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Davis armed with improved passing in YSU’s QB derby
By STEVE WILAJ
YOUNGSTOWN
After last season ended, Bo Pelini sat down with Ricky Davis — who saw action in nine games as a backup sophomore quarterback — and left the 6-foot-3, 220-pounder with one major analysis.
“My biggest critique from coach Pelini was that I needed to work on throwing the ball and being the most complete quarterback I can be,” said Davis, who went just 8 of 17 for 142 yards through the air in 2015. “So going into this offseason, that’s all I worked on — I was in the film room, I was throwing with the guys trying to get timing down.”
While Davis showed his running skills a year ago (42 rushes for 195 yards and four touchdowns), he displayed his improved throwing abilities in Wednesday’s spring practice at Stambaugh Stadium, which also doubled as the Penguins’ first scrimmage session.
In the latter portion, Davis led the YSU offense 80 yards for a touchdown — fellow QBs Wells and Trent Hosick failed to do so — completing a handful of passes while running effectively, as well.
“No doubt, I thought he did some good things,” Pelini said.
Said Davis: “The thing I was most excited about was I was able to move the ball. Inconsistency is an old song we’re sick of hearing and I’m trying to be the most consistent quarterback I can be.
“So I’ve come out this spring and I think, right now, this is probably the best I’ve played since I’ve been here. I’m excited about the transition onto the field.”
Davis’ scoring drive was capped by a 7-yard TD run by Sidney Sandidge.
But prior, the junior quarterback — among other plays — connected with tight end Anthony Parente on a 12-yard pass, picked up a first down on a run-option and completed a first-down pass to receiver Jermiah Braswell.
It was an encouraging day for Davis, who is certainly in the thick of a three-man race with Wells and Hosick for the starting QB job.
“Right now I’m just more focused on myself, I would say,” Davis said. “You can’t really worry about what they’re doing. Ultimately I just want the team to win and, like I said, I just want to be consistent and move the ball down the field.”
PRACTICE TAKEAWAYS
The defense often got the best of the offense on Wednesday, which was no surprise Pelini.
“Obviously we’re not game-planning each other,” he said. “We have a limited amount in on both sides of the football, so it really gives an advantage to the defense. But I saw some good things in a lot of areas and I see us just about where you expect to be in the spring.”
Senior defensive ends Derek Rivers and Avery Moss were particularly-effective, as they have been for most of the spring. Pelini: “We’re pretty talented up front on defense — especially those two veteran ends that we have. They can wreak some havoc on an offense and they made some plays out here today.
A couple plays after Wells connected with sophomore receiver Isaiah Scott (Hubbard) on a deep 50-yard pass down the middle of the field, senior safety LeRoy Alexander intercepted a Wells pass inside the 5-yard line.
Many YSU players have talked this spring about the focus and hard work that the Penguins put in during the offseason’s winter months. Count Moss as another, as he said: “This offseason, we took it upon ourselves. As seniors, we don’t want to end how last years seniors did — with a losing record and stuff like that. We want to make the playoffs, we want to win a national championship. So we’ve seen the intensity level rise up a lot.”