Jaworski United To YSU Past

The former Penguin and NFL quarterback has fond memories of his college days

By JOHN KOVACH

Vindicator Sports staff

BOARDMAN — Former Youngstown State quarterback Ron Jaworski, who went on to play 17 seasons in the NFL, recalled that his fondest memory playing for coach Dike Beede’s Penguins was beating Akron.

“We beat Akron, 22-21, in 1972. I still have a gold trophy with the score of the game,” said Jaworski, who was the keynote speaker for the annual United Way “Champions Among Us” dinner Thursday night at Mr. Anthony’s.

Jaworski, now a businessman dabbling in real estate and golf course development and also a broadcaster for ESPN’s Monday Night Football, said that he has been a longtime supporter of United Way and is glad to return to his college home to represent the program.

“I have been involved in United Way for 32 years, and currently I am campaign chairman in Southern New Jersey,” said Jaworski, a Lackawanna, N.Y., native and 1973 graduate of YSU who now makes his home in Medford, N.J. “United Way helps to raise money for those in need. I started with United Way in 1977 doing NFL promotional spots.”

Jarowski, known for his very strong throwing arm while at YSU, got an opportunity to meet some of his former YSU teammates at the banquet, including Jim Infante, an offensive lineman.

“You never forget about your offensive linemen. They made my job a lot easier,” said Jaworski, who went on play 17 years in the NFL from 1973-89 with the Los Angeles Rams, Philadelphia Eagles, Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs.

For his career, he completed 2,187 passes in 4,117 attempts for 28,190 yards and 179 TDs with 164 interceptions.

Jaworski remembered his days at YSU with fondness, particularly the weeks the team spent at Camp Fitch to prepare for the season, and the days spent with Beede and athletic director Willard Webster.

“We had a lot of balance in our lives because Beede and Webster had other interests [besides football] that they shared with us,” said Jaworski, who called Beede an innovator whose ideas still live and thrive today.

“I was talking to Jon Gruden [ESPN Monday Night broadcasting partner] in New York recently about the spread offense and the impact it is making on collegiate sports, and I told him that’s the same offense that Dike Beede innovated at YSU 40 years ago, which was the side-saddle T, and he had no clue what I was talking about. [Beede] also invented the penalty flag.”

Jamorski remembers YSU as a small college with only a few buildings, and he is impressed by how the school has grown.

“I’m so proud of what YSU has accomplished,” he said, recalling that the football team did not have a field of its own but had to play at area high school stadiums like Rayen, Campbell and Fitch. “We were orphans looking for a place to play.”

Jaworski, now also CEO of Ron Jaworski Golf Management, Inc. based out of Blackwood, N.J., has been busy developing real estate into golf courses.

“I invested my money into real estate and golf courses and I own six golf courses,” he said, but none around the Youngstown area.

But regarding the possibility of making some area investments, Jaworski said, “My ears are open and my eyes are open” to any investment proposals.

kovach@vindy.com