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Things don’t get easier as Northern Iowa awaits
By Joe Scalzo
YOUNGSTOWN
The YSU football team has lost nine straight games to Northern Iowa, so there’s not much else that needs to be said.
But for those with a strong stomach, here’s a few comments from the Penguins leading up to Saturday’s homecoming game.
From senior cornerback Brandian Ross, “They’re one of the fastest [teams] I’ve probably ever seen in my four years of playing here.”
From senior wide receiver Dominique Barnes, “Everybody knows Northern Iowa is probably the best team in our conference.”
From head coach Eric Wolford, “Of the teams we’ve played so far, they have the best players in the league, no question about that. They are talented at every spot.”
Still reading? Well, unfortunately, the rest of this story won’t get much better.
After struggling with turnovers early in the season, the Panthers (4-3, 3-1 Missouri Valley) have won three of four, with their lone loss coming on the road in overtime against two-time defending champion Southern Illinois. (The other two losses were to Stephen F. Austin, which is ranked 10th in the country, and Iowa State).
In conference play, UNI is ranked first in scoring defense (20.5 per game), second in total defense (332 per game), first in rushing offense (263.8 per game), first in rushing defense (69.2 per game), first in sacks (17) and first in turnover margin (plus-three).
“They had nine guys from last year’s team sign NFL contracts or get into camp,” said Wolford. “That tells me where their program is at. And when I watch them [this year], I see a bunch of players out there that’ll get a chance to play on Sunday.”
UNI is 18-6 all-time against YSU, last losing in 2000 during Jim Tressel’s final season. The last time they played at Stambaugh, the Panthers blocked an extra point with four minutes left and held on for a 21-20 victory.
“I think Coach [Mark] Farley has a voodoo doll of a Youngstown State Penguin,” Wolford said. “He’s had our number nine years in a row and that’s a compliment to him.”
The Panthers run a zone read offense and rely heavily on junior quarterback Tirrell Rennie, who ran for four touchdowns last week en route to MVFC offensive player of the week honors. He’s the team’s leading rusher with 129 attempts for 754 yards and 10 TDs and he’s also completed 61 of 111 passes for 964 yards, four TDs and six interceptions.
“He’s unbelievable,” Wolford said.
Rennie’s main target is 6-foot-7 senior tight end Schuylar Oordt, who has caught 20 passes for 293 yards and two TDs.
Defensively, senior linebacker Jamar Thompson leads the team with 60 tackles, while junior defensive tackle Ben Boothby leads the team in tackles for loss (8.5) and sacks (5.5).
“This will be a good measuring stick with where we’re at in the conference,” said Wolford. “We’re going to go out there and play. We’re not going to put up the white flag.”