March 25, 2009

Football: Heacock Announces Defensive Realignment, Adds Three to Staff

    Youngstown – Youngstown State Head Football Coach Jon Heacock announced on Wednesday that he will assume duties as the program's defensive coordinator for the 2009 season and that Eugene Crosby, Benyard Jones and Michael Zordich have joined the Penguins' coaching staff.

    Heacock, who begins his ninth season at the helm of the program, was the program's defensive coordinator in 2000, the season prior to him taking over as head coach. He served in the capacity at YSU from 1991-96.

    Jones and Zordich will help on the defensive side of the football working with the line and the safeties while Crosby will assist in other aspects of the program. On defense, veteran Jerry Olsavsky will remain in charge of the linebackers while Sherod Holmes will continue coaching the cornerbacks.

    A 12-year National Football League veteran, and a Youngstown native, Zordich joins the YSU staff as the safeties coach.
    Zordich spent five seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, five with the Arizona Cardinals and two with New York Jets. He retired from the league following the 1998 season, which he spent in Philadelphia.
    Since his retirement from professional football, Zordich has spent time on the high school level as an assistant coach and worked in private business. He coach two seasons Chaney High School, but spent most of his time as an assistant at Cardinal Mooney High School. He has also helped with YSU's summer football camps on an annual basis.
    During his 12 seasons as a safety in the NFL, Zordich played in 185 games, making 125 starts. He finished his career with nearly 600 total tackles, 20 interceptions and scored four touchdowns.

    Jones, who spent the previous two seasons as the defensive coordinator at Division II Arkansas Tech, takes over as the defensive line coach.
    Jones spent the last three campaigns with the Wonder Boys, including the final two as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Prior to taking over duties as the coordinator he served as the defensive line coach in 2006.
    In his career he has had two stints with the ATU program. He served on the staff a total of eight seasons from 2006-08 and 1999-04 for Coach Steve Mullins. In between, he spent a season (2005) as the defensive and special teams coordinator on the FCS level at Butler for Coach Kit Cartwright.

    Jones, a native of Kankakee, Ill., was a standout defensive tackle at Indiana as a collegiate. He was a three-year letterman (1995, 1996, 1997) as a defensive tackle for the Hoosiers. He was a two-year starter and was in the lineup for the final 22 games of his career. He began his career playing for Coach Bill Mallory and as a senior was a captain on Cam Cameron's first Hoosier squad in 1997. That season, he played under Heacock who was IU's defensive coordinator at the time.

    Crosby will be a quality control assistant in charge of the behind-the-scenes aspects of the program. He will help coordinate the video efforts for the Penguins, handle scouting of opponents while mainly working with the offensive unit.

    He spent the previous year on the staff at Division-II power Delta State. For Coach Ron Roberts, Crosby was the video coordinator and coached the running backs. DSU went 10-2 on the season losing to North Alabama in the quarterfinals of the playoffs. The Statesmen were ranked seventh in the final AFCA poll and won the Gulf South Conference championship.

    A native of Erie, Pa., Crosby spent a year at Oregon State and three seasons on the staff at Hiram. He played offensive line in college at Washington & Jefferson.

    YSU officially opens Spring Drills on Monday, March 30.