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Penguins boast fresh faces
By JOE SCALZO
YOUNGSTOWN
Say this for YSU football coach Eric Wolford: He’s not afraid of change.
When the Penguins open fall camp on Wednesday, they are expected to have 36 new faces since the end of spring practice — about 15 more than was typical under previous coach Jon Heacock.
Some are members of Wolford’s 15-member recruiting class from February, some are Division I transfers and some are incoming freshmen that have been added since the end of spring camp.
That latter group includes five area players: Mooney linebacker Mark Brandenstein, Boardman defensive linemen Dan Fernback (the cousin of YSU senior DT Rob Fernback) and Kevin Johnson, McDonald linebacker Trent Clay and McDonald wide receiver Nick Cupan.
Other incoming freshmen not from February’s class are safety Josh Garner (Dayton Chaminade-Julienne), cornerback Arnold Mitchell (Toledo Rogers), cornerback Chris Washington (Penn Hills, Pa.) and defensive tackle Brandon Green (Tampa, Fla., Catholic).
Defensive end Andrew Johnson, a Detroit native who spent the last two years at Bowling Green, is the team’s most recent Division I transfer.
That list that includes QB Najee Tyler (Purdue), WR Lynell Payne (Cincinnati) K/P Jake Smith (Syracuse), CB Grant Mayes (Syracuse) and WR Julian Harrell (Miami, Ohio).
YSU also has added four junior college players in the last few weeks, including highly-touted free safety Deionte Williams who comes from talent-rich Northwestern High out of Miami, Fla. He spent the last two years at West Hills (Calif.) Community College.
Other recent junior college transfers include DT Brandon Patterson, a Culver City (Calif.) native who spent the last two years at El Camino College in Torrance, Calif., and was expected to attend South Florida this fall.
Others are DE Danie Stewart, a Long Beach, Calif., native who also attended El Camino; and WR Andre Barboza, a Hyannis, Maine, native who spent the last two years at Erie (Pa.) Community College.
In all, the Penguins are expected to have 90 players on their roster on Wednesday, although that number almost will certainly shrink by the Sept. 4 opener at Penn State.
QB battle
YSU’s biggest camp question mark will be at quarterback, where five players will vie for the starting position.
Redshirt freshman Kurt Hess and junior Marc Kanetsky left spring camp in a virtual tie for the position. Tyler, the most physically gifted of the three, will probably battle Hess for the top spot over the next few weeks.
Redshirt freshman Gannon Hulea held the No. 3 spot out of spring camp after freshman Meiko Locksley left the team during spring ball. The fifth QB in camp will be incoming freshman Patrick Angle, who was part of the February class.
Another QB, senior-to-be Dante Nania (Hempfield Area, Pa.) verbally committed to the Penguins in June.
Assistant salaries
Youngstown State recently released salary figures for its assistant coaches. They are:
Tom Sims, assistant head coach/DL: $95,025.
Shane Montgomery, offensive coordinator/QBs: $95,025.
Rick Kravitz, defensive coordinator/LBs: $97,110.
Louie Matsakis, special teams/RBs: $74,175.
Phil Longo, recruiting coordinator, WRs: $74,175.
Frank Buffano, DBs: $53,325.
Ron Stoops Jr., assistant secondary coach/director of high school relations: $35,951.
Carmen Bricillo, OL: $42,900.
Andre Coleman, TE: $26,220.
Rollen Smith, assistant DL: $26,220.
Dan Kopp, director of football operations: $48,113.
Assistant coaches will receive a $500 bonus for each YSU playoff game.
Preseason All-Americans
The Missouri Valley Football Conference placed 11 players on The Sports Network’s Football Championship Subdivision preseason All-America team. None are from YSU.
Two players made first-team offense, both offensive linemen: David Arkin (Missouri State) and Ryan McKnight (South Dakota State). Southern Illinois CB Korey Lindsey was the only first-team defensive selection.