YSUsports.com - Football: Penguins Head East to Tangle With CAA Foe Northeastern

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Sept. 16, 2009

Penguins Head East to Tangle With CAA Foe Northeastern

The Penguins play their second road game of the season and will be looking for their first road win on Saturday at Northeastern...kickoff is set for 1 o’clock...YSU picked up its first win of the season beating Austin Peay 38-21 last Saturday...the Penguins’ last road win over a non-conference foe was at Liberty in 2005...the Guins’ last win at a Colonial Athletic Association school was in 1999 at Villanova...YSU has won just once in four previous trips to Parson Field...this is the first meeting between the programs since Sept. 10, 2005 - a 35-16 Youngstown State win at Stambaugh Stadium...the Penguins lead the all-time series by a 6-3 margin...this is YSU’s first game against a CAA team since beating James Madison in the 2006 playoffs...Coach Jon Heacock is 3-0 against teams from the CAA...Northeastern is looking for its first victory of the season after dropping contests to Boston College and conference-rival Maine...in fact, Northeastern has dropped nine straight dating back to last year...the Guins have scored 30-or-more points on 25 occasions since 2005...YSU opens Missouri Valley Football Conference action on Sept. 26 at Indiana State.

This is the 10th meeting between the two programs, but first at Parsons Field since 1992 - a 28-23 Huskies victory. YSU’s lone road victory in the series was during the undefeated regular-season campaign of 1990.

In the three road losses, Northeastern has scored at least 23 points. The Penguins conversely are 6-1 in the series when scoring at least 23 points and 5-0 when scoring 24-plus.

Overall, three of the nine meetings have been decided by five points or less. A recap of the 2005 meeting is on page two, while a box score from that contest is on page 17.

• YSU improved to 45-22-2 all-time in home openers and 21-6-1 at Stambaugh Stadium. The Guins have won 14 straight home openers and are 18-1-1 since 1989.

• Both YSU and Austin Peay blocked punts in the game. It was the first time an opponent blocked a Penguin punt since 2005. YSU blocked a punt for the first time since 2007 (South Dakota State).

• Four players made their first career starts against the Governors - FB Dana Brown, OT Andrew Radakovich, TE Andy Colegrove and CB Bryan Gaiters.

• Colegrove caught his first career pass, which also was his first career touchdown.

• SS Sir Demarco Bledsoe finished with 15 tackles, the most by a Guin since 2004.

• CB Bryan Gaiters intercepted the first pass of his career, which set up the go-ahead touchdown in the second quarter. It was also the first game of his career.

• WR Dominique Barnes has caught a pass in 14 straight games while Jones has a reception in 12 consecutive contests.

• QB Brandon Summers threw four touchdown passes in a game for the second time in his career. He is just the second quarterback in school history (Keith Snoddy) with multiple four-touchdown passing games.

• The offense showed good balance, passing for 232 yards while rushing for 202. YSU has thrown for more yards than rushed for in the first two games.

• The defense forced two turnovers and held the Governors to 64 yards rushing.

Senior quarterback Brandon Summers tossed a school-record-tying four touchdown passes against Austin Peay. Photo by Bruce Palmer

The Penguins’ interior lines had an impressive all-around effort in a 35-16 victory over Northeastern on Sept. 10, 2005 at Stambaugh Stadium.

YSU rushed for 267 yards while the defense held the Huskies to just 70 on the ground.

Leading the way for the Penguins was tailback Monquantae Gibson, who rushed for 198 yards on 32 carries and scored three touchdowns. Gibson had scoring runs of 72, two and one in the contest.

On the third offensive play of the game for the Penguins, Gibson scooted 72 yards for a score and YSU never looked back.

Early in the second quarter, Tom Zetts threw a two-yard scoring pass to Kyle Smith before Northeastern cut the deficit in half on a five-yard score by Maurice Murray. Gibson found paydirt for the second time with 1:19 left in the first half.

NU crept within 21-10, but Gibson’s third touchdown made the score 28-10 after three quarters. Each team scored in the fourth.

Brandon Summers tied a school record with four touchdown passes, and the Guins scored 28 unanswered points in a 38-21 come-from-behind win over Austin Peay in the home opener last Saturday at Stambaugh Stadium.

YSU trailed 14-3 late in the second quarter before Summers connected with Andy Colegrove from 10 yards out. After a Bryan Gaiters interception, Kevin Smith found the end zone from seven yards out as YSU took a 17-14 halftime lead.

In the third quarter, Summers threw two scoring passes to Donald Jones in just under three minutes to give the Guins a 31-14 advantage. The first pass was from 20 yards out while the second was from 18.

Austin Peay cut the deficit to 31-21 on a four-yard pass from Trent Caffee to Darryl Miller.

YSU finished up the scoring when Summers hit Dominique Barnes on a 16-yard scoring play with 6:37 remaining.

Smith had 116 yards on 20 carries and a score while Summers was 17-of-24 for 232 yards and his four TDs.

YSU’s last road game against a CAA team, which was formerly the Atlantic 10, was at Richmond in the 2000 playoffs. Since that time, the Guins have played three CAA opponents at home - Northeastern in 2005, Maine in 2006 and James Madison in the 2006 playoffs. YSU won all three of those games.

The Guins’ last road win over a CAA squad was in 1999 - a 28-21 win at Villanova.

In the playoffs last year, the Missouri Valley Football Conference was 2-2 vs. the CAA. UNI beat Maine and New Hampshire before losing to Richmond. Southern Illinois bowed out in the first round losing to UNH.

A total of 16 players have made their Youngstown State debuts so far this season. Only two of those were last Saturday against Austin Peay as cornerbacks Bryan Gaiters and Jerome Swinton saw action.

Fourteen players made their at Pitt in the opener. Those individuals were 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.

Against Austin Peay last Saturday, 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.

Senior QB Brandon Summers is just the second player in school history to throw four touchdown passes in a game twice in a career. He joins Keith Snoddy, who did it three times during his career, as the only signal callers with multiple four-TD games.

Last season, Summers threw four touchdown passes in a loss at Illinois State. It was the first time a YSU quarterback threw for four touchdowns at home since Jeff Ryan against Hofstra in 2000. For his career, Summers has thrown 22 touchdown passes in just 12 games played, including 10 starts.

Senior DE Mychal Savage forced the second fumble of his career in the first quarter against Austin Peay. Savage broke through the line unblocked and sacked Trent Caffee on his blind side to cause the fumble, and Savage ended up with the recovery. It was his fourth career fumble recovery.

Junior FS Andre Elliott blocked the first punt of his career and the first by a Penguin since 2007 against Austin Peay. In the third quarter, Elliott blocked Ryan Key’s punt setting the Guins up at the 30-yard line. It was YSU’s first blocked punt since Dorian Chenault’s block on Sept. 8, 2007, against South Dakota State.

Redshirt freshman CB Bryan Gaiters intercepted a pass in his first career game. Gaiters started against Austin Peay after missing the opener at Pitt. In the second quarter with YSU trailing 14-10, his seven-yard interception return set up the Guins at the Governors 10-yard line for the go-ahead score.

Senior wide receiver Donald Jones has had a solid start to the 2009 campaign. Jones has 10 receptions for 116 yards and two touchdowns. His 10 receptions are the most by a Penguin after two games to start a year since Kyle Smith had 11 in 2005.

Against Austin Peay, Jones 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 11th catch of the year until the sixth game. He has now caught a pass in 12 consecutive games and has had multiple receptions in the past 10.

He finished last season with 31 receptions for 510 yards and seven touchdowns, including five in the final four games. His first touchdown reception last year came in week four.

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.

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.

Senior TB Kevin Smith rushed for 116 yards on a season-best 20 carries and a score against APSU. 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.

He played in nine games in 2007, starting seven for the Guins. He ran for 610 yards on 123 attempts, scoring 10 touchdowns. He also caught 13 passes for 80 yards and a score. He had a career-high 122 yards at Indiana State.

Junior WR Dominique Barnes scored the final touchdown of the game against Austin Peay - a 16-yarder with 6:37 remaining. It was the fourth touchdown reception of his career. Barnes has caught a pass in 14 straight games and has 13 career multi-catch games, including his last 11 contests.

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.

Senior WR Aaron Pitts’ 16-yard grab on fourth-and-eight from the APSU 35 in the second quarter was a big difference maker.

At the time, YSU trailed 14-3, and all the momentum was with the Governors. But once Brandon Summers found Pitts, the game changed. Three plays later, YSU scored its first touchdown of the season. Two plays after that, Bryan Gaiters intercepted an APSU pass. Two plays following that, the Guins led 17-14 and never trailed again. Pitts had two receptions for 37 yards in the contest - his other a 21-yard gainer on a 3rd-and-14 play.

Wide receiver Josh Lee caught two passes against Austin Peay last Saturday. Photo by Bruce Palmer.

Freshman TB Jamaine Cook saw second-half action against Austin Peay and rushed for 45 yards on six carries. Cook had a long rush of 19 yards against the Governors, which, through two games, is the longest jaunt of the season by any Penguin. He had one carry at Pitt.

Through two games this year, the YSU defense has allowed 612 total offensive yards. That’s a far cry from last year when the Guins had allowed 1,001 yards after two contests. In 2007, the Penguins surrendered 673 yards through two games. In 2006, YSU allowed just 520. The unit has forced three turnovers. Last year through two games the Guins had one.

Also, YSU held Austin Peay to 64 yards rushing, the lowest total by an opponent since Lock Haven had just 50 in 2007.

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.

YSU has had four first-time starters on the offensive line in the first two games. Against Austin Peay, redshirt freshman Andrew Radakovich started at left tackle. Against Pitt, the Guins had three first-time starters on the offensive line. Players making their initial start at Pitt were Andy Kowicki, Tyler Figueroa and Bill Dugan. Dugan and Kowicki were playing in their first game.

Junior PK Stephen Blose is an upright away from being a perfect 3-for-3 on the season in his field-goal tries. Blose made his first ever field goal at Stambaugh Stadium last Saturday against Austin Peay when he converted a 31-yarder in the first quarter. However, in the second quarter, Blose drilled the right upright on a 21-yard attempt. He was 5-of-5 on PAT conversions versus APSU. He had not attempted a PAT in his career until then.

Blose drilled a career-long 48-yarder at Pitt, the longest field goal by a Penguin since September 2003. He had previously made a 41-yarder at Ohio State in 2007.

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.

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, and the Guins should get veteran CB Lenny Wicks back this week against Northeastern. Wicks returned to practice last week after suffering an injury in April’s Spring Game.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

Brandon Summers is the fifth FBS quarterback to transfer to YSU since 2001 and the second to start a game.

Summers joins Mike Schneider (Duke), Vince Gliatta (Penn State), Luis Gonzalez (Cincinnati) and Lou Angelo (Temple) as FBS quarterback transfers to YSU. Of that group, Gliatta had the most success, but never started, rushing for 159 yards and passing for 148 in two years as a backup and eventually moved to safety.

Of that group, only Gonzalez started, and that was one snap on Senior Day against Western Kentucky.

Senior quarterback Brandon Summers’ cousin, Durrell Summers, is a junior guard for Michigan State.

Assistant coach Sam Eddy grew up in Beloit, Wis., along with his good friend Indianapolis Colts Head Coach Jim Caldwell.

YSU quarterbacks Marc Kanetsky and Kurt Hess roomed together at a quarterback camp in high school. One of the instructors at the camp in Toledo was Summers.

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 in the first two games, starting at least once.

They join a group of five FBS transfers who were already on the team: Dana Brown (Iowa), offensive guard Brian Mellott (Ohio), safety Gary Pezzuolo (Akron), offensive guard Eric Rodemoyer (West Virginia) and quarterback Brandon Summers (Toledo).

• Turnover Margin: Since 1996, the Penguins are 89-18 when they win or tie in the turnover margin. When committing more turnovers, YSU is just 13-37.

YSU heads to Indiana State for the Missouri Valley Football Conference opener on Sept. 26. Kickoff at Memorial Stadium is set for just after noon. ISU opens MVFC play this week with a contest against South Dakota State.

The Penguins have dominated the all-time series against the Sycamores, winning 17 of the 18 all-time meetings. YSU is a perfect 9-0 in Terre Haute.

After playing two road games, the Guins return home on Oct. 3 to play host to Missouri State.