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Bellamy shows skills beyond age
By JOE SCALZO
YOUNGSTOWN
On the last question of his interview following Monday’s practice, YSU freshman running back Adaris Bellamy — aka the breakout player of the Penguins’ first summer session in pads — was finally asked about breaking a couple of long touchdown runs.
He smiled, then said, “I owe it all to the quarterback, the line, the receivers, everybody. Everybody did their assignments.
“Without them, I wouldn’t have been in the end zone.”
The 200 fans in the Stambaugh Stadium stands saw a player who needed no time to adjust to the college game on the field. Turns out, he’s pretty good off the field, too.
“You had a couple nice cuts,” YSU sports information director Trevor Parks told Bellamy, grabbing him by the shoulder. “I like humbleness, though.”
The Penguins held their first “Monday Night Football” practice and the running backs took center stage. Sophomore Jamaine Cook did nothing to lose his grip on the starting job. But of the three remaining backs, Bellamy opened the most eyes.
“It felt pretty good,” said Bellamy, a Florida native who originally signed with South Florida before finding his way to YSU. “I was kind of nervous at first, feeling the butterflies, but once we got into everything I realized it’s just the game of football.”
With bruising tailback Torrian Pace still sidelined with a hamstring injury, Bellamy and fellow freshmen Allen Jones (Ursuline) and Jordan Thompson got plenty of carries as the Penguins practiced game situations — with referees — for the first time.
“Our young running backs took a step forward and showed what they can do,” junior quarterback Marc Kanetsky said. “Obviously, everybody saw it.
“They’re going to be a good group and we’re going to rely on them a lot. That’s going to make our jobs easier as quarterbacks and make the offensive line’s jobs easier, too.”
Jones showed some nice moves but, unfortunately for him, was on the receiving end of the evening’s best hit. On a third-and-one, Jones took an inside handoff and got lit up by junior linebacker Deonta Tate, knocking Jones’ chin strap into the air.
“Coach asked somebody to step up and make a play,” said Tate, who laughed when asked if it was a welcome-to-college-football hit. “I seen it, trusted it, felt it. I just took a shot.”
Kanetsky was part of the night’s offensive highlight, hitting senior wideout Dominique Barnes on a 30-yard touchdown to the back of the end zone.
“They were in Cover 4 [defensive alignment] and the safety set his feet and Barnes got behind them,” Kanetsky said. “Kind of easy. I just put it back there and he made a good adjustment to it.”
With all eyes on the team’s quarterback battle, redshirt freshman Kurt Hess started with the first unit and Kanetsky was the first substitute.
Redshirt freshman Najee Tyler also saw plenty of reps, while redshirt freshman Gannon Hulea and Patrick Angle played sparingly at the end of practice.
Although there were too many missed alignments and penalties, the practice was crisp, fast-paced and had good energy, which pleased Penguins coach Eric Wolford.
“It’s a good thing when I don’t have to yell as much,” he said.