Penguins’ O-Line triggered upset

September 21, 2008 at 12:09a.m.

North Dakota State vs YSU

The YSU Penguins played The North Dakota at home Saturday, September 20, 2008. YSU won 32-24.

The goal was to run downhill and Tyler Booth feels YSU succeeded.

YOUNGSTOWN — Youngstown State University offensive lineman Tyler Booth could barely contain his enthusiasm following Saturday’s 32-24 win over North Dakota State, the nation’s second-ranked Football Championship Subdivision team

Booth led an offensive line that was the main reason that the Penguins were able to upset the Bison.

“I think we’re on the right track,” Booth said following the game. “Honestly, we can do anything. We have so much talent and we finally ran the ball downhill and [NDU] wasn’t expecting that.

“Tonight, we said we are just going to run the ball downhill against them.”

Booth anchors the line from his left tackle position and is joined by right tackle Bobby Coates, guards Eric Rodemoyer and Nhiemie Theodore and center Brad Samsa.

YSU racked up an incredible 340 yards on the ground against a Bison team that had only allowed opponents to rush for fewer than 150 yards per game.

Freshman running back Kamryn Keys ran for 146 yards on 21 carries in his first extended action of the season and junior Jabari Scott added 120 yards in 17 carries.

Quarterback Brandon Summers added 64 yards rushing and Ferlando Williams gained 12 in three carries.

“The holes were huge,” said Keys who hails from McKeesport, Pa. “The only thing I had to think about was holding on to the football.”

Booth said that the offensive line has been a work in progress this season and Saturday showed that the group is starting to reach their potential.

“The first couple of games, it looked like maybe the line was bad and then it looked like the running backs were bad,” Booth said. “We weren’t blocking anybody.

“We’re coming together now and we’re humming and now everyone looks great and that’s awesome.”

YSU coach Jon Heacock said it was the team’s intention to attack the Bison on the ground.

“We felt like we could do some things this week,” Heacock said. “It was a matter of execution and the guys on the line were doing a good job.

“We’re getting better each week and that’s because of the hard work these guys are putting into it each practice.”

The crucial point in the game for YSU came midway through the fourth quarter when the Bison scored with 7:09 left to cut the Penguins’ lead to 29-24.

YSU drove from their own 26 to the North Dakota State 23-yard line behind seven straight runs by Keys.

After a 5-yard loss on a run by Williams another run by Keys on third down set up a 40-yard field goal by Brian Palmer to push the Penguins lead to eight points.

Booth said that was the critical point in the game for the Penguins.

“It was our mindset to come out and drive the ball down the field,” Booth said. “We wanted to finish the game with the ball in our hands but a couple of plays didn’t go our way yet we were still able to get it close enough with two and a half minutes to play to score.”

Booth said the win was a statement game for the Penguins.

“It puts us right back in the grid,” Booth said. “We know that we have to win our conference to make the playoffs and this win gets up right back in the race.”