43
Penguins deal with pressure at practice
By Jon Moffett
YOUNGSTOWN
Photo
Youngstown State defenders Vance Gibbs (28) and Andre Elliot (2) put pressure on fullback Dan Banna (45) during Wednesday’s football practice at Stambaugh Stadium. Head coach Eric Wolford spent a portion of Wednesday’s practice talking about the importance of handling pressure situations and remaining composed. The Penguins will suit up for their annual spring game Saturday.
Stephen Blose was told about two hours before Youngstown State’s football team took the field on Wednesday that he’d have an opportunity to end practice for he and his teammates early.
Blose’s task was simple: make a field goal to end practice, or the entire team would have an additional 30 minutes of sprinting and drills.
No pressure, right?
“We wanted to put some pressure on our kicker and wanted it to build up all day,” coach Eric Wolford said. “We told him if we had a big kick here today, we’d end practice a little bit early.”
Blose responded by drilling a 42-yarder straight between the uprights.
The kick was one example of the overriding theme on Wednesday: pressure situations and how to handle them.
“We try to put these guys in those situations as much as we can in practice,” Wolford said. “You try to practice as many situations that happen in a game as possible ... There are so many situations that can happen, and the more you practice them, the more your team becomes accustomed to them.”
Defensive line coach Tom Sims has a no-nonsense approach, and summed up pressure situations quite easily for the entire team.
“You’ve got to understand that [football] is a game of pressure, said Sims, whose presence alone could fill the Penguins’ defensive line.
“It’s a game where any play can be a big play. You never know when the big play is going to happen, so you have to be prepared, you have to be on guard, and you have to be giving effort at all times, so when that opportunity presents itself, you make the play.”
The notion of understanding situations to relieve some pressure has not been wasted. Several players, including junior linebacker Deonta Tate, talked about how a pressure-filled field goal attempt in April can lead to more success in August.
“Just knowing what’s going to happen in certain situations is getting us better prepared for the season,” Tate said. “So when you [face a similar situation] it’s like you’ve been there before, so you know what to expect. The coaches are putting us in position to know what to expect.”
What the Penguins can expect is more situational football at the annual dress rehearsal in the form of their spring game.
The Red team, which Wolford said is comprised of starters, will take on the White team, made up of backups and third-teamers, on Saturday. The game will serve as another tune-up prior to summer drills.
But Wolford hopes both teams bring their A game and the Red team doesn’t assume anything.
“Both teams have their own agenda, and it’s going to be interesting to see what we can do,” he said. “And one side is going to give in.”
Sims was much less subtle about his expectations of the defense.
“Toughness, and I want to see them finish,” he said. “And not just the Red team, but the White team and the Green team too. Anybody we put out there is expected to finish and play tough.”