Penguin offense is back in the red

By PETE MOLLICA

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

YOUNGSTOWN — There was a big change on the spring practice field for the Youngstown State football team when it resumed drills Wednesday morning after three days off, one of them thanks to Mother Nature.

The Penguins offensive unit came out wearing the red practice jerseys that they won last Saturday, but that nobody but the players and coaches knew anything about.

The defense has held those red jerseys for most of the past two years claiming those honors just before the fall of 2007 season.

But Saturday YSU head coach Jon Heacock, “on the spur of the moment” decided to put the jerseys on the line during a short scrimmage session, the first real scrimmage the team has held this spring.

“I’ve said all along this spring that we had to get better every single day and that we had to be ready to compete every day,” Heacock said. “I’ve told the defense that every day you go out there and put on those helmets you are competing for YSU.”

“That’s why I just decided to put the jerseys on the line Saturday,” he added. “I don’t know how well that was received by everybody involved, but that’s the good thing about football put the ball down and no matter what happened before or after there is a score on each and every play and Saturday the offense beat the defense.”

As usual Heacock made his annual quote about intra-squad scrimmaging, where there is something good on one side of the ball usually means there is something bad on the other side.

“But over all it was pretty good for the short time that we did scrimmage,” Heacock said. “I think we only went about 20 or 30 plays, but there was some crisp hitting on both sides.”

“I think that our older kids did a much better job than the younger kids and the experience showed up,” he added.

Heacock has felt all along this spring that senior quarterback Brandon Summers is a much improved player over a year ago.

“Again he falls into that group of older players and they have all been doing a pretty good job,” he added. “We have to remember that Saturday was only the fourth practice that we’ve had this spring and none of them have been in very good weather.”

Heacock said that the Penguins have not had any serious injuries thus far this spring.

“A couple of sprained ankles, while senior linebacker Rashon Simons banged us his knee in the scrimmage and we’re having that looked at this week,” Heacock added.

One noticeable missing body this spring has been that of junior offensive tackle Bobby Coates.

The 6-4, 295 pounder from Canton and GlenOak High School, was a starter on the Penguins offensive line for most of last season.

“Bobby is not with us this spring, but we expect to have him back when summer school gets underway and also in the fall,” said Heacock.

Heacock has changed up the spring practice schedule a little bit over the next week.

The Penguins will practice today and Friday at 7 a.m. and then take Easter weekend off. They were not scheduled to return until Tuesday but will now workout Monday and Tuesday next week, take Wednesday off and then practice Thursday and hold their scheduled jersey scrimmage on Saturday at 9:30 a.m.

Heacock has also not made any decision yet as to whether the April 24 Red and White Spring Game will be an actual game or another jersey scrimmage.