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YSU looks for better result
By JOE SCALZO
YOUNGSTOWN
If history is any guide, today’s YSU opener is more likely to look like the (Nittany) Lions versus the Christians than the Lions versus the Penguins.
Over the past five seasons, YSU has been outscored 197-12 in games against Penn State, Pitt and Ohio State, including a 37-3 loss to the Nittany Lions in 2006. The Penguins have yet to score a touchdown in any of those games.
YSU coach Eric Wolford knows the Penguins aren’t likely to pull an upset today, but he wants his team to act like it belongs on the same field.
“Obviously we’re playing a very talented football team and I want to see us rise to their level,” he said. “I want to see us meet their level of competition.”
Penn State, ranked 19th in the initial Associated Press poll, will have an edge in talent at just about every position on the field. But the Nittany Lions will also start a true freshman at quarterback, Robert Bolden, for the first time in Joe Paterno’s 45-year tenure, which should give the Penguins’ defense some confidence.
For YSU to be competitive, here are three things that need to happen.
Handle adversity.
YSU has a young team — there are 14 freshmen on the two-deep depth chart — and today’s game could help prepare the Penguins for the rigors of the Missouri Valley Football Conference. Of course, it could also damage their confidence.
“In every football game there’s adversity, there’s ups and downs,” Wolford said. “Are we able to pick ourselves up off the ground and play the next play? And compete? And not throw the towel in and play 60 minutes?
“I think you can tell a lot about a football team in how they handle adversity.”
Don’t let one bad play become two.
Because of YSU’s inexperience, and because of Penn State’s talent level, the Penguins are bound to make a few bad plays.
When that happens, Wolford wants his players to have a short memory.
“If you have a bad play, it’s important to be able to go on to the next play and dismiss that bad play from your mind,” he said. “A lot of times young players have a bad play and they let that affect them the next two, three, four plays of the game. Or even a quarter.”
Don’t make big mistakes.
YSU has a very small margin of error, so it must avoid things like interceptions, fumbles, blocked kicks and missed tackles.
“If you start getting a long list of those, you’re not going to win, no matter who you play,” Wolford said. “I want to see us play a smart football game and not beat ourselves.”