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Wolford’s analysis: There’s work to be done
By Joe Scalzo
Youngstown
When YSU coach Eric Wolford was hired from South Carolina in December, he went from the most-talented conference in the country, the SEC, to a rebuilding FCS team.
“I think it’s been a little bit of a process,” said Wolford. “When I talked to my wife when I first started, she said, ‘I already know what you’re going to say.’
“She’s been through this process at every new job I’ve had. After my first practice I feel like jumping off a building. And she said, ‘You said the same thing at Illinois [three years ago] and you went to the Rose Bowl.’”
Since Wolford obviously couldn’t compare YSU’s roster to South Carolina or Illinois, he watched film of other FCS teams, particularly in the Missouri Valley Football Conference, to see how his players matched up.
After almost four months and 12 spring practices, Wolford feels he has a pretty good grasp of his team’s strengths and weaknesses.
“I see some guys that can play,” he said, “and I know what our needs are.”
At Monday’s Bob Dove Spring Luncheon, Wolford cited three position groups as team strengths: running backs, wide receivers and linebackers.
And, as he’s done all spring, he pointed to the offensive line as a weakness, even though that position was, on paper, the team’s strongest entering the spring.
“We need to get the offensive line squared away,” said Wolford, an offensive lineman at Kansas State who has coached the position since his playing days ended. “We need to get ourselves physically more prepared to compete at this level.
“Our strength numbers are not acceptable at this point. Going into this summer, it’ll be a crucial time to make some gains at the line of scrimmage.”
Although there are some standouts at the other position groups — defensive coordinator Rick Kravitz singled out defensive lineman Torrance Nicholson and cornerback Brandian Ross — Wolford is clearly dissatisfied with the team’s overall talent, believing there is little depth (and, consequently, little competition) at most positions.
He and his staff have been recruiting every day, trying to get players both for next year’s signing day and this summer. Because YSU is in the FCS, Division I players don’t have to sit out a year after transferring, which can be a huge advantage for a staff with as many Division I connections as Wolford’s.
“We recruit every day,” he said. “It’s like shaving. If you don’t shave, you look like a bum. You’ve got to recruit every day or you’re going to look like a bum.”
Wolford’s staff has used spring practices to identify their biggest needs, so they can address them in the offseason. Quarterback remains a big concern, where junior Marc Kanetsky and redshirt freshman Kurt Hess have emerged as the top two options. Offensive coordinator Shane Montgomery doesn’t feel either has separated himself and said he doesn’t expect to name a starter until fall camp.
That points toward adding at least one transfer, especially since true freshman Meiko Locksley has already left the team.
Montgomery said he expects some key players to be added in the next few months.
“We’ve got some guys coming in, whether they’ll be a transfer or a junior college player or a freshman that are going to help us next year,” he said. “I think we need to keep that in the back of our mind.
“The biggest thing for us to figure out is, of the guys that are here now, who do we think are going to play over the next year and where are those [other] pieces going to come from?”
Bottom line: Wolford wants to win a national championship at YSU — and clearly doesn’t think his roster is talented enough to do so. Yet.
“I walk into my office every day and see those nationals sitting there,” Wolford said of the Penguins’ four national championship trophies. “It’s there, it’s in my face every day.
“That’s what we’re here for and I embrace it.”