguins will be going up against a much tougher opponent this week.

“We’re well aware that this week’s opponent will be much better than what we went up against last week, but I also know that our guys are going to go out and do everything in their power to bring back a victory,” Heacock said.

Heacock wasn’t surprised that North Dakota State was picked first in the MVFC preseason poll even though this is its first season in the conference.

“They have 18 starters back from a 10-1 team which also beat Minnesota last year,” he said. “So it’s not surprising, but it is different since they weren’t in the conference until this season.”

The Penguins will be without three starting defensive linemen, but Heacock was pleased with what he saw last week with the replacements.

“Our defense is improving, it is still a work in progress, but the younger kids are doing a pretty good job in there,” Heacock said. “We even got Josh Myers a few snaps last week and he should be ready to go this week.”

Myers, a 6-foot-2, 275-pound redshirt freshman defensive end, has been injured but saw his first action.

Heacock also said a couple more offensive players were banged up last week and probably won’t play this week. Junior tailback Dana Brown and wide receiver/running back Josh Lee are expected to miss the contest.

mollica@vindy.com