Heacock goes out with class

When they put the word “class” in the dictionary they should have put the name “Jon Heacock” right after it.

Saturday afternoon Heacock closed out his football coaching career at Youngstown State by overseeing the team’s annual award banquet.

It was, to say the least, an emotional event.

Heacock resigned his head coaching position following the team’s final game and although the veteran coach would never admit it, it really wasn’t his decision.

There is no way Heacock would just quit. He’s not that type of an individual and he strongly believed in what he was doing with the Penguins.

But Heacock stepped down under pressure, even if he won’t admit it. His 60-44 record over the last nine years is respectable while playing in a rugged league like the Missouri Valley Football Conference. However his one postseason appearance over those nine years wasn’t respectable enough for the powers-that-be and the YSU fans.

“This was never really a job,” said Heacock. “I loved being here these 16 years. And you know what the toughest part of it all is? That I’ll no longer be part of this football family.”

Heacock said these last few weeks have been difficult for him and his family.

“There are times when I’m still angry, but then others when I’m not,” he said. “It’s been tough, but the toughest part is no longer being able to coach these outstanding young men here.”

Heacock, who said he has no idea what the future holds, said he will be around for his players until the new staff is in place.

It was 19 years ago when Heacock, a young assistant coach, came to Youngstown State to interview for an assistant coaching position.

“I ended up being hired and it changed my life completely,” he said. “In 2000 I came back here to work again, and again it changed my life.

“In 2001 I stood in the same room and was given the opportunity to be the head coach of this football team and again my life was change. Now that’s done, but I still love this place and all the people here. But I’m certainly going to miss the players and being around them.”

Heacock took on the added responsibility of being the team’s defensive coordinator as well as head coach this past season.

“That might have been part of the problem, I don’t really know, but I know just how much that I enjoyed being in there and working closely with the defense,” he said.

“I don’t think that I’d do anything differently if I had it to do over again.”

YSU women struggling

Basketball season is in full swing and both YSU teams are struggling, especially the YSU women.

Second-year head coach Cindy Martin must feel jinxed.

Her first season, in which she inherited most of her players from former coach Tisha Hill, was a disaster as the Penguins struggled to a 3-27 record.

She hoped for better things this year, but a series of major injuries has depleted her roster to just six healthy players on a roster that has just eight players.

Two players, both recruits that she brought in this year, are out for the season with injuries and a third recruit, possibly her best player, is sitting out to get her academics straightened around.

Saturday, the Penguins suffered a 75-63 loss at the University of Akron, one of the three teams the Penguins beat last year and a team that the Penguins have dominated in recent years.

One of Martin’s healthy recruits is freshman Brandi Brown, who just keeps getting better every game.

She had 24 points and 14 rebounds, for her third double-double of the year against Akron, but until she gets some help the Penguins are going to be in serious trouble.

XPete Mollica covers YSU athletics for The Vindicator. E-mail him at mollica@vindy.com.