Football staff know what’s expected — wins

By Joe Scalzo

scalzo@vindy.com

Youngstown

In the mid-1980s, when he was a standout quarterback in New Jersey, one of Phil Longo’s good friends was recruited by YSU coach Jim Tressel.

He went to Michigan instead.

“He has two Rose Bowl rings and never saw the field,” Longo said. “His biggest regret is never having gone to Youngstown. During that tenure, Youngstown won two national championships.”

Longo, now the recruiting coordinator and wide receivers coach at YSU, is like a lot of the Penguins’ new assistants: He might not have grown up in Youngstown but needs no introduction to the city’s football tradition.

“We’re all very well aware of what Youngstown football is all about,” Longo said.

The Penguins went 60-44 over the past nine years under Jon Heacock, making the playoffs just once after taking over for Tressel, who won four I-AA national titles in the 1990s.

Penguins coach Eric Wolford is an Ursuline High graduate who was once recruited (unsuccessfully) by Tressel, so he’s very familiar with the tradition.

Three of his assistants also graduated from Valley high schools, with secondary coaches Ron Stoops Jr. and Frank Buffano hailing from Mooney and assistant defensive line coach Rollen Smith graduating from Wilson and coaching the past 20 years at Ursuline.

Two others — offensive coordinator Shane Montgomery (Newark) and special teams coach Louie Matsakis (Shadyside) — are from Ohio, while tight ends coach Andre Coleman hails from Hermitage, Pa., and are also familiar with YSU, but the Penguins’ reputation extends well beyond Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Assistant head coach Tom Sims grew up in Detroit, but his first coaching job was at Western Kentucky in 1997.

“We went to the quarterfinals [of the I-AA playoffs] and you guys won it that year, so I was quite familiar with the caliber of players up here and the tradition,” said Sims.

And if he wasn’t, his first few weeks in Youngstown would have changed that.

SDLqI’ve been at BCS programs but I get asked more about the football team by people out here in the community than I have at a lot of different places,” said Sims, who has coached at Big Ten schools in eight of the last nine years. “There definitely is a buzz out there right now in the community and our job is to provide you with the winner you expect.”

Defensive coordinator Rick Kravitz, a South Florida native, echoed Sims’ thoughts.

“Since I got up here, I’ve been kind of blown away,” he said. “We’re over at the MVR and people are asking us how we’re going to be and saying, ‘Boy we’re glad to have you here.’

“I’ve been at some pretty good football places but nobody’s been like here. And I love it.”

Montgomery, who has been the head coach at Miami (Ohio) and most recently served as the offensive coordinator at Akron, said he’s aware of the Penguins’ past success and looks forward to again competing for national titles.

“This is a program that has spoiled people in the past,” he said. “We have won and they want to see a national championship here. That’s what makes it exciting.

“Some people say that puts a lot of pressure on you, but as a coach that’s what you want.”