43
YSU’s Pitts starting to get excited
Photo
YSU wide receiver Aaron Pitts during 4-9-09 practice.
By Pete Mollica
The last three years the Marion native has played a reserve role for the Penguins.
YOUNGSTOWN — For the past three seasons, Aaron Pitts has done just about everything that’s been asked of him, but it’s been in the role of a reserve player.
Pitts has played in almost every game the past two seasons as a reserve wide receiver and a special teams player, but this year, as a senior, he’s ready to step into the mixed and be counted upon on a regular basis.
“These four years have really gone by quickly, but now it’s my final season and I want to make it my best one,” Pitts said.
A Marion native who was a quarterback at Marion Harding High School where he earned All-Greater Buckeye Conference honors and once threw four touchdown passes in a single game, Pitts was recruited by the Penguins with the hope he would make the move to wide receiver.
Pitts (6-foot-3, 190 pounds) was redshirted his freshman season in 2005. In 2006 he played in five games and caught one pass for 12 yards.
He was a special teams regular in 2007 and also caught two passes for 24 yards, including one against Ohio State in the season opener.
Last year, he played in all 12 games, catching nine passes for 101 yards. Of those six went for first downs and eight were in the fourth quarter.
“I’ve really enjoyed my time here at Youngstown State, but now I’m excited about the opportunity to step up into the mix and really contribute to our offense,” he said.
“There is always going to be more pressure that comes with more playing time, but at the same time this is my senior season and there is always pressure on the seniors to lead the team to a better year.”
Pitts said that he can see a big difference in the Penguins’ returning starter at quarterback, Brandon Summers.
“You can just see that he’s much more comfortable back there this season,” Pitts said. “He knows the offense better and he’s taken over a major leadership role, but again he’s a senior also and that’s expected of him.”
This season Pitts is one of three senior wide receivers on the roster.
Donald Jones is the leading returning receiver, but he’s been out all spring with a hamstring injury.
“Donald is one of the big-play receivers we have and you always want to have your best out on the field,” said Pitts. “But while he’s recovering a lot of guys are getting a lot more reps on offense and they can only help us down the road.”
Pitts said the 2008 season was a major disappointment and that everybody is working so much harder this spring so that type of season never happens again.
“I think we all came in a lot more hungrier this season, especially the seniors who don’t want to end their careers like what happened last season,” he said.
The Penguins have today off and will return to workouts Wednesday at 7 a.m. They will also practice on Thursday morning and will hold a jersey scrimmage on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. at Stambaugh Stadium.