YSU’s high hopes dashed by Pittsburgh — again

COLLEGE FOOTBALL | Week 1

Penalties and mistakes cost the Penguins, who were outplayed by the Panthers, 38-3.

By PETE MOLLICA

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

PITTSBURGH — Once again, the Youngstown State football team found out that there is still a pretty good distance between teams from the Football Bowl Subdivision and teams from the Football Championship Subdivision.

The Penguins had some high hopes going into Saturday’s season opener against the University of Pittsburgh, but the Panthers dominated the contest before walking away with a 38-3 victory before an announced crowd of 48,497 at Heinz Field.

YSU head coach Jon Heacock was disappointed in some things, but he hasn’t given up on his team this season.

“The penalties were disappointing and some of the mistakes we made, but I still like this team and I still feel very good about them,” Heacock said.

“That was a pretty good football team we played today and their defense was outstanding,” said Heacock of the Panthers. “We may face some individuals as good as some of their players the rest of the year, but we won’t face a front seven as good as we’ve seen today.

“We had some opportunities and I thought we had made some good adjustments in the second half,” Heacock said. “You’ve got to do some good things to help if you want to win and I don’t know if we did enough good things to win.”

For the fifth time in five years, the Penguins failed to score a touchdown against a FBS opponent, YSU had to settle for a 48-yard field goal by junior kicker Stephen Blose in the second quarter.

Pitt outgained the Penguins 390 to 159 in total yards, including 196 yards rushing and 203 through the air.

The Penguins managed 46 net yards rushing and 113 passing.

Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt was impressed with the Penguins.

“Youngstown State came in and battled and made some plays on us today,” Wannstedt said. “We have a lot of work to do to improve in a lot of areas, but I liked the way our team approached the game and started fast.”

The Panthers, who defeated the Penguins 41-0 in 2005, were led by freshman tailback Dion Lewis, who rushed for 129 yards on 20 carries.

Lewis scored three touchdowns, one on a three yard pass from senior quarterback Bill Stull.

The Penguins did little on offense, although they did move the football on several occasions.

YSU had a 17-play drive that began at the end of the first quarter which ended with Blose kicking the field goal.

The Penguins also had a 14-play drive in the fourth quarter, moving from their own 20 to the Pitt 15.

But that drive ended when senior quarterback Brandon Summers was intercepted in the end zone.

Summers finished the game 11-of-22 for 113 yards passing, but he was intercepted twice and was sacked six times by the Panthers’ defense.

Senior Donald Jones was Summers’ top target as he caught four passes for 34 yards.

The running game was held in check by the Panthers as only senior tailback Kevin Smith finished in plus numbers.

Smith rushed for 47 yards on 17 carries. Nobody else on the team had more than nine yards total.

After the Penguins stopped the Panthers on their first drive, Pitt scored on its next possession when Lewis rambled 16 yards to the end zone.

After Blose cut the lead to 7-3, the Panthers quickly scored.

Again, it was Lewis on a 1-yard run which was set up by his 25-yard scamper down to the 1.

Just before halftime, the Panthers scored again when Stull connected with Lewis on the 3-yard pass.

YSU came out the second half and snuffed the Panthers opening drive when junior safety Brandian Ross picked off a Stull pass at his own 45. He returned it 24 yards deep into Pitt territory, but an illegal blocking penalty put the Penguins back at their own 39 yard line.

After stopping the Panthers again, the Penguins couldn’t move and Pitt went down to score on a 26-yard field goal by Dan Hutchins, Pitt added two more quick scores, one on a 13-yard pass from Stull to Dorin Dickerson.

On the first play of YSU’s next drive, Summers was intercepted by Dom Decicco.

The Penguins will return home to play Austin Peay on Saturday in a 4 p.m. contest at Stambaugh Stadium.

mollica@vindy.com