YSU roundup | News and notes

Welcome back: Senior CB Randy Louis practiced with the team for the first time Monday after recovering from a shoulder injury. Louis started eight games last season, playing the first seven and the finale against Indiana State. “He’s not allowed any contact but he’ll be back at full strength this fall,” YSU coach Eric Wolford said. “He’s been cleared for upper-body lifting and he’s moving around pretty well out there.” Sophomore RB Jordan Thompson is also back after missing much of the spring due to academic issues. Thompson, who watched practices in street clothes the first few weeks, played both receiver (mostly in the slot) and running back at Saturday’s scrimmage. “I decided to let him come out and get a couple days of practice,” Wolford said. “He’s improved academically.” Playing Thompson at receiver relieves some of the logjam in the backfield and keeps the opposition guessing, since YSU can switch formations pre-snap, Wolford said. “We need help at receiver and I like the fact that the defense won’t know what are game plans are,” he said.

Bad Monday: YSU’s receivers had a solid day on Saturday but Wolford wasn’t happy with their performance in Monday’s practice. “One day we come out and look halfway decent and then we come back and have some drops,” Wolford said. “It’s focus. I don’t care what anybody says, it’s focus.” Senior WR Andre Barboza said the criticism is warranted. “We’ll show flashes,” he said. “Somebody will do something good and then we’ll go back to looking like high school kids. We need to be more consistent.” Wolford thought the whole team looked bad Monday. “Monday blues,” he said.

On the mend: Senior LB Deonta Tate injured his knee but was able to jog toward the end of practice.

Joe Scalzo