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YSU’s changing of the guard has Bricillo pumped up for spring
By Greg Gulas
AUSTINTOWN
After spending five seasons on former Youngstown State University head football coach Eric Wolford’s staff, Carmen Bricillo is excited to be a part of Bo Pelini’s first Penguins team.
With spring football just three weeks away, Bricillo noted that recruiting has gone well during his speech to the Curbstone Coaches on Monday.
Bricillo said Pelini’s staff has been working extra hard during the transition period while players on both sides of the ball are champing at the bit to get started.
Bricillo is the Penguins’ offensive line coach and run-game coordinator. He said he is a much better coach today after working under Wolford.
“It’s been said that you never want to coach the position that your head coach has coached, simply because they are the experts or else they wouldn’t be a head coach,” Bricillo said. “There were demands and expectations and the first two years were tough, but by the third year we had more of a peer relationship and coach sought more of my input.
“I realized that I needed to grow and was able to do that under Coach Wolford.”
Bricillo, who along with Mahoning Valley native Ron Stoops and Shane Montgomery were retained by Pelini, admitted that he had a chip on his shoulder when heading into his interview with the former Nebraska coach.
“I didn’t know Coach [Pelini] and had met him just twice prior to his coming to YSU,” Bricillo said. “The day he was hired, he spent time interviewing existing staff members and I had a chip on my shoulder because I had just been given my pink slip.
“After the interview, however, I just couldn’t imagine not working for him and was hoping to be retained,” Bricillo said. “What you see with coach is what you get as he cares passionately about his players and staff.”
When asked to compare Pelini and Wolford, Bricillo said there were more similarities than differences.
“Both coaches are hard workers who do things the right way, have true character and are genuine people,” Bricillo said. “They are Youngstown guys who reflect what is so great about our Valley. They have a passion for football and most especially YSU.”
The Penguins will be kicking-off their 75th intercollegiate season this fall. The initial spring practice during the Pelini regime will be March 17.
They will practice on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays over a 30-day period with 15 practices allotted.
“On days that we aren’t practicing we’ll have time available for meetings, to evaluate practices and meet with the players,” Bricillo said. “The players are currently with our strength staff, training five days a week with three days for lifting and two for running in preparation of spring ball.”
Bricillo also said that the “State of Youngstown” is a point of emphasis when recruiting.
“We signed 30 players with 19 coming from Ohio,” Bricillo said. “When Coach Pelini took over, we changed things up a little bit with every staff member now responsible for a portion of Mahoning and Trumbull County.”
The spring game is scheduled for April 17 with the Penguins’ set to open the season at the University of Pittsburgh on Sept. 5.