YSU gets Mo. State at home Saturday

The Penguins are seeking the secret to better starts in games.

By Pete Mollica

YOUNGSTOWN — Youngstown State junior Eric Rodemoyer didn’t play in the Penguins’ season opening loss to Pittsburgh, but ever since then the standout offensive guard has been the team’s leader on the offensive line while the Penguins have won three straight.

Rodemoyer didn’t play against Pitt because of disciplinary reasons, but the 6-foot-4, 280-pounder from Sharon, Pa., has made up for it by earning the team’s top offensive lineman honors the last three weeks.

YSU (3-1) defeated Indiana State last Saturday 28-0 and the offense racked up 347 total yards against the Sycamores in the Missouri Valley Football Conference opener in Terre Haute, Ind.

This week the Penguins will return home for only their second home contest of the year when they entertain Missouri State in another MVFC contest in a 6 p.m. kickoff at Stambaugh Stadium.

Rodemoyer has been instrumental in the Penguins’ success offensively, but even he is concerned about the Penguins’ slow start in each of their three victories, winning all three games with fourth quarter rallies.

“I don’t think that it’s just one thing that has been stopping us early in the games,” Rodemoyer said. “We have to execute and we haven’t done that early yet this season.

“We really can’t afford another slow start, we have to come out fired up because we know that Missouri State has its back to the wall and will be ready for us,” he added.

Rodemoyer came to the Penguins a year ago as a transfer from West Virginia, where he started eight games as a freshman.

He quickly moved into the Penguins’ starting lineup last season and struggled right along with the rest of the team as they struggled through a 4-8 season.

The former Kennedy Catholic High standout feels good about this year’s team.

“We’re very happy to be back at home to sleep in our own beds on Friday night and not have to worry about the traveling,” he said. “But we can’t afford to look ahead, especially in this conference.

“This team is always ready to compete and there is nothing that we’re just not going to get better at,” he added.

He also praised the play of senior quarterback Brandon Summers.

“He does so many things that even makes us look better,” he added. “He has such quick feet.”

The defensive lineman award when to Torrance Nicholson for the second straight week.

The coaches’ offensive player of the game was senior tailback Kevin Smith, who rushed for 78 yards on 16 carries and scored one TD on a 21 yard run in the fourth quarter that broke open the contest with the Sycamores.

The defensive player of the week was junior linebacker Na’eem Outler, who had his first career interception and returned it 37 yards for the Penguins’ final touchdown on Saturday.

The game’s special teams player of the week was sophomore long snapper Nate Schkurko.

mollica@vindy.com