YSU Penguin Football News

Chargers Claim RB Mason Off Waivers From Redskins

Tuesday, March 9 2010

Courtesy of: AP Wire

SAN DIEGO (AP) ― The Chargers have claimed running back Marcus Mason off waivers from the Washington Redskins, beginning the process of restocking their backfield.

Mason spent most of his first two NFL seasons on the practice squads of the Redskins and Baltimore Ravens. He played in nine games last season for the Redskins, gaining 127 yards on 32 carries.

The Chargers recently released running backs LaDainian Tomlinson and Michael Bennett.

Penguin Coaching Staff Hosts Clinic on March 19-20

Thursday, March 4 2010

Courtesy of: YSU

Youngstown -- The Youngstown State football coaching staff is holding its Spring Coaches Clinic on March 19-20 during the first weekend of spring football practices. The cost of the clinic is $30 each in advance or $40 for on-site registration. As part of the clinic program, coaches will attend two practices and take part in at least five sessions with the YSU staff. Meals and parking are included in the registration fee.

The clinic offers an excellent chance for area coaches to get to know the new YSU staff, talk football and build relationships within the community coaching ranks.

Coaches will attend YSU practices on Friday and Saturday afternoons. Friday night will feature a welcome session by Head Coach Eric Wolford. Offensive Coordinator Shane Montgomery and Defensive Coordinator Rick Kravitz will each hold hour-long sessions. Late-night breakout sessions and a social will be held beginning at 10 p.m.

Saturday's clinic will begin in the morning with the an hour on special teams, an hour on defensive line play and fundamental demonstrations by YSU's assistant coaches. After time for lunch, coaches can attend the Penguins' Saturday afternoon practice session.

For more information contact Director of Football Operations Dan Kopp at (330) 941-2180 or dmkopp@ysu.edu. The deadline for pre-registration is March 18.

Clinic Schedule

Friday, March 19
3-4 p.m. - REGISTRATION (DeBartolo Stadium Club)
4-6:15 p.m. - PRACTICE (Stambaugh Stadium)
6:30 p.m. - DINNER
7:40 p.m. - "WELCOME" - ERIC WOLFORD, HEAD COACH
8 p.m. - YSU OFFENSE - SHANE MONTGOMERY, OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR/QBs
9 p.m. - YSU DEFENSE - RICK KRAVITZ, DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR/LBs
10 p.m. - BREAKOUT SESSIONS/SOCIAL

Dinner and Speakers will be at Chestnut Room in Kilcawley Center

Saturday, March 20
8-9 a.m. - CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST
9 a.m. - YSU SPECIAL TEAMS - LOUIE MATSAKIS, SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR/RBs
10 a.m. - YSU D-LINE PLAY -TOM SIMS, ASSISTANT HEAD COACH/DEFENSIVE LINE
11 a.m. - FUNDAMENTAL DEMONSTRATIONS
OL - CARMEN BRICILLO (OFFENSIVE LINE)
DB - FRANK BUFFANO (SECONDARY)
DB - RON STOOPS (SECONDARY)
WR - PHIL LONGO (WIDE RECEIVERS/RECRUITING COORDINATOR)
Noon-1 p.m. - LUNCH
1 p.m. - PRACTICE

Clinic Brochure

| Share Feb. 24, 2010 Long-Time Ursuline Assistant Coach Rollen Smith Named to Staff

Friday, February 26 2010

Courtesy of: YSU

Youngstown -- Youngstown State Head Football Coach Eric Wolford announced on Wednesday the completion of his coaching staff with the addition of long-time high school assistant coach Rollen Smith. Smith, who has nearly 30 years of experience coaching at the local high school level, will serve as an assistant defensive line coach for the Penguins.

"Rollen Smith is a person of high integrity, who has a tremendous reputation both as a football coach and for what he has done within the community," Wolford said. "He is someone our players can talk to and his experiences can teach them a lot. He is a great football coach and we are excited to have him as a member of our coaching staff."

A Youngstown native, Smith has been an assistant high school coach in Youngstown since 1980. He was at Youngstown South from 1980 through 1988 and spent the last 20 seasons as an assistant under five different head coaches for the Irish. At Ursuline he coached the running backs and cornerbacks while also handling the strength and conditioning duties for the program.

In his final two years, Ursuline won the state's Division V Championship. The Irish were a perfect 15-0 in 2008 and went 11-3 in 2009. He was also a member of the staff in 2000 when the Irish won the Division IV crown posting a 14-1 mark. While with the program, he coached for Dick Angle, Scott Niedzwicki, Jim Vivo, Dan Murphy and Dan Reardon. Ursuline qualified for the state playoffs 13 times during his tenure.

He has worked at the Martin P. Joyce Juvenile Justice Center since 1983 where he has been a group leader, supervisor, behavior specialist and director of programming. He is also a prevention specialist for the Mahoning County Chemical Dependency Program of Youngstown.

Smith has served on the Mahoning County area AIDS task force since 1988, been a volunteer at the Boys & Girls Club of Youngstown since 1988 and been on the Mahoning Valley task force against crime since 1990. He has been involved with the Mahoning County Joint Vocational School, the Mahoning County Chemical Dependency Program, served as a case worker in Community Corrections and worked as a teacher and mentor at the Tod Vocational School.

Smith was a standout defensive back in his two seasons with Arkansas. As a junior, he was a first-team All-Southwest Conference selection for coach Frank Broyles. He was a team captain in 1974 and following the season played in the Blue-Gray All-Star Classic. He was a sixth-round draft choice by the Cincinnati Bengals in 1975 and later signed with the St. Louis Cardinals before returning to Youngstown in 1980.

He earned his degree from Arkansas in 1976 after earning an associates degree from Garden City Community College in 1973. A Youngstown native, he graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School.

RB Bellamy to sign with Youngstown State

Thursday, February 25 2010

Courtesy of: tampabay.com

Former Dunedin running back Adaris Bellamy, who signed with USF in 2009 but was told last month there was no longer a scholarship available to him with the Bulls, will sign today with Division I-AA Youngstown State, his high school coach said Wednesday.

"He could play at a higher level, but I think he'll be a star there," Mark Everett said. "He's excited. He just told me his goal is to win the Walter Payton Award (given to the top player in I-AA football)."

Bellamy, who spent last fall at Fork Union Military Academy in Virginia and was able to raise his grades and test scores to meet NCAA requirements, had hoped to enroll at USF as was the plan when he went to Fork Union last summer. But in the transition from Jim Leavitt to Skip Holtz, USF ran out of scholarships for running backs. Bellamy was rated as a four-star recruit by Rivals.com last year.

When news broke that he wasn't going to USF, he drew immediate interest from Cincinnati, but Everett said he wasn't able to make a scheduled visit to the Bearcats because he hadn't signed his release from USF. Everett spoke with Cincinnati head coach Butch Jones last week and again Monday, but said Bellamy decided not to wait any longer and sign with the Penguins, who signed a high school teammate of his this month in linebacker Ali Cheaib.

Youngstown State has several USF ties -- its head coach, Eric Wolford, was an assistant on USF's original staff in 1996, and the assistant who recruited Bellamy is defensive coordinator Rick Kravitz, who worked on Leavitt's staff at USF from 1996-2005.

Wolford’s staff looking strong

Friday, February 12 2010

Courtesy of: JOE SIMON Tribune Chronicle

There seemed to be a bit of surprise last week when members of the media first glanced at the recruiting class assembled by Youngstown State football coach Eric Wolford.

Some people took a second look to make sure they were looking at the right kids going to the right school.

They were.

Players destined for Division I conferences like the Big Ten, Mountain West and Mid-American Conference ended up staying home to play for the Penguins. Wolford must be one heck of a salesman.

Further proving that point is the coaching staff he compiled, which might be more impressive than the recruiting class.

Over the past six weeks, Wolford has rounded up coaches from all over the country - some young, some old, some middle-aged. Some possess a vast amount of experience at Division I universities, while others are leaving nearby high schools to get their first taste of college coaching.

The successful programs many of the more experienced coaches come from is especially impressive. Furthermore, many of these coaches are leaving good, upper-echelon schools to be part of YSU. It's hard to understand why they would make such a move when they were doing so well already. Wolford said their decisions were based on prior relationships and being involved with a place they truly believed could flourish.

''You have to remember I've coached at like 50 different places,'' joked Wolford, who has made stops at eight different schools spanning from one side of the country (Arizona) to the other (South Carolina). ''I've created relationships at all those places and I've been able to keep in touch with a lot of those guys over the years.

''People want to be at a place where they feel comfortable. They want to be at a school that believes in winning and part of a group of people who all have the same vision.''

That vision is to return YSU to a national powerhouse. The short list of coaches hoping to initiate that process looks something like this:

* ASSISTANT HEAD COACH/DEFENSIVE LINE - TOM SIMS: Sims is a former NFL player who's spent the last eight years at the Division I (Football Bowl Subdivision) level. He spent last year at Kansas, where the Jayhawks ranked 26th in the nation with 2.58 sacks per game. Prior to that, he spent 2005-08 at Illinois, where he and Wolford coached together in '07 and '08. He coached Minnesota's defensive front from '01 to '04.

* DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR - RICK KRAVITZ: Kravitz holds 20 years of experience as a 'D' coordinator. His most impressive stint came at South Florida, where he met Wolford, from 1996 to 2005. Kravitz played a big role in the Bulls' rapid ascent to the Division I level. The USF defense finished 17th in the nation in 2002, 2003 and 2005. In '02, USF led the nation in turnover margin, forcing 36 miscues (22 interceptions and 14 fumble recoveries).

* OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR - SHANE MONTGOMERY: The man who helped Ben Roethlisberger rewrite the record books at the University of Miami (Ohio) has coached at the D-I level his entire career, so this will be his first stint at I-AA. He was the RedHawks' offensive coordinator from 2001 to 2004, before being promoted to head coach, a post he held until '08. Aside from mentoring Roethlisberger, he also helped develop Josh Betts, who is second all time at Miami in passing yards. During his time as offensive coordinator, he was a two-time finalist for the Frank Broyles Award, which annually goes to the nation's top assistant coach.

Those are just three of the many coaches now leading the Penguins. Wolford pieced together such a vast collection of coaches, it's hard to break down each person. Yet, to further show how strong of staff it is, consider that former Southern Illinois offensive coordinator Phil Longo left the Salukis, who were 15-1 the past two years with him coaching the offense, to be the wide receivers at YSU. To take a step down such as that speaks volumes about Wolford's ability to communicate well with other coaches.

One other hire, in particular, that I thought was interesting was bringing in Ron Stoops Jr., a defensive coordinator at Cardinal Mooney for the past nine years.

During Wolford's initial press conference, he talked about how he wanted to increase interaction with high school coaches to pick their brains, and how he may even consider adding a few to his staff. The thought was he was simply putting on a show to try and impress area coaches, but he wasn't kidding. Stoops was his first hire. He will help coach the secondary and serve as the newly created director of high school relations, a position that further displays Wolford's intelligence in recruiting.

Having someone who can relate to high school kids (Stoops coached them for nine years) will certainly help Wolford persuade them into joining the Penguins. Stoops' background at Mooney certainly had to play a role in landing three Cardinal recruits, including two of their best linemen. Furthermore, having other coaches who played in the NFL and at elite, Division I colleges will help give players a better gauge as to their chances of making it to the NFL.

It's an impressive group Wolford has compiled, and if he continues to bring in talent like he did with this past recruiting class, the glory days of YSU may soon be returning.

jsimon@tribtoday.com

Head Coach Eric Wolford Lands Talented First Recruiting Class

Thursday, February 4 2010

Courtesy of: YSU

Youngstown -- Youngstown State Head Football Coach Eric Wolford unveiled a solid 2010 signing class on National Letter of Intent signing day on Feb. 3. In just six weeks, Wolford and his new staff added 19 players, including 13 from the state of Ohio. The most signees by position were offensive linemen with seven. Of the group, three were named a Player of the Year, while 10 earned all-state honors in 2009.

* Nate Adams, TE, 6-5, 225, Newark Catholic, Newark, OH
* Patrick Angle , QB, 6-2, 215, Logan, OH
* Jamarious Boatwright, CB, 5-11, 180, Largo, FL
* Ali Cheaib, LB, 6-2, 220, Dunedin, FL
* Donald D'Alesio, DB, 5-11, 180, Cardinal Mooney HS, Youngstown, OH
* Chris Elkins, OL, 6-5, 270, Beaver Falls, PA
* Eric Franklin, OL, 6-7, 310, Cardinal Mooney HS, Youngstown, OH
* Allen Jones, RB, 5-10, 180, Ursuline HS, Youngstown, OH
* Zach Larson, RB, 6-3, 285, Cardinal Mooney HS, Youngstown, OH
* Meiko Locksley, ATH, 6-1, 180, Centennial HS (N.M.), Champaign, IL
* J.P. May, OL, 6-6, 280, Worthington HS, Columbus, OH
* Grant Mayes, DB, 5-10, 195, Seton Hall Prep (Syracuse, N.Y.), Roselle, NJ
* Stephen Page, DE, 6-4, 235, Newton Falls, OH
* Michael Shope, OL, 6-6, 270, Kettering-Fairmont HS, Kettering, OH
* Andrew Sinko, OL, 6-5, 280, Strongsville, OH
* Thomas Sprague, LB, 6-1, 220, Gainesville, GA
* Marc Stevens, C, 6-5, 300, Lexington HS, Mansfield, OH
* Jordan Thompson, RB, 6-1, 215, Lakota West, Cincinnati, OH
* Kevin Watts, WR, 6-0, 215, Middletown, OH

Three Former Penguins to Appear in OhioCollegeFootball.com Senior Bowl

Tuesday, February 2 2010

Courtesy of: OhioCollegeFootball.com/YSU

Youngstown -- Former Youngstown State football players Kevin Smith (San Diego, Calif.), Aaron Pitts (Marion, Ohio) and Crispin Fernandez (Porterville, Calif.) were named to the OhioCollegeFootball.com Senior Bowl roster, the website announced on Wednesday.

The former Penguins will take the field for the North squad at Marv Moorehead Stadium in Upper Arlington on April 20, at 1 p.m. The game is set to be televised on Sports Time Ohio.

During the 2009 season Smith, a tailback, started in nine out of 10 contests rushing for a team-high 780 yards on 182 rushes. Smith scored four touchdowns, caught 15 passes for 92 yards, had four 100-yard rushing games and had a season-high in carries 28 for 113 yards versus Western Illinois. He had a season best in yards (121) on 27 rushes versus Illinois State and finished the year with 872 all-purpose yards. Smith earned his second letter and was named team’s Most Outstanding Offensive Player.

Fernandez, a defensive tackle, during the 2009 season started in nine out of 10 contests. Fernandez finished the season with 23 total tackles, was credited with nine solo stops and 14 assisted collars, had a season-high five tackles at UNI and had a season-high two solos versus Missouri State. Fernandez was named the YSU Jermaine Hopkins Defensive Lineman of the Year for the second consecutive season and earned his second letter.

During the 2009 season Ohio native and wide receiver Pitts played in all 11 games, starting against Pitt and South Dakota State. Pitts caught a career-best 33 passes for 397 yards and three touchdowns. He also caught a high of seven passes for a best of 102 yards at SIU and caught passes in 10 of 11 games, and completed a 19-yard pass to quarterback Brandon Summers on a trick play at Northeastern. Pitts earned his third letter and was recipient of team’s Dr. Spurgeon Torchbearer Award.

Youngstown State gets 2 more from Mooney

Tuesday, February 2 2010

Courtesy of: JOE SCALZO Vindicator sports staff

YOUNGSTOWN — At 6:45 p.m. on Monday, Mooney senior Zach Larson called the YSU football coaches to give them his verbal commitment.

Minutes later, he got a text from his teammate, senior lineman Eric Franklin.

“He said, ‘You’ve got to call me. I just verballed,’ ” said Larson. “We weren’t going to commit at the same time. That’s just how it happened.”

The two Cardinals joined WR/DB Donald D’Alesio to give the Penguins three Mooney recruits.

The Cardinals, who went 15-0 last fall and won the Division III state title, have six Div. I recruits overall. Running back Braylon Heard (Nebraska), safety Ray Vinopal (Michigan) and quarterback Alex Zordich (Buffalo) are the others.

Larson (6-foot-3, 285 pounds) was a first team All-Ohio guard this fall after earning first team all-district in 2008. He also received the Mack Truck Bulldog Award, given to the area’s top lineman.

He chose YSU over Kent State after visiting the Golden Flashes’ campus this weekend.

“I just think I felt more comfortable with the coaching staff at YSU,” Larson said. “YSU’s going to go places. They’ve got nowhere to go but up.

“I think Coach [Eric] Wolford is going to get them back up there with all the local guys he’s bringing in. People in Youngstown know how to play football.”

Mooney’s defensive coordinator, Ron Stoops, joined Wolford’s staff in December, but Larson said it didn’t affect his decision either way. Stoops is the Penguins’ director of high school relations and will also coach the secondary, so their paths aren’t likely to cross that often.

“If they want me to play there [in the secondary], sure, I’ll try it out,” joked Larson, who was known as the most quotable member of Mooney’s championship team. “If they need a tailback, I’ll try that too.

“Anything they need.”

Larson plans to major in a business field, either finance, international business or marketing/medical sales. But he hasn’t ruled out coaching, either, he said.

Franklin (6-7, 310) was a first team all-district and special mention All-Ohio tackle who has the size and ability to play almost anywhere. He had offers from a host of Big Ten and Mid-American Conference schools but is still trying to achieve a qualifying test score.

Two other area players, Ursuline running back Allen Jones and Newton Falls lineman Stephen Page, have also committed to the Penguins. Wolford has aggressively recruited the area since taking over for Jon Heacock in December.

“I think YSU means a lot more to us than, say, a guy who’s from out of town who doesn’t know what the program was and how much Youngstown means to all of us growing up here,” Larson said.

scalzo@vindy.com

West's Thompson commits to Youngstown

Friday, January 29 2010

Courtesy of: The Cincinnati Enquirer

Lakota West senior running back Jordan Thompson, a 6-foot, 210-pounder, has committed to play football at Youngstown State.

Thompson, an Enquirer Division I all-area selection this past season, had 275 carries for 1,741 yards and 20 rushing touchdowns.

He was first-team all-district.

Jamarious Boatwright Offers Include YSU

Wednesday, January 27 2010

Courtesy of: tampabay.com

Largo DB Jamarious Boatwright has offers from Presbyterian, Stony Brook and Youngstown State. He has visited two of the three and will trip to Youngstown State this week.

Meantime, another program has entered the mix – Iowa.

“Their coaches came down, talked to him and saw film,” Largo coach Rick Rodriguez said. “They’re showing a lot of interest. They spent about two hours with him.”

A 5-foot-9, 167-pound senior, Boatwright projects to be a cornerback.

He has a nice link to the Hawkeyes. Former Largo star Marcus Paschal, a one-time Iowa player now in the NFL, has put in a good word with his old college coaches.

“He let the coaches know about (Boatwright),” Rodriguez said.