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Missed assignments costly as YSU falls to WIU
VanGorder sets
passing marks
in Penguins’ loss
By SCOTT HOLLAND
MACOMB, ILL.
Youngstown State went on the road and could not consistently find its footing, falling to Western Illinois 45-38 in the Missouri Valley Football Conference opener for both squads.
The Penguins (1-3, 0-1) could not consistently slow the Leathernecks’ offense nor get their own offense going on Saturday in Macomb.
“We had missed assignment after missed assignment after missed assignment and they’re capable of scoring points especially when you have one guy after another blowing assignments,” YSU coach Bo Pelini said. “It’s killed us all year and it killed us today defensively and trust me, it was not much better offensively.”
Western quarterback Sean McGuire threw for 324 yards and four touchdowns while running back Steve McShane ran 12 times for 134 yards and a score.
“We were our own worst enemy, we can’t get out of our own way,” Pelini said. “We have talent on this football team.
“I can’t explain it, I know what the issue is but it’s one guy after another, you do it right all week in practice then you get in the game and we blow it. Got to keep working. I find myself shaking my head.”
Western Illinois was able to get a quick lead and limit the ground game of Youngstown State, forcing the Penguins to the air.
YSU ran the ball 28 times for 55 net yards, putting the pressure on quarterback Montgomery VanGorder (33-57-2, 418 yards, three TDs) to lead the comeback.
VanGorder’s completions, attempts and yards are all YSU single-game records.
The previous mark for completions was 32 set by Brandon Summers against Liberty in 2008. Denny Klembara set the yards mark against Pensacola Navy and attempts vs. Akron in 1968.
“We wanted to take away the running game, this is a high-powered running football team we just played, this is a team that has been nationally ranked the last couple years running the football with two elite running backs so we knew it was going to be a tremendous challenge,” WIU coach Jared Elliott said.
WIU started quickly, taking the opening drive 83 yards and finishing with a 10-yard touchdown pass from Sean McGuire to Adam Conrady.
“The first third down of the game, we knew what the route was but when one guy totally doesn’t do what he’s supposed to do, they get a first down and they kept the drive alive,” Pelini said. “It happens all the time. It happened the whole game,” the coach said.
YSU came back to take the lead on a Tevin McCaster (17 carries, 40 yards) 3-yard score, but WIU scored the game’s next 16 points to lead 23-7.
“Their offense, they take advantage of you and of your mistakes and that’s the type of offense they are, you better have your eyes in right place and we’re not accountable,” Pelini said.
A 24-yard field goal by Zak Kennedy made it a 23-10 game, but Western expanded the lead to 30-10 on a three-yard pass from McGuire to defensive lineman Khalen Saunders, who subbed into the game as part of the goal-line package.
“They played it pretty decent but what an unbelievable throw and athletic display by our big man with soft hands,” said WIU coach Jared Elliott.
YSU made it a one-score game early in the fourth as VanGorder hit Zach Farrar (five catches, 83 yards) on a 21-yard score, followed by a McCaster 2-yard run.
But WIU responded, scoring on a McGuire 30-yard pass to Zeke LeSure, then after a Penguin fumble, McGuire struck again, hitting Clint Ratkovich on a 21-yard strike.
YSU added two late scores, but it’s back to the drawing board for the Penguins.
“You can’t go out and draft a whole new football team, we have to play better, we have to coach better,” Pelini said.