YSU’s football coach Pelini makes bad situation worse

It has been widely reported that five Youngstown State University football players have been suspended from playing in a game that could take the team to championship heights.

But neither coach Bo Pelini nor any other officials at Youngstown State will confirm the news reports about the suspensions.

That’s unacceptable.

While we do not question Pelini’s sincerity when he says that “I protect our kids,” he needs to be reminded that in a public institution of higher learning, there can be no secrets. This is especially true of a group of students who benefit greatly from their membership in an exclusive club: the football team.

Team members receive athletic scholarships and other benefits not available to the general student body.

And, they receive a great deal of attention from the fans on campus and in the community at large when they mount a winning season, as they’ve done this year.

The Penguins carry an 11-3 record into Saturday’s FCS national semifinal game against Eastern Washington in Cheney, Wash.

They got there by defeating Wofford College of Spartanburg, S.C., last Saturday at Stambaugh Stadium. The score was 30-23 in double overtime.

But the suspensions of the five YSU players are tied to the Jacksonville (Ala.) State game on Dec. 3. After the Penguins’ 40-24 win, at least a dozen YSU players were tested for banned substances, as is common practice by the NCAA.

The college athletic association has a list of substances that are banned, including anabolic agents and street drugs, and also tests for stimulants and recreational drugs during championships.

It is not known if the suspensions are coming from the NCAA or from YSU.

There are reports that because of a positive result when YSU was tested after the Jacksonville State game, the results were retested later. That may have caused the delay in the suspensions until this week.

No confirmation

YSU Athletic Director Ron Strollo, who refused to confirm or deny the reports of the suspensions, noted that his office has “never discussed any suspensions or potential suspensions regarding any program.”

It is this shroud of secrecy that is driving the media’s attention and prompting confidential sources to contact The Vindicator and other media outlets.

On Tuesday, The Vindicator revealed that YSU senior running back Martin Ruiz, one of the five suspected suspended players, was arrested Dec. 6 by Tallmadge police. Ruiz is charged with carrying a concealed weapon and improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle. Both are fourth-degree felonies.

Ruiz played just one down last week in the Penguins’ game with Wofford College.

Coach Pelini refused to explain why Ruiz was on the bench.

This controversy brings to mind “Tattoogate” in which then Ohio State University football coach James P. Tressel, now president of Youngstown State, was found by the NCAA to have lied when he said that he was not aware of his players violating the collegiate association’s rules.

An investigation showed that Tressel had in his possession emails from a source saying that some of the players had received free tattoos, cash and other items of value in exchange for Ohio State football memorabilia.

Tressel resigned as Ohio State’s coach, but not before guiding the team to a national championship.

Tressel’s supporters continue to insist that the lie was not a big deal because his intentions were pure. They contend that he was merely protecting his players.

Indeed, Tressel was hired by the University of Akron and served as executive vice president for student success before he was appointed by the YSU board of trustees to lead the open-access, urban institution.

Now, Pelini, who was fired in December 2014 as coach at the University of Nebraska football team because of his record, is embroiled in a controversy involving his players.

Tressel, as president of YSU, must decide what’s in the best interest of the university community and the Mahoning Valley at large.