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Hess has the edge at QB
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Youngstown State quarterback Kurt Hess (12) makes a call before the snap during a recent practice at Stambaugh Stadium. Hess is the frontrunner for the starting job when the season opens Sept. 4 at Penn State.
By JOE SCALZO
YOUNGSTOWN
When the 2009 season ended and the Brandon Summers era came to a close, there were two favorites to win YSU’s starting quarterback job in 2010: redshirt freshman Kurt Hess and junior Marc Kanetsky.
Since then, the Penguins have brought in two freshmen and a Division I transfer and switched one of their QBs to safety.
Nothing changed.
It’s still a battle between Hess and Kanetsky.
“If we started tomorrow, Kurt would be our starter right now,” said YSU offensive coordinator Shane Montgomery. “But I told him, even though we’re running him out with the [first team] right now, he’s got guys that are pushing him.”
Hess held a slim edge over Kanetsky coming out of spring camp but was expected to be challenged by Purdue transfer Najee Tyler this summer. But for all of Tyler’s physical talent, it’s been obvious during practices and scrimmages that he doesn’t have the same grasp of the offense as Hess and Kanetsky, who not only ran the offense in spring but were able to work on things with their teammates this summer.
“In our offense, we put a lot of responsibility on the quarterback,” said Montgomery. “Our quarterbacks have stepped up and played a lot better than we did in the spring.
“I think each of those guys are getting better every day.”
Freshman Meiko Locksley actually enrolled early in January in hopes of competing for the job but left before the end of spring practice. Incoming freshman Patrick Angle has had a few practice reps but seems headed for a redshirt year. Redshirt freshman Gannon Hulea was moved to safety last week.
That leaves three players. YSU coach Eric Wolford has said he’d like to name a starter following Saturday’s scrimmage and all signs point to Hess.
“Kurt stepped up but he still has a long ways to go,” said Montgomery. “But I like the progress he’s shown in the first few weeks of camp.
“Marc Kanetsky keeps doing a really good job. He’s really consistent and he pretty much knows what he’s doing. Najee Tyler has got all the physical tools in the world but he’s got to become a better, more fundamental quarterback.”
Montgomery, who was Ben Roethlisberger’s offensive coordinator at Miami (Ohio), has seen firsthand how important it is to have multiple options at quarterback. As Akron’s offensive coordinator last fall, Montgomery was forced to play his third-string QB — a true freshman — by the sixth game.
“I’ve been around enough places over the last couple years where it’s been hard to get through the season with just one quarterback,” he said. “We’ve had to have two, maybe three ready.”
YSU’s offense came into the summer with a lot of new faces and a lot of question marks and Montgomery said he’s been “pretty pleased” with the team’s progress. His running backs have gotten much of the attention but he’s also been impressed by the development of senior wide receiver Dominique Barnes and the offensive line.
“I think we found out we’ve got some guys that are very explosive, both in the backfield and in the receiving corps,” said Montgomery. “And we’ve got to rely on that offensive line. That’s where our most experience is.”
The Penguins still need to figure out who their second- and third-best receivers are, as well as develop depth on the line. There’s a dropoff between the starting linemen and the second string, Montgomery said.
“So far, we’ve been pretty pleased,” he said. “We’ve got a long ways to go but we’ve got a chance to be a pretty good offense.”