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YSU's Johnson: ‘We’re at a turning point’
By Joe Scalzo
Youngstown
It took about eight hours for the YSU football team to bus from Terre Haute, Ind., to Youngstown following Saturday’s 37-35 loss to Indiana State.
It felt like 80.
“I just told them to keep their head up,” said senior DT Andrew Johnson, one of two defensive co-captains. “It’s only one game. People have been kind of down about it and at first they were pointing fingers, but we nipped that in the bud real fast.
“Now we’re at a turning point. We’ve gotta do what we’ve gotta do to win. Either we’re gonna fold or we’re going to meet adversity head on and do what we can to win.”
The Penguins did both last season. After winning their conference opener, they dropped seven straight. But the team was competitive in every game, losing those seven by a combined 39 points.
Johnson, one of two returning starters from last year’s defense, said Saturday’s loss could be one that makes the Penguins stronger later in the season.
“You can’t look at it any other way,” said Johnson, who has seven tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss through four games. “You’ve got to stay positive. If you let negativity build up inside of you, eventually it takes over and can lead to bad things.”
Johnson, the team’s best defensive player, is a finalist for the William V. Campbell award, given to the top scholar-athlete in the nation.
He’s one of 127 candidates nationwide for the award, which is open to players with a 3.2 grade point average, “outstanding football ability” and “strong leadership and citizenship.”
“I just try to lead by example,” Johnson said of his approach. “I’m not a very loud guy. I’m intense but I’m not loud.
“I’d rather lead by example and do the best I can on the field to show my team I’m there for them.”
The Penguins are off this weekend before playing host to South Dakota State on Oct. 8. Johnson said the open date comes at a good time.
“It gives you time to catch your breath, get a little more weight back [on your body] and get back on track,” he said.
With YSU’s offense averaging 38 points per game this season — including 34.5 in two conference games — Johnson knows the young defense doesn’t necessarily need to pitch a shutout to win.
But Johnson also knows it needs to play better.
“Of course you’d like to shut people out but it’s a football game and you’re going to have your ups and downs,” he said. “We just try to do our best to hold the team [together].
“Everyone has to do their job. That’s how I look at it and approach the game and I’m pretty sure everyone else approaches the game the same way.”