43
After setback, Penguins try to move forward
By Joe Scalzo
YOUNGSTOWN
With offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo out recruiting on Tuesday, Youngstown State coach Eric Wolford got back to his roots.
He squatted down behind center, watching his linemen’s technique. He moved laterally, working on their hands. He yelled, he pushed, he prodded.
Oh, and he smiled.
“You know what?” said Wolford, who held his first practice since his team’s 37-35 loss to Indiana State on Saturday. “You can’t let the past haunt you. You’ve got to move forward, right?
“One game doesn’t define you. You’ve got to get better. And we got better today.”
The Penguins focused on fundamentals Tuesday, trying to correct some of the basic mistakes that led to giving up three long touchdown runs before they even gained a first down against the Sycamores.
“The most frustrating thing was, there were guys in the area to make the play,” said Wolford, whose team was eventually gashed for 256 yards and four TDs by Sycamores running back Shakir Bell. “Without calling anybody out specifically, if I’m counting on you to be there, I need you to be there so I can take care of my job.
“If you don’t do your job, I have to try to make up for your job and do my job and that’s when we have an issue.”
Several new players worked with the starting defense on Tuesday — most of the changes came in the secondary — as Wolford tried to send a message to his underachieving starters.
“You’ve gotta always look at it like this: If you don’t play well, I don’t think you should be grandfathered in,” he said. “Starting should be an honor. Something that’s earned. Something that’s deserved.”
YSU (2-2, 1-1 Missouri Valley) has an open date this weekend before playing host to South Dakota State on Oct. 8.
The rest comes at a good time, Wolford said.
“We needed it,” he said. “That last game we kind of got exposed on a couple things that we should be doing better fundamentally. And we’re a little banged up but we’re not using that as an excuse.
“We’ve got to get healthy and get ready to make a run.”
Notebook
Wolford expects RB Jordan Thompson (shoulder) and WR Pat White (shoulder) back for South Dakota State. ... CB Donald D’Alesio will have surgery to repair a torn labrum in two weeks and will take a medical redshirt. WR Andre Stubbs (AC joint) will also redshirt.