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From under the radar to under the lights
By Joe Scalzo
WEST MIDDLESEX, Pa.
This fall, Monday Night Football is coming to Stambaugh Stadium.
YSU football coach Eric Wolford plans to give players who fly under the radar a chance to play under the lights with a Monday evening scrimmage following the regular afternoon practice.
“This will be for all the guys that didn’t play a significant amount in the game,” said Wolford, who attended Wednesday’s scholarship golf outing at Oak Tree Country Club. “That’s their chance to scrimmage and keep them sharp.
“You have a lot of young players you’re expecting in a couple years to develop. Well, you get an idea over the course of the season how they are developing.”
Wolford will give players Sunday off — “I believe Sunday’s a day of rest,” he said — but the rest of the practice schedule will stay the same.
The Penguins open the season at Penn State on Sept. 4.
“I’m looking forward to it,” Wolford said. “I’m excited about camp.
“It’s what you live for.”
The Penguins have lost 14 players since practice, mostly through voluntary departures although at least one left for disciplinary reasons.
None were returning starters and a few were walk-ons, but there were a few notable names, including junior defensive tackle Joe Marshall, sophomore cornerback Jerome Swinton and sophomore linebacker Noah Taylor.
Others on the list include freshman OL Brandon White, sophomore SS David Fleming, junior WR Devanuel Samuel, sophomore CB Vance Gibbs, sophomore TB Paris Wicks, senior WR Troy Rice, freshman DE Brett Lemke, freshman FB Rob Stupar and three others.
The Penguins added four transfers: RB Adaris Bellamy (who originally signed with South Florida but did not enroll), WR Julian Harrell (Miami, Ohio), CB Grant Mayes (Syracuse) and FS Will Shaw (Mesa CC). Wolford said he expects four or five more transfers this summer.
“We haven’t solidified them yet,” he said, “but we’re always looking.”
June and July are “quiet periods” for recruiting, meaning recruits can visit coaches but only on those coaches’ campuses.
YSU will host hundreds of players between Saturday and June 21 with a number of camps. The camps aren’t a money-maker — YSU charges $25 per camp, which Wolford said is the absolute minimum he can charge — but they help expose recruits to the university and its coaching staff.
“We run our camps so we can get you over here on our campus and show you our nice facilities and show you what we have,” Wolford said. “And I think the camps are good for the kids. It gives them a chance to see what’s being taught at the college level and I think a lot of times it reaffirms that their high school coaches are saying the same things.”
As for YSU’s current players, Wolford said they’re enrolled for summer school and participating in voluntary workouts. Only strength coach John Patrick is allowed to oversee workouts during summer sessions, but Wolford said he still talks to players when they stop by the offices.
“We’re all here this summer,” he said. “I feel good about where we’re at.”