The Penguins open Missouri Valley Football Conference action at Indiana State on Saturday...kickoff is set for 12:05 p.m. at Memorial Stadium in Terre Haute...YSU is looking for its first three-game winning streak since winning four straight in 2007...the Guins picked up their first road win of the season last Saturday with a 38-21 victory at Northeastern...Youngstown State has enjoyed tremendous success at Indiana State, winning all nine meetings at Memorial Stadium...Head Coach Jon Heacock is 8-0 all-time against the Sycamores...in MVFC openers, YSU is 9-3...Coach Heacock is 5-3 in conference openers...in the series between the two programs, the Penguins have won 12 straight and 17 of the 18 all-time meetings...Indiana State has lost 30 straight games - and 14 consecutive at home - since beating Missouri State on 28-22 on Oct. 21, 2006...the Guins have scored 30-or-more points on 26 occasions - including twice this year - since 2005...the Penguins have not scored a first-quarter touchdown this year...YSU returns home for just the second time this year on Oct. 3 versus Missouri State.

    This is the 19th meeting between the two programs. YSU has dominated, winning 17 of the 18 all-time contests. At Memorial Stadium in Terre Haute, the Guins are a perfect 9-0.

    The Penguins have scored more than 30 points in each of the past 10 meetings.

    Four of the last five meetings have all been decided by 25 points or more, but prior to 2004, the series had a history of several close contests. Seven of the first 13 meetings were decided by a touchdown or less, including an overtime win by the Penguins in 2003. Indiana State’s lone win in the series came in 1995.

Quick Notes From The Northeastern Game

Center Tyler Figueroa has started the first three games at center. He had not started a game prior to this season.

• YSU won its first non-conference road game since a 2005 victory at Liberty.

• The Penguins won for the first time at Parsons Field since 1990.

• YSU won by a score of 38-21, an identical score to the previous week against Austin Peay. It is the first time in school history that YSU won consecutive games by the same exact score.

• Cornerback Lenny Wicks was in the starting lineup for the first time this season. Wicks missed the first two games because of an injury.

• Andre Elliott returned his first career interception 30 yards for a touchdown. It was the first interception return for a score by a Penguin since Jason Perry against Missouri State in 2006.

• YSU forced four turnovers against the Huskies. The last time the Guins had four takeaways in a game was against North Dakota State in 2008.

• QB Brandon Summers had three rushing touchdowns, becoming the first Penguin quarterback to have three rushing scores in a game since Ray Isaac on Nov. 17, 1990 against Maine.

• For two straight weeks, YSU surrendered a touchdown before the defense took the field - blocked punt for TD by Austin Peay and punt return for TD by Northeastern.

• WR Dominique Barnes has caught a pass in 15 straight games while WR Donald Jones has a reception in 13 consecutive contests. Barnes had seven catches and Jones had three at Northeastern.

    YSU overcame a 21-7 second-quarter deficit to beat Indiana State 35-21 on Senior Day last year at Stambaugh Stadium.

    The Penguins took an early lead on a two-yard run by Ben Lane in the first quarter. Indiana State responded with a one-yard run by Ryan Roberts to tie the game.

    ISU went ahead 14-7 on another Roberts score and built a 21-7 lead when Donye McCleskey returned a fumble 47 yards for a touchdown with 10:04 left in the second.

    The Penguins rallied to tie the game before halftime, scoring two touchdowns in the final five minutes. Brandon Summers connected with Donald Jones on a 10-yard score and Dana Brown scored from five yards out to tie the game at halftime.

    In the third, Summers connected with Jones from 23 yards, and, in the fourth, Summers threw an 11-yard scoring toss to Dominique Barnes.

    Summers had three touchdown passes while redshirt freshman tailback Kamryn Keys had 123 yards rushing.

    Brandon Summers had three rushing touchdown runs, including two in the fourth quarter, and safety Andre Elliott returned an interception for a score as Youngstown State earned a hard-fought 38-21 victory over Northeastern last Saturday at Parsons Field.

    Summers had a one-yard score in the second quarter, but his two in the fourth quarter were back breakers.

    On fourth down from the Northeastern one with YSU clinging to a 24-21 lead, Summers faked a hand off and took it around the left end to put YSU ahead 31-21 with 6:43 left.

    After the YSU defense held the Huskies on a fourth-and-two from the eight, Summers put the contest out of reach with a crafty 73-yard scoring jaunt. On third-and-10 from the YSU 27 Summers faked a handoff and went around the right side racing 73 yards to the end zone untouched.

    Summers threw a 32-yard touchdown pass late in the second quarter, tying the contest at 14 just before halftime.

    The Guins opened the second half with an onside kick and took the lead for good on Stephen Blose’s 36-yard field goal. Elliott’s interception return put YSU up 10, before Northeastern pulled within 24-21 late in the third.

    YSU is 9-3 all-time in Missouri Valley Football Conference openers since joining the conference in 1997. Of those 12 games, seven have come on the road. YSU is 4-3 in those games. This is the third time the Guins have opened a league slate versus Indiana State (1997 and 1998 - the first two).

    In league openers YSU is 4-0 against Missouri State, 2-0 vs. Indiana State, 2-0 against Western Illinois, 1-0 against Illinois State, 0-1 vs. South Dakota State and 0-2 vs. Western Kentucky.

    The Penguins have won their past two games by an identical score of 38-21. It is the first time in school history that YSU has won consecutive games by the same exact score.

    Ironically, YSU trailed 7-0 before the defense took the field in both games. Austin Peay blocked a punt and fell on it in the end zone for a score while Northeastern returned a punt for touchdown. The second half was the difference in both games. YSU outscored APSU 21-7 and Northeastern 24-7. In both contests, YSU led 17-14 and 24-14 at some point.

    QB Brandon Summers became the first YSU quarterback since Ray Isaac in 1990 to have three rushing scores in the same game. Last Saturday at Northeastern, Summers had two one-yard scoring runs and a career-long 73 yard jaunt in the fourth quarter.

    Isaac had three rushing scores on Nov. 17, 1990, against Maine. He had scoring runs of seven, nine and 11 yards versus the Blackbears. Isaac also passed for a touchdown like Summers did versus the Huskies.

    QB Brandon Summers’ 73-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter was the second-longest scoring run by a quarterback in school history. Only Cliff Stoudt’s 77-yard score versus South Dakota State on Nov. 15, 1975 was longer.

    Summers’ run was the longest by a Penguin since tailback Marcus Mason scored on a school-record 95-yard run at Western Illinois in 2006. It was the 11th-longest run in school history as well.

77 | Cliff Stoudt vs. South Dakota State • 11/15/1975

73 | Brandon Summers at Northeastern • 9/19/2009

65 | Jeff Ryan vs. New Haven • 10/24/1998

57 | Keith Snoddy vs. Ashland • 9/23/1978

56 | Cliff Stoudt vs. Akron • 10/25/1975

Elliott Scores First TD

Andre Elliott returned an interception for a touchdown at Northeastern, a week after blocking a punt.

    Junior FS Andre Elliott made his first career interception a memorable, one returning it 30 yards for a touchdown during the third quarter against Northeastern. DT Joe Marshall put heavy pressure on NU quarterback Alex Dulski, and Elliott stepped up and made the play.

    In the previous game, Elliott blocked the first punt of his career against Austin Peay, which set YSU up for a score at the APSU 30.

    A total of 17 players have made their Youngstown State debuts so far this season.

    Playing in their first career game have been CB A.J. Walker, CB Bryan Gaiters, CB Jerome Swinton, LB Noah Taylor, LS Bryan Whitaker, LB Michael Kreatsoulas, WR Ely Ducatel, C Andy Kowicki, TB Jamaine Cook, CB Vinnie Patella, LB Taylor Hill, SS Sir Demarco Bledsoe, OT D.J. Main, FB James Cravens, OT Andrew Radakovich, WR Jelani Berassa and FS David Fleming.

    In three games this season, 11 Penguins have made their first career starts in a Red, White and Black uniform.

    Against Austin Peay, four players made their first career starts. Three of those players were on offense as tackle Andrew Radakovich, fullback Dana Brown and tight end Andy Colegrove started. On defense redshirt freshman Bryan Gaiters started at corner. Colegrove, a sophomore, caught his first career pass, a four-yard touchdown reception while Gaiters picked up his first career interceptions.

    Seven players made their first career starts at Pitt, including five on offense. Those individuals were LB Taylor Hill, SS Sir Demarco Bledsoe, OT Bill Dugan, C Andy Kowicki, OG Tyler Figueroa, TE Aaron Rogers and WR Aaron Pitts.

    Entering the contest against Northeastern, the Penguins had one offensive play longer than 20 yards. YSU was able to double that total when Brandon Summers threw a 32-yard scoring toss to Dominique Barnes in the second quarter and later, Summers had a career-long 73-yard run.

    The Penguins have won 14 straight games when forcing at least four turnovers in a contest. The last loss was at UNI in 2001 when YSU had five giveaways to the Panthers’ four. The Guins are 16-1 when forcing at least four turnovers since Coach Heacock took over in 2001.

    Prior to getting four takeaways at Northeastern, the last time YSU forced four turnovers in a game was last year against North Dakota State.

    Junior WR Dominique Barnes has caught touchdown passes in each of the past two games. At Northeastern he had a 32-yard scoring reception, and, against Austin Peay, he had 16-yarder. Barnes has caught a pass in 15 straight games and has 14 career multi-catch games, including his last 12 contests.

    So far this season he has 12 catches, after finishing with seven for 88 yards at NU. The seven grabs were one shy of his career high.

    As a true freshman in 2007, Barnes caught just three passes for 21 yards. In 2008, he had 368 yards receiving on a team-high 38 receptions and scored three touchdowns.

    For his career, he has 25 kickoff returns for 558 yards and a touchdown.

    Junior PK Stephen Blose, who has a 4.00 GPA, is an upright away from being perfect on the field this season.

    Blose is 3-of-4 in field-goal tries after converting a 36-yard kick at Northeastern. He has made one field goal in each of YSU’s three games this season. At Pitt, he drilled a career-long 48-yarder, the longest field goal by a Guin since September 2003. He had previously made a 41-yarder at Ohio State in 2007.

    Against Austin Peay he made a 31-yard try and had a 21-yard attempt clang off the right upright.

He is a 10-of-10 on PAT conversions after not having one attempt entering the year.

    Senior TB Dana Brown had the best game of his season at Northeastern. Brown had 11 rushes for 63 yards against the Huskies and also caught a pass. He was one carry shy of his career high (12 at Southern Utah) and two yards from his best (65 vs. Indiana State).

    At Northeastern, Brown had 10 yards in the first quarter, 17 in the second, 13 in the third and 23 in the fourth. In the fourth, he had a 17-yard pickup on a 3rd-and-7 play from the YSU 10.

    Senior TB Kevin Smith has rushed for 188 yards the past two weeks on 42 carries. At Northeastern, Smith tied his career high with 22 carries while going for 72 yards. The week prior versus Austin Peay, he rushed for 116 yards on 20 carries and a score. It was the third time in his career he rushed for more than 100 yards. Smith sat out the entire 2008 campaign with an injury and has started the first two games this year.

    Senior wide receiver Donald Jones has had a solid start to the 2009 campaign. Jones has a team-high 13 receptions for 137 yards and two touchdowns.

    At Northeastern, he had three catches for 21 yards. The previous week against Austin Peay, he caught six passes for 82 yards and two scores. It was the second time in his career (Indiana State last year) that he had two touchdown catches in the same game.

    Last season, Jones did not tally his 13th catch of the year until the seventh game. He has now caught a pass in 13 consecutive games and has had multiple receptions in the past 11.

    Senior TB Jabari Scott has rushed for 1,085 yards on 191 carries in his 23-game YSU career. He has scored 13 rushing touchdowns - most on the team. He did not play at Northeastern because of an injury. Scott is expected to return to the lineup this week.

    Senior WR Aaron Pitts completed the first pass of his career when he hit quarterback Brandon Summers on a 19-yard gain at Northeastern. Pitts took a pitch and connected with Summers for a gain down to the one-yard line. Summers scored on a quarterback keeper two plays later.

    Pitts also had a career-high four catches for a career-best 43 yards against the Huskies.

    Pitts has seven receptions for 92 yards this season in three games. Entering the campaign he had 12 grabs, including a high of nine last year.

Defensive Tackle Luke Matelan came up with a big fourth-down stop in the victory at Northeastern.

    Through three games this year, the YSU defense has allowed 958 yards of total offense.

    That’s a far cry from last year when the Guins had allowed 1,001 yards after just two contests.

    In three games this season, the most total offensive yards the Penguins have allowed was 390 to Pitt. Last season, YSU surrendered more than 400 yards on six occasions in 12 games, including four of the first five contests.

    The Penguins have not allowed more than 187 yards rushing so far this year and the most passing yards allowed was 208 by Northeastern (on 38 attempts). Seven times last year the Guins allowed 187-or-more rushing yards.

    On the offensive line, YSU has had four first-time starters and has used a different starting lineup each game so far. At Northeastern, Chris Gammon and Andrew Radakovich started as tackles, Eric Rodemoyer and Brian Mellott started at guard while Tyler Figueroa started at center.

    Radakovich and Rodemoyer have started the past two games while Gammon and Bill Dugan have started two of the first three. Gammon suffered a right-foot injury at Northeastern and could miss the next few games.

    The four first-time starters this season have been Figueroa, Radakovich, Dugan and Andy Kowicki.

    Senior QB Brandon Summers is just the second player in school history to throw four touchdown passes in a game twice in a career. Summers threw four touchdown passes against Austin Peay and had done it previously last season at Illinois State.

    He joins Keith Snoddy, who did it three times during his career, as the only signal callers with multiple four-TD games.

    For his career, Summers has thrown 23 touchdown passes in just 13 games played, including 11 starts.

Brandon Summers vs. Austin Peay • 9/12/2009

Brandon Summers at Illinois State • 11/1/2008

Tom Zetts at Liberty • 9/17/2005

Jeff Ryan vs. Hofstra • 11/4/2000

Mark Brungard vs. Slippery Rock • 9/24/1994

Keith Snoddy vs. Alabama A&M • 12/1/1979

Keith Snoddy at Illinois State • 9/8/1979

Keith Snoddy at Central State • 10/14/1978

Ron Jaworski vs. Northern Michigan • 10/7/1972

Denny Klembara vs. Pensacola Navy • 10/12/1968

    Sophomore TE Andy Colegrove made his first career catch a memorable one. Colegrove caught a four-yard pass from Brandon Summers for his first career touchdown in the second quarter versus Austin Peay. Colegrove also made his first career start against the Governors.

    Two true freshmen are seeing action this year for the Penguins. TB Jamaine Cook and WR Jelani Berassa have seen action in the first two games. As of now, all the other true freshmen on the roster are planned redshirts.

    Last season, six true freshmen played for YSU - four on defense and two on offense.

    Sophomore SS Sir Demarco Bledsoe finished with 15 tackles, including 10 solo stops, in the Penguins’ win over Austin Peay. It was the most tackles by a Guin since Jeremiah Wright had 18 at Missouri State in the 2004 season finale. It was the most solo stops in a contest since Marty Hutchinson was credited with 10 at McNeese State in 2004. Bledsoe’s 15 stops were the most by a member of the secondary since Mike Bracken’s 15 vs. UNI in 2002.

    YSU has one senior in the secondary (Lenny Wicks), one senior on the offensive line (Brian Mellott) and one senior linebacker (Draye Ersery). YSU has three senior running backs and three senior wide receivers, meaning 50 percent of the group is from those two positions. The Guins have two on the defensive line and have one each at quarterback and punter. All have made major contributions so far this season.

    The Penguins senior class may be small, but they are unified, and most have come to YSU in different ways. Of the 12, five joined the team during the 2008 calendar year. The size of this senior class is the smallest since 2000 (a playoff season) when the program had 12 as well.

    The 2009 squad has just one senior (Brian Mellott) to go along with seven juniors. The line has four redshirt freshmen, one sophomore and one true freshman. Against Pitt, Mellott, junior Chris Gammon and three redshirt freshmen were in the starting lineup.

    Of the current members of the line, junior Bobby Coates has the most starts of the group at 13 while Eric Rodemoyer has started 11 times. Mellott started nine games along the line in 2007 and had two starts as a tight end last year. Junior Justin Rechichar started at left guard, right guard and center a year ago.

    Quarterback Brandon Summers hopes to continue a string of recent success by YSU senior quarterbacks.

In 2007, senior Tom Zetts led the Penguins to a 7-4 mark. In 2001, senior Jeff Ryan led the program to an 8-3 record. In 1997, senior Demond Tidwell led the Guins to a National Championship.

    Both Brandon Summers and Dominique Barnes played quarterback at Southfield High School before moving on to the college ranks. Summers was the Bluejays’ QB from 2003-04 while Barnes followed from 2005-06.

    Last year, the two connected on touchdown passes three times.

    Barnes returned the favor in the final game of the year, connecting on a 35-yard pass with Summers against Western Illinois.

    Summers and Barnes have connected for touchdowns each of the past two games.

    Senior wide receiver Donald Jones and senior defensive tackle Mychal Savage have been named the Guins’ captains for the 2009 season.

    Savage is a repeat selection from last year. However, his captaincy was cut short after suffering a season-ending injury at Ohio State.

    Jones is the first wide receiver since Herb Williams in 1992 to be tabbed as a team captain. He is also the first junior college transfer to be named a captain since YSU defensive backs coach Sherod Holmes in 2003.

    In 2009, the Missouri Valley Football Conference will be celebrating its 25th season of existence. Ironically, the MVFC is in its second season being referred to as Valley Football. The MVFC was known as the Gateway Football Conference since the league formed in 1985 through 2007.

    In 2009, the Penguins play just five regular-season home games for the first time since 1987. YSU plays three of its first four games on the road - the last time that happened was to start the 1993 campaign. The last time the program played three road games in September was 1987.

    Senior defensive linemen Crispin Fernandez and Mychal Savage were named to the Missouri Valley Football Conference’s Preseason Team, the conference announced in late July.

    As a team, YSU was picked to finish sixth in the nine-team league. The last time the Guins were tabbed sixth, they tied for the conference championship in 2005.

    YSU was also picked sixth in the conference race prior to the 2004 and 2005 seasons. In 2004, the Guins tied for fifth in 2005 shared the title with UNI and Southern Illinois but did not qualify for the playoffs.

    The Penguins were picked third in both the 2007 and 2008 preseason league polls. The only time YSU was ever picked to win the conference in the preseason poll was 1998.

    YSU lost just nine fumbles in 12 games last season. It marked the fifth consecutive year that the Penguins kept under double digits in fumbles lost for a year.

    YSU had nine fumbles lost in 2007, five in 2006, eight in 2005 and eight in 2004. Prior to the four-year streak, the Guins had committed single digits in fumbles lost in consecutive years just twice (1986-87 and 1958-59).

    The Guins put the ball on the ground 16 times, but lost just nine of those last year. So far in 2009, YSU has not lost a fumble.

    The Guins are hoping to repeat some history in seasons that end in the number nine. In 1999, YSU reached the NCAA Championship Game, in 1989, the Guins reached the FCS quarterfinals, in 1979, Youngstown State played for the Division II National Championship.

    The Penguins have a combined record of 32-9 in those years ending in nine.

    Senior defensive end Mychal Savage is one of 20 FCS players on the watch list for the 2009 Buck Buchanan Award, presented annually to the top defensive player.

    Savage has established himself as one of the top defensive tackles in FCS during an outstanding career. In 2007, the All-American and first-team All-Missouri Valley selection racked up 43 tackles, five for loss, five sacks and three QB hurries. He played in one game last year before suffering a season-ending injury.

    With just 12 seniors, YSU’s roster has a strong number of juniors, sophomores, freshmen/redshirt freshmen.

    The Penguins have 29 freshmen/redshirt freshmen, 25 sophomores and 23 juniors.

    YSU added three FBS transfers at the start of camp this fall. Those three players are Sir Demarco Bledsoe (TCU), Andrew Radakovich (Penn State) and James Cravens (Ball State). All three have played and started at least once.

    They join a group of four FBS transfers who are on the team: Dana Brown (Iowa), offensive guard Brian Mellott (Ohio), offensive guard Eric Rodemoyer (West Virginia) and quarterback Brandon Summers (Toledo).

• Turnover Margin: Since 1996, the Penguins are 90-18 when they win or tie in the turnover margin. When committing more turnovers, YSU is just 13-37.

• 125-16-2 when holding opponents to fewer than 21 points in a game.

• 98-7 when rushing for 200-plus yards.

• 115-13 when scoring 28-or-more points.

• 61-5-1 when holding opponents to fewer than 100 yards rushing in a game.

• 142-8 when leading entering the fourth.

• 66-3-2 when holding opponents to 10 points-or-less in a game.

    YSU returns home to play host to Missouri State on Oct. 3. It marks just the second home game after playing three of four on the road in September. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.