Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Photo
LOOKING AHEAD: Youngstown State’s Donald Jones (81) reaches for a pass while being watched by Southern Illinois’ Brandon Williams (6) during the Salukis’ 27-8 win over the Penguins on Saturday in Carbondale. The Penguins are preparing to take on South Dakota State this Saturday.
GAME time
S. Dakota State at YSU
When: Saturday, 4 p.m.
Where: Stambaugh Stadium
TV/radio: MyYTV; WKBN-AM 570
Youngstown State needs to win its remaining games to have any chance for a playoff berth.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN — The Youngstown State football team hasn’t given up on the 2009 season.
Saturday, the Penguins suffered a 27-8 setback against No. 3-ranked Southern Illinois. The defeat dropped their season record to 4-3 and 2-2 in the Missouri Valley Football Conference.
The Penguins have four games remaining and they know they’ll have to win all four to get a shot at a playoff berth.
This Saturday, the Penguins are back at home where they will entertain South Dakota State (6-1, 5-0).
The Jackrabbits are tied with Southern Illinois for the top spot in the conference standings.
Saturday’s kickoff is set for 4 p.m. The game will be the Penguins’ annual homecoming game and will feature the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
YSU senior co-captains Mychal Savage and Donald Jones spoke Monday about what lies ahead.
“We are still taking things one game at a time,” said Savage, the 6-2, 310-pound defensive lineman. “We definitely still have that passion to win, but it all comes down to those little mistakes we’ve made that eventually add up to big things each week.”
But after seven games shouldn’t those little things been taken care of?
“Each game is different,” Savage said. “Each offense is different and the players are different and last week we just didn’t play well enough to win.”
“We still haven’t played up to our potential and this week again the game preparation will be very important,” he added.
Jones, the 6-3, 210-pound wide receiver, says that he’s still confident the Penguins can turn things around.
“I’m confident, very confident,” he said. “We just have to go out and do what we’re suppose to do.”
“Last week, Southern Illinois got the job done, we didn’t,” he said. “We just got to make sure that everybody is in the right place at the right time.
Again after seven games shouldn’t this been taken care of?
“It should be by now, but it hasn’t been,” Jones said. “That’s why this week we have to prepare as much as we can to get ready for Saturday’s game.”
Junior defensive back Andre Elliott says that he doesn’t feel the team has given up on the season.
“We all believe that we can still do it and we just have to go out and do everything we can to make it happen,” Elliott said.
“We have to practice like it’s the game, everything at game speed,” he said. “We have to practice every single play like it’s our last play.”
“We’ve got a lot of talent on this team, but for some reason it hasn’t always shown up at game time and we have to correct that this week.
The Penguins named their players of the week from last Saturday with senior wide receiver Aaron Pitts being named the offensive player of the game hauling in seven passes for 102 yards including a 56-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Brandon Summers.
The defensive player of the game was senior cornerback Lenny Wicks, while special teams honors went to junior wide receiver and kick returner Dominique Barnes.
Junior offensive guard Eric Rodemoyer earned another offensive lineman of the week honor, while sophomore linebacker John Sasson was the defensive lineman of the game.
Pitts also was named the Haines Family player of the game by the YSU radio broadcast team.
mollica@vindy.com
YSU OPPONENTS | How they Fared
Pittsburgh (7-1) defeated South Florida 41-14; (next vs. Syracuse, Nov. 7).
Austin Peay (3-4) defeated Eastern Kenucky 24-20; (next vs. Jacksonville State, Saturday)
Northeastern (1-6) defeated Towson 27-7; (next at New Hampshire, Saturday
Indiana State (1-7) defeated Western Illinois 17-15; (next vs. Southern Illinois, Saturday)
Missouri State (5-3) defeated North Dakota State 21-17; (next vs. Illinois State, Saturday
Western Illinois (1-6) lost to Indiana State 17-14; (next vs. North Dakota State, Saturday
Southern Illinois (6-1) defeated YSU 27-8; (next at Indiana State, Saturday
South Dakota State (6-1) defeated Northern Iowa 24-14; (next at YSU, Saturday)
Northern Iowa (5-3) lost to South Dakota State 24-14; (next vs. YSU, Nov. 7)
Illinois State (3-4) did not play; (next at Missouri State, Saturday
North Dakota State (1-7) lost to Missouri State 21-17; (next at Western Illinois, Saturday).
Overall record: 39-43