43
Where there’s a Will (LB), ‘Bam’ finds a way
By Joe Scalzo
YOUNGSTOWN
When Youngstown State sophomore Dubem “Bam” Nwadiogbu went home to Georgia this summer, his dad, Vic, whipped him into shape using a training regimen heavy on manual labor.
Painting porches. Fixing cars. Mowing lawns. Working at Subway.
It didn’t do much for Nwadiogbu physically, but it did a lot mentally.
“When I came home, my dad said, ‘You can either man up and do what you need to do and earn back what you lost with the coaches or you can come straight home,’” said Nwadiogbu, who admitted his freshman immaturity put him in the coaches’ doghouse last fall. “I chose to stay here and man up.”
The change in attitude led to a change in latitude on YSU’s depth chart. After a strong fall camp — both on the field and in the meeting room — Nwadiogbu earned the starting Will (weakside) linebacker spot for Saturday’s opener against Pitt.
He beat out sophomore Travis Williams, a University of Miami (Fla.) transfer who started every game last fall and finished second on the team in tackles.
“I don’t see it as me starting over him,” Nwadiogbu said of Williams. “I see it we’re both going to be playing. We both work hard, we’ve both been helping each other out.
“He’s like my coach. He’s been teaching me how to do everything because he has more experience.”
YSU coach Eric Wolford said Nwadiogbu’s maturity is finally catching up with his talent.
“Is he a finished product? No,” Wolford said. “But he is definitely getting better and I think you’re seeing that on the field.
“He’s tremendously talented. He’s probably one of our most explosive players on defense.”
Nwadiogbu is one of eight new starters on defense since last year’s finale against Missouri State, although three of those (sophomore safety Donald D’Alesio, junior Sam linebacker Dom Rich and senior DT Nick DeKraker) have started in the past.
D’Alesio, a Mooney graduate, missed the last eight games last season after shoulder surgery and only recently began practicing without constraints. But his talent and versatility — he’s started at corner and safety — made him too valuable to keep on the sideline, Wolford said.
“He needs to be on the field somewhere,” said Wolford. “Our philosophy is, the best four [defensive backs] are on the field.”
On offense, sophomore WR Andrew Williams and redshirt freshman Andre Stubbs are the only new starters, with Stubbs moving ahead of junior Kevin Watts and Williams subbing for injured junior Jelani Berassa (season-ending ACL tear).
Also, junior Kyle Bryant is neck-and-neck with senior Andrew Radakovich for the starting left tackle spot. Radakovich has started every game the past two years and 31 of 33 in his career.
“Whoever plays the best will play next week,” Wolford said. “There’s nothing like competition.”