YSU sacked

YSU v. Indiana State football

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By BRIAN DZENIS

bdzenis@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

Another underdog from Indiana wearing blue pulled Youngstown State’s pants down in Stambaugh Stadium.

Indiana State did what it wanted with the Penguins for a 43-17 victory Saturday. Afterward, YSU head coach Bo Pelini called out his team’s effort.

“We’re a bad football team. Any team is a bad football team when you take the field like that,” Pelini said. “I’m trying to get our guys juiced and enthused and there wasn’t an ounce of enthusiasm. Never have I been this disgusted in my coaching career.”

Last week, Indiana State (4-4, 2-3 Missouri Valley Football Conference) won its first Missouri Valley Football Conference game since 2016 and lost its best offensive player in running back Ja’Quan Keys — who lad the conference in rushing yards and touchdowns — to a career-ending hip injury. Just like the season opener against Butler, Youngstown State was considered a favorite only to stumble.

But there was no talk from Pelini about X’s and O’s. To him, the Penguins played like they didn’t want to be there. During his seven-minute press conference, he posed the possibility of benching veterans for freshmen, lamented being unable to get the team ready to play and referred to his offense as “a collection of garbage.”

“It’s like they don’t even want to play the sport. You can’t play the sport like that,” Pelini said. “I wish I had an answer for you and I’m running around like a madman trying to get everyone jacked up and I don’t feel any energy.

“I came out yelling and screaming with the crowd and they look at me like I’m a crazy man.”

ISU’s Ryan Boyle threw for 325 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 84 yards. Freshman receiver Dante Hendrix caught seven passes for 186 yards and two scores.

“It’s very frustrating. The leaders — the seniors on the team — are trying to get guys together to figure out what’s going on and what’s frustrating is guys aren’t doing their job and not taking it seriously,” senior defensive tackle Savon Smith said. “It’s even more frustrating having the coaches look at us and say, ‘Why aren’t you doing it?’”

“They’re trying to build a team and get it to play together and you have a coach look at you and say, ‘Why is the team [like] this?’ and it’s kind of your fault. It’s the cost of being a leader and the price you pay.”

Indiana State had a 10-point swing in its favor in the final two minutes of the first half. Hendrix pulled a spin move on YSU corner Will Latham before running 22 yards for a touchdown. On the Penguins’ next drive, Jermiah Braswell fumbled the ball away to the Sycamores at midfield. Jerry Nunez kicked his third field goal from 45 yards and the visitors had a 16-10 lead at the break and that was as close as the Penguins got.

YSU (3-5, 2-3 MVFC) benched senior quarterback Montgomery VanGorder late in the third quarter in favor of junior Nathan Mays. VanGorder was nine for 19 for 125 yards and a score.

“Say we’re out there six or seven plays and then the offense comes out and goes three and out or they’re not scoring like they’re supposed to. We feel like they’re not holding up their end,” Smith said. “I hate that feeling because I don’t want to feel like I’m going against our offense — I want to be a team. It’s really hard not to get upset at the other side ball when their not doing what they’re supposed to do. It’s really hard.”

Mays was 6 for 11 for 85 yards and rushed for 28 yards in relief. In the fourth quarter, he led the Penguins to a fourth-and-5 at the Sycamores’ 11, but got sacked. There was initially a flag for a facemask penalty, but the official picked up the flag. That set off Pelini, who took an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty during a subsequent media timeout.

Linebacker Armand Dellovade surpassed 300 career tackles on the day with nine against the Sycamores. Braswell had a career-best six catches for 93 yards and a score.

Indiana State capped its scoring by turning a YSU first-and-goal at the 3 into an 80-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown. Jonas Griffith ran down the YSU sideline in front of Pelini on his way to the end zone.

“I apologize to everybody associated with the program that that was what took the field today. I’ve never been so disgusted in my entire life,” Pelini said. “I don’t know what I just witnessed and what I was a part of.”