YSUsports.com - Penguins Open Division I-AA Playoffs With Trip to Richmond

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Nov. 24, 2000
Football: Penguins Open Division I-AA Playoffs With Trip to Richmond
   The No. 9 Youngstown State Penguins travel to Richmond, Va., to take on the eighth-seeded Richmond Spiders in the first round of the 2000 NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs on Saturday, Nov. 25. Kickoff for the locally televised game is 2:05 p.m.
   Youngstown State (9-2) is the playoff veteran among the two schools making its 10th appearance in the Division I-AA playoffs. Last season the Penguins were also the ninth seed, but won three games to advance to the championship game in Chattanooga, Tenn.
   Richmond (9-2) is making its fourth appearance in the playoffs and first since 1998. However the Spiders have not had much success in the playoffs owning a 1-3 mark with the lone win coming over Boston in 1984.
   This will be the first meeting between the two schools. YSU finished second in the powerful Gateway Football Conference, while the Spiders finished in a first-place tie with Delaware for the Atlantic 10 Conference title.
   YSU enters the playoffs after winning 35-13 last Saturday at Cal Poly. The Penguin offense rolled up 367 yards on the Mustangs. In the game, Jeff Ryan became YSU’s all-time leading career touchdown passes. Ryan threw two touchdowns and now has 42 passing touchdowns in his career.
   The Spiders are coming off a 21-18 victory at William & Mary last Saturday. Richmond trailed 18-14 late in the fourth quarter before D’Arcy Wills threw a 22-yard touchdown pass Ryan Tolhurst with 1:38 remaining.
   The winner of Saturday’s contest at Richmond Stadium will advance to the quarterfinals on Dec. 2. That game will feature the winner of the YSU-Richmond game against the winner of the No. 1 Montana against the 16th-seed Eastern Illinois.
   All-time in NCAA Division I-AA Playoff history, YSU is 23-4.

Last Time Out: Youngstown State 35, Cal Poly 13
   • The Penguins closed out the regular season with a 35-13 over Cal Poly in their first-ever visit to California. Youngstown State jumped out to a 7-0 lead when quarterback Jeff Ryan hooked up with Brandon Pedraza on a 40-yard touchdown pass. On the final play of the quarter, P.J. Mays scored on a four-yard run giving YSU a 14-0 advantage after the opening frame. In the second quarter Ryan hit Pedraza on an 18-yard scoring strike putting the Penguins ahead 21-0 at halftime. Cal Poly scored in the third on a 17-yard pass from Kevin Cooper to Kassim Osgood, but YSU answered when Eric Lockhart scored on a one-yard run. Cal Poly trimmed the lead to 28-13 on a 22-yard touchdown reception by Osgood, but the Mustangs were held scoreless the final 16 minutes. In the fourth, Mays scored on a one-yard run to seal the 35-13 win.
   • Jeff Ryan became the school’s all-time leading career touchdown passer in the first quarter when he teamed up with Brandon Pedraza with 9:01 left in the first period. Ryan broke the record of 40 set by Trenton Lykes and Keith Snoddy. Ryan threw the 42nd touchdown pass of his career in the second to Pedraza.
   • YSU rebounded from a minus-nine yard rushing performance against Southern Illinois with a 255-yard outing against the Mustangs.
   • Team captains for the game were senior long snapper Jason Paris, senior guard Steve Rovnak and senior Tim Johnson.
   • Tidbits: The Penguins won for the first time on grass this season, improving to 1-1 on the real surface. Playing in California was the 26th state for the Penguins to travel to in school history.

Breakdown of the Richmond Spiders
   The Spiders will look to use a power running game against the Penguins this Saturday. On the year, Richmond averages 266.5 yards rushing per game and averages just 89.7 through the air. Richmond finished in a tie for the Atlantic 10 Conference championship with Delaware. The Spiders were 6-1 in the powerful Atlantic 10 with their lone defeat coming to the Blue Hens.
   Richmond enters the postseason with the momentum of a six-game winning streak. At UR Stadium this season, the Spiders are 4-1 with their lone loss to Delaware.
   The Spiders use a two-quarterback system to keep opponent’s off balance. Both Sean Gustus and D’Arcy Wills have played in all 11 games this season. On Saturday against William & Mary, Wills threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to rally the Spiders for a 21-18 win. Gustus has thrown just 78 passes this season and is averaging 68.8 yards per game. On the ground, he is UR’s second-leading rusher with 76.5 yards per game. Wills averages 21.2 yards on 44 carries and has thrown 19 passes, completing nine, for 230 yards. Together they have thrown just one interception.
   Tailback TyRonne Turner leads the team with nine rushing touchdowns and 76.5 yards per game. Ryan Tolhurst is the leading receiver with 19 catches for 487 yards.
   On defense, the Spiders are stingy on the ground allowing just 93.9 yards per game. The Spiders are fourth in the nation in rushing defense. In total defense, UR allows 291.4 yards per game and just 16.4 points per contest. Leading the way defensively is outside linebacker Mark Thompson. Thompson has recorded 83 tackles to lead the team.
   Richmond is coached by Joe Reid (Maine, 1973), who is in his sixth season with the school. Reid owns a 38-28-1 record at UR and is 74-57-3 as a head coach.

Penguins Have Storied Playoff History
   Youngstown State has had one of the best postseason runs in college football history since participating in its first playoff game in 1987. After posting a 1-3 mark in their first four playoff games, YSU has an amazing 22-2 record in the Division I-AA playoffs since 1991. That mark includes national championship victories in 1991, 1993, 1994 and 1997 and runner-up finishes in 1992 and 1999.
   Before losing in the Division I-AA Championship game to Georgia Southern, the Penguins had an impressive 15-game postseason winning streak. The Eagles defeated YSU 59-24 in the championship game at Finley Stadium in Chattanooga, Tenn., last year.
   Against Atlantic 10 teams in the NCAA postseason, YSU is 3-0 with all three victories coming against Villanova. On the road in NCAA play, the Penguins are 6-3 on an opponents home field, but have won three straight since losing at Marshall in the 1993 championship game.
   This is the second straight year the Penguins were tabbed as a ninth seed an opened on the road. Last year, YSU travelled to Montana for the first round and beat the No. 8 Grizzlies 31-28. At home in the NCAA Playoffs, the Penguins are 12-1 all-time.