Balash pleased with Valley’s ties to bowls

January 5, 2016 at 12:00a.m.

BEAVER TOWNSHIP

For WFMJ Channel 21 sports director Dana Balash, the holiday break has been anything but a time for kicking back and relaxing.

What has unfolded in the world of sports during what many call “down time” has served as a recharging of his reporting batteries.

Addressing the Curbstone Coaches on Monday at Avion Banquet Center on Western Reserve Road, Balash says he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Now that the college bowl season is over, except for the national championship game, it was great to see the Mahoning Valley so well-represented with more than a dozen players participating,” Balash said. “Also, at least five coaches were front and center on the sidelines.

“Three of those five are head coaches with Pat Narduzzi currently at Pitt, Bob Stoops at Oklahoma with former YSU head mentor Jon Heacock serving as University of Toledo interim head coach,” Balash said.

As Alabama seeks its fourth national title in nine seasons under Nick Saban and Clemson goes after its second national crown, Balash added that talk to expand the playoff field still rages on.

“The debate will continue as to whether or not to expand the current playoff system, making it a six or eight team playoff,” Balash said. “I do not see any changes forthcoming, simply because I think the NCAA is content to keep things status quo.”

Balash said he feels that Youngstown State’s football team will have a recruiting class that will address its offseason needs, adding that upcoming conference play will determine just how much noise its men’s and women’s basketball teams will make in the Horizon League.

“The YSU women’s team has surpassed a lot of expectations; however, they’ll now be tested with conference play under way,” Balash said. “John Barnes has done a terrific job.

“As for football, Coach [Bo] Pelini knows which pieces will fill out his team’s puzzle,” Balash said. “Now, the staff must now go out and find them.

I’m happy that at least to this point, all assistant coaches will remain. Continuity only makes a program better.”

On the scholastic level, Balash addressed the declining numbers in football.

“Of the 44 high school football programs that we cover in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties, approximately 30 saw their numbers decline in just the past year alone,” Balash said. “I think the concussion issue, coupled with the popularity of flag football, has parents now thinking twice before giving a thumbs up to their children in order to compete.”