YSU NOTEBOOK

YSU NOTEBOOK

Injury update: Senior left tackle Andrew Radakovich missed his second straight game with a shoulder injury (Kyle Bryant again got the start) and sophomore wide receiver Michael Wheary was also out with a shoulder injury. Junior TE Carson Sharbaugh left with an ankle injury and senior center Mark Pratt injured his right foot. Pratt was in a walking boot after the game. Junior quarterback Kurt Hess appeared to have been shaken up on a hit in the fourth quarter, but stayed in the game. “We kind of questioned that after we were into the next drive and looking at him back there,” YSU coach Eric Wolford said of Hess. “He said he was fine, the trainer said he was OK. Obviously those are the people you confide in when you make those decisions to keep playing, but I didn’t sense there was anything [seriously wrong].”

Defense steps up: After hinting of personnel changes, Wolford kept the same starters on defense and the unit responded with its best performance of the four conference games. Sophomore linebacker Travis Williams made a team-best 13 tackles while senior DT Aronde Stanton had 10 tackles and 4.5 tackles for loss. The Penguins had four sacks after coming into the game with just one in the three previous conference games. SIU punted seven times and was 5 of 16 on third downs, with most of its points coming off YSU’s five turnovers and a blocked punt. “It really doesn’t matter, though,” Stanton said of the defense’s performance. “We lose as part of a team.”

Alumni band: Youngstown State is inviting former band members to participate in the annual homecoming alumni band on Nov. 3. (A story in Saturday’s Vindicator reported the wrong date.) The event starts at 8:30 a.m. with coffee and donuts in Bliss Hall, followed by rehearsal and performances in the tailgate lots, pregame and at halftime. Joseph Pellegrini, ’75, will serve as band director. Alumni who would like to participate should contact Pellegrini at jpelle@zoominternet.net. More information and a sign-up form are available at the YSU Department of Bands’ website.

This and that: Sophomore WR Andrew Williams had career-highs in catches (six) and yards (64). ... Redshirt freshman WR Andre Stubbs also had career-highs in catches (five) and yards (78) and averaged 24.2 yards on five kickoff returns. But he fumbled away a kickoff return just before halftime. ... YSU still leads the all-time series with SIU, 12-11-1.

Staff report