YSU offense in search of killer instinct

By Joe Scalzo | October 14, 2011 at 12:05a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

The Youngstown State offense sometimes seems like a cat without claws.

The Penguins can corner an opponent. They can get in close for the kill.

And then ...

“It doesn’t seem like us as an offense, we have that sense of urgency,” said freshman wide receiver Christian Bryan. “When we have somebody down, you’ve got to step on them, get them by the throat.”

Case in point: YSU scored two quick touchdowns to take a 28-21 lead midway through the third quarter last Saturday. But after driving into South Dakota State territory on their next offensive possession, the Penguins stalled at the Jackrabbits’ 45.

“It just didn’t seem like we had that extra push,” Bryan said.

After SDSU scored, YSU had three more possessions in the fourth quarter. All three ended in Jackrabbit territory. None resulted in points.

“We’re one of the better offenses in the nation but it doesn’t seem like we have enough,” said Bryan, who leads the team with 24 catches for 313 yards. “Last game, we left points out there. We threw an interception. We got stopped. We kicked ourselves from behind a couple times. Just things we can’t do.”

Statistically, YSU is one of the two best offenses in the Missouri Valley, averaging a league-best 449.3 yards per game (Northern Iowa is second with 403.7) and a second-best 32.3 points per game (UNI is first with 34.3).

The Penguins’ defense, meanwhile, is next-to-last in both categories, surrendering 33 points and 416 yards per game.

“I put blame on both sides of the ball,” YSU coach Eric Wolford said last week. “My philosophy is, every time we have the ball in our possession, we expect to score. Period. No other result.”

Problem is, when YSU’s offense bogs down, as it did on Saturday, it becomes almost impossible for the Penguins to win. The Jackrabbits had success against YSU’s receivers playing a physical Cover 2 defense. The cornerbacks jammed YSU’s wideouts at the line, knowing if one of the receivers got loose, they had safety help.

“It really made our routes develop slow and messed up a lot of our timing,” said Bryan, who was held to just one reception, a season-low.

Southern Illinois runs more Cover 3 and Cover 4 — the corners and one or two of the safeties split the deep part of the field into thirds and fourths — but, as Bryan said, “this is a copycat league. I’m going to expect it [from them].”

YSU needs to be ready for just about anything because the Salukis, like the Penguins, have used up eight of their lives this season.

And the cat that keeps its ninth will be the one that brings along its claws.