Dec. 6, 2008

Football: Summers, Linemen Earn Top Honors at Annual Football Banquet

    Youngstown – Junior quarterback Brandon Summers was named the Youngstown State football team’s John Delserone Most Valuable Players for the 2008 campaign. Senior offensive lineman Brad Samsa was selected as the team's top offensive player while defensive lineman Crispin Fernandez was named the top defensive player.
    All awards were presented at the teams Annual Awards Banquet, which was held on Saturday afternoon at the Chestnut Room in YSU’s Kilcawley Center.

    Summers was an honorable-mention all-conference pick and earned the Missouri Valley Football Conference's Newcomer-of-the-Year award. Summers set school records for passing percentage and passing efficiency in a season. He also became just the second quarterback in school history to throw 18 touchdown passes in the regular season tying the mark held by Ron Jaworski.

    For the year, Summers completed completed 122-of-195 passes for 1,540 yards and 18 touchdowns. He ended the year strong throwing 11 touchdowns and just two interceptions in the final nine games. Summers took over the starting quarterback duties against Central State, and later suffered an a knee injury that kept him out of almost three games during the middle of the campaign.

    As a starter for the Guins in 2008, he was 4-3, however the three losses were by a total of 14 points.  

    Senior offensive lineman Brad Samsa, a first-team all-conference selection, was selected as the team’s Outstanding Offensive Player. Samsa started the first nine games at center, a position he last played his redshirt freshman season in 2005. The final three games of the year he moved to right guard, where he was a started in 2006 and for part of the 2007 campaign. He finished the season playing the most snaps of any offensive player and earned an 80-percent grade or better in four of the last five games.

    Junior defensive lineman Crispin Fernandez, a second-team all-conference pick, was tabbed the squad’s Outstanding Defensive Player as well as the Jermaine Hopkins Defensive Lineman of the Year. Fernandez was the only player on defense to start all 12 games. He started both at the tackle spot and as a defensive end during the season. He finished the year with 42 tackles, leading the team in tackles for losses (6.5) and sacks.

    Senior punt returner/cornerback De'Angelo Wilson was named the Paul McFadden/Jeff Wilkins Specialist of the Year. Wilson returned 18 punts for 216 yards, an average of 12.0 per return. He returned a punt for a touchdown in the home opener against Central State. Wilson ended his YSU career with 500 punt returns yards, ranking second in school history. His 11.0 per-return average ranks third in the program's history.

    Senior tight end Derrick Bush was honored as the Jim Zdelar Offensive Lineman of the Year. Bush caught 16 passes for 208 yards and scored a career-best two touchdowns. He had touchdown receptions against Illinois State and Western Illinois during the year. He played in 11 games, starting 10 despite playing with various injuries for the season.

    Senior fullback Ben Lane was the recipient of the Dr. Neal R. Frost Outreach Man of the Year honor. Lane was another Penguin who finished the year strong. In the final two games of the season he rushed for 67 yards on 14 carries and scored his second career touchdown in the final home game against Indiana State. Also for the year he caught five passes for 41 yards.

    Senior defensive lineman Mychal Savage was named the Ron Stoops Most Inspirational Player. Savage, a preseason all-conference and All-America pick, suffered a season-ending injury in the opener against Ohio State. Although out for the year, Savage attended almost every practice and was on the sidelines during every home game to support his teammates. Savage plans on returning to the program next fall.

    Senior defensive back Tom Krupko was the presented the Dr. Spurgeon Tourchbearer Award and was named the Four Square Club's Academic Player of the Year. Krupko has a been a key member of the program the past five seasons. In 2008, he played in a career best seven games. A second-team All-MVFC selection, he has a 3.92 grade-point average as a Biology/Pre-Med major. 

   Junior tailback Jabari Scott and senior defensive tackle Bobby Lykes-Knight were awarded the Four Square Club Players of the Game for their performances in the contest against Central State. Against the Marauders, Scott had 111 yards rushing on 14 carries and scored two touchdowns. He scored on a 17-yard run in the first and added a two-yard run in the third. Lykes-Knight had four total tackles in the contest.

   Summers and sophomore wide receiver Dominique Barnes were presented with the YSU Football Alumni’s Difference Maker in the Penguins’ Homecoming Game against UNI. Against the Panthers, Barnes caught three passes for 22 yards and returned two kickoffs for 105 yards. He had returns of 57 and 48 yards in the game. Summers completed 15-of-32 passes for 167 yards and two touchdowns against the co-champions of the league.

    To conclude Saturday's banquet, Coach Jon Heacock gave an emotional speech about the adversity the team had been through during 2008. He had some touching words when describing what YSU videographer Shawn Coin, who died suddenly after practice on August 18, meant to the program and the university and the impact he made on everyone.

    Overall a total of 62 letters were handed out to the members of the 2008 squad. Of the group, 31 earned first-year awards, 19 picked up second-year awards, four received third-year awards and eight others earned fourth-year awards.

2008 YSU Football Awards
Outstanding Offensive Player -- Brad Samsa, OL
Outstanding Defensive Player -- Crispin Fernandez, DT
John Delserone Most Valuable Player -- Brandon Summers, QB
Ron Stoops Inspirational Player -- Mychal Savage, DT
Dr. Spurgeon Torchbearer -- Tom Krupko, CB
Jim Zdelar Offensive Lineman of the Year -- Derrick Bush, TE
Jermaine Hopkins Defensive Lineman of the Year -- Crispin Fernandez, DT
Neal R. Frost Outreach Man of the Year -- Ben Lane, FB
Four Square Academic Player of the Year -- Tom Krupko, CB
Paul McFadden/Jeff Wilkins Specialist of the Year -- De'Angelo Wilson, PR
Alumni Club Difference Maker Award -- Dominique Barnes, WR (vs. UNI)
Alumni Club Difference Maker Award -- Brandon Summers, QB (vs. UNI)
Four Square Offensive Player of the Game vs. Central State - Jabari Scott, TB
Four Square Defensive Player of the Game vs. Central State - Bobby Lykes-Knight, DT