YSU returns veteran group at wide receiver
Penguins return veteran group at wide receiver
By Brian Dzenis
YOUNGSTOWN
Youngstown State’s depth at wideout speaks for itself when three of its top four players returning at that position can sit and the Penguins can still put out a group that resembles something fans will see on Saturday this fall.
YSU didn’t lose any receivers to graduation this offseason. As a unit, the Penguins had seven different receivers catch at least 10 passes last year to bring a veteran group into the 2019 season.
“We’ve got a little bit more experience,” Jeremiah Braswell said. “Being the senior, I’m trying to be the captain at the wide receiver position and help us get that bad taste out of our mouth from last year.”
Braswell was the Penguins’ leader among wideouts in yards (325) and tied the lead for touchdowns (two) during last year’s 4-7 campaign. For him, leadership is just as big a focus as routes and catches.
“There weren’t a lot of vocal leaders on the team last year. There just wasn’t enough,” Braswell said. “When things went bad with the team, there needed to be guys like me and others who can speak up and step up to get the team on track.”
It wasn’t surprise to see him getting first team action during Monday’s practice at the Watson and Tressel Training Site. The team’s next three leaders in yards, Zach Farrar, Samuel St. Surin and Darious Shackleford, were sitting out. Farrar attends practice, but doesn’t participate because he is playing for the baseball team this spring and the latter two were injured.
The guys who joined Braswell with the ones were familiar faces. There was fellow senior Kendric Mallory (169 yards, two TDs) and sophomore Natavious Payne (172 yards, one TD), who’s speed made him a staple in the lineup as a true freshman midway through last year.
“I have to work my speed, my route-running and I need to be more vocal,” Payne said.
Beyond those three, there’s a few players who are making some noise in the absence of Farrar, St. Surin and Shackleford. After spending two seasons exclusively as a kick returner, Warren JFK graduate Jake Coates got some first-team reps as a slot receiver. Head coach Bo Pelini is open to the idea of Coates earning a chance to get his first collegiate reception.
“He’s a lot better. He’s practicing better. He’s playing better and you’re starting to see some of his speed in his routes a little more,” Pelini said. “We know he can run, but he’s playing faster right now and he’s getting more confident.”
Another Mahoning Valley native getting more looks is Canfield’s Jake Cummings, a sophomore with the team.
“Jake Cummings has been great on special teams and has been playing a lot of positions for us,” wideouts coach Tim Marlowe said. “He’s been getting a lot better at receiver too.”
Things will be fluid with this group through the rest of the offseason.
“It’s just about earning it every day. I’d say we have a deep squad. We can only play two, three or four wideouts at a time and we have 10 guys who can play,” Marlowe said. “I feel like we’ve got a good group and we’re very unselfish. Sometimes it’s [Payne] with the big plays. Sometimes it’s Jake or Jeremiah. Anytime somebody scores, we celebrate together.”
NEW COACH
Evan Karchner is joining the Penguins’ coaching staff as a defensive assistant, Karchner announced Monday afternoon on Twitter. He was previously an undergraduate assistant at Bowling Green, where Carl Pelini worked as a defensive coordinator last year.