D’Alesio makes early impact

By JOE SCALZO

scalzo@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

Playing a new position at a new level for a new team, Donald D’Alesio takes comfort with the familiar things. Like the home crowd, the Stambaugh Stadium turf and the sound of Ron Stoops’ voice in his ear, yelling at him when he does something wrong.

“Coach Stoops, he’s still the same guy,” said D’Alesio, a Mooney High graduate now playing as a true freshman safety at YSU. “He’s hard on me. He’s hard on everybody, though.”

D’Alesio spent the last three years playing cornerback for Stoops, who was defensive coordinator for the Cardinals until leaving to work for Eric Wolford in December.

Although friendly in person, Stoops is known for being a tough, demanding coach on the field. And secondary coach Frank Buffano (also a Mooney graduate) may have the shortest fuse on staff.

“They’re pretty vocal back there,” said D’Alesio, chuckling. “They want us to do things right because they always tell us, if you do it wrong during the week, you’re going to do it wrong on Saturday.”

D’Alesio set a career-high with 11 tackles and also forced a fumble in last week’s 35-25 loss to Missouri State. He’s paired with sophomore Will Shaw (a transfer from Mesa, Ariz., Community College) to give the Penguins two talented — but green — safeties to help replace senior Andre Elliott, who is out indefinitely with a shoulder stinger.

“They’ve learned quickly,” said senior cornerback Brandian Ross. “Donald, he’s a guy who gave up a touchdown [to MSU] and responded well to it. He didn’t drop his head. He kept playing.

“We have a lot of freshman and first-time players as starters and they may not make a play here or there but they keep playing hard. And that’s the identity of this team.”

D’Alesio is fourth on the team with 29 tackles. While Shaw (19 tackles) is one of the team’s biggest hitters, D’Alesio is a sure tackler with good coverage skills and a nose for the ball. He credits his coaches and Elliott for helping him earn playing time so quickly.

“Andre, he helped me a lot actually,” D’Alesio said. “He kind of took me under his wing and showed me how to play safety.”