YSUsports.com - Football: Savage, Fernandez Named Preseason All-MVFC, Guins Tabbed Sixth

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July 20, 2009

Football: Savage, Fernandez Named Preseason All-MVFC, Guins Tabbed Sixth

St. Louis, Mo. – Youngstown State senior defensive linemen Crispin Fernandez (Porterville, Calif.) and Mychal Savage (New Rochelle, N.Y.) were named to the Missouri Valley Football Conference's Preseason Team, the conference announced on Monday at its annual media day.

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.

Also receiving mention was sophomore tailback Kamryn Keys. Keys, the 2008 Conference Freshman of the Year, received preseason honorable-mention accolades.

In the team races, UNI was picked with first garnering 314 points and 26 first-place votes. Southern Illinois, which tied the Panthers for the top spot in the league last year and earned the automatic bid by virtue of a win over UNI, was second with 281 points and nine first-place votes.

South Dakota State was third at 231 points, North Dakota State was fourth at 206, including one first-place vote, Western Illinois was just ahead of YSU with 174 points. The Penguins had 171 points. Rounding out the top nine were Missouri State at seven with 111 points, Illinois State at eight with 90 points and Indiana State last with 42.

The Penguins are set to report to YSU on Wednesday, Aug. 5, with their first practices on Thursday the sixth. The Guins open the campaign on Sept. 5 at Pittsburgh.

Notes Entering the Final Days Before Camp
-- YSU was picked sixth in 2004 and 2005. In 2004, the Guins tied for fifth and 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.

-- The Sept. 5 start date is the latest for a campaign since 1992. That season YSU went 11-3-1 and reached the National Championship Game.

-- 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.

-- YSU's contest against South Dakota State on Oct. 31 will be televised as the MVFC Game of the Week. The Guins contest at North Dakota State is being broadcast by the NBC affiliate in Fargo.

-- 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.