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With Nania hurting, Wells may get start
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Youngstown State starting quarterback Dante Nania sits on the sidelines with ice on his ankle after being injured in the fourth quarter of last Saturday’s home opener against Duquesne at Stambaugh Stadium. Nania sat out of practice Tuesday and Wednesday and may be out for Saturday’s game against Butler.
Fairless High graduate saw action against Duquesne in last Saturday’s victory
By Joe Scalzo
YOUNGSTOWN
Youngstown State freshman quarterback Hunter Wells entered training camp as a redshirt candidate. After a rapid rise up the depth chart, he may be days away from his first collegiate start.
With starting QB Dante Nania missing Tuesday and Wednesday’s practice with an ankle injury, the Penguins may opt to start Wells, who is less than four months removed from his high school graduation.
The Fairless High graduate, who holds Stark County’s career passing mark, surprisingly beat out redshirt freshman Ricky Davis for the backup job in August and saw his first action at the end of Saturday’s win over Duquesne.
Nania injured his ankle on a non-contact play with less than five minutes left. Wells replaced him on a third down, completing his only pass attempt. On YSU’s final possession, he handed off four times.
At Tuesday’s press conference, YSU coach Eric Wolford said Nania was “probable,” but added that it would be a judgment call based on how much he practiced on Wednesday and today.
Nania was in shorts and a T-shirt at Wednesday’s practice and did some light throwing.
YSU was in a similar spot last season when then-starter Kurt Hess injured his ankle late in the loss to UNI, then rushed back for the North Dakota State game, where he was ineffective before giving way to Nania early in the second quarter.
With the Penguins playing non-scholarship Butler, they can (presumably) afford to be careful with Nania, who has been injured in three of his last five games. Nania suffered a concussion on a botched extra point against South Dakota, then separated his shoulder against NDSU.
In other injury news, sophomore CB Eric Thompson will miss Saturday’s game after injuring his shoulder against Duquesne. Sophomore CB Nate Dortch (concussion-like symptoms) is questionable after sitting out Saturday. Senior Julius Childs (knee) is expected to play.
As of Wednesday, YSU was still waiting on clearance paperwork from South Florida for junior CB Kenneth Durden, who transferred this summer.