Notes from the YSU Red-White Game

[FlyYtown]

LEBRON JAMES of the Cleveland Cavaliers was in attendance; which is pretty damn cool. He was there to see OSU Transfer Sian Cotton on the D-Line.

Now let's talk about the game. The RED Team led by backup QB Todd Rowan won 13-7. Rowan was impressive for the 2nd straight year, passing 14-20 for 241 and 1 TD. Rushing wise for the RED, a bunch of new players who looked pretty good; the best would probably be Freshmen Jordan Edwards. Nothing at all comparable to Mason; so that position is lacking.

The WHITE team was led by 4 year starting QB Tom Zetts who threw for 167 on 10-17 through the air. They really had no rushing attack at all.

Kicking game was poor, esp. kickoffs and punts; that needs the most work.

The team looks the strongest passing the ball surprisingly. They have some big targets in Irizarry, Berry, and Horne. This team may run a different style of offense than we saw last year; using the pass more than the run.... So pretty much a carbon copy of the JMU game.

This team has a few question marks, but has the leadership to go far; if some young guys step up in some key positions.

[BDK@YSU]

Of course, it's hard to get a good picture of what you can and can't do offensively with a patchwork offensive line. I like what I saw with the passing game, but I wonder if we will use it regularly or out of necessity like in the aforementioned JMU game.

With the kickoffs coming out from the 30 yard line now, special teams become even more important. Regardless, our special teams are not very good and easily the weakest part of our football team. Then again, it was hard to get good judgment on the kick and punt return teams because we couldn't get a good kick.

The score should have been 20-6 Red team, but Coach Heacock wouldn't let either team use its timeouts at the end of the second half after the Red squad had a couple big plays to get down to the White 1.

I see some promise in this year's edition of the Penguins, but I need to see some holes filled at RB and on special teams.

[BDK@YSU]

Recap:
http://www.ysu.edu/sports/football/2007/springgame.htm

Stats:
http://www.ysu.edu/sports/football/2007/SPRING07.HTM

[FlyYtown]

Nice to see nearly 2000 fans on hand on a beautiful night here in Youngstown! About 5000 more downtown for a show at the Chevy Centre and a couple hundred down in Boardman for the NAHL playoffs.

Youngstown's comin' back!