Published: Monday, December 4, 2006
Penguins title hopes still alive
It had been six years since Youngstown State has been in the postseason. Obviously, they haven't forgotten what to do.
Saturday's 28-21 victory over Illinois State in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division I Football Championship Series wasn't dominating in any way, but the Penguins got the job done and at this point in the season that's the only thing that counts.
Over the years the Penguins have won a lot of playoff games that they weren't expected to win. Saturday night wasn't one of those, since the Penguins went into the contest with the Redbirds favored by more than a touchdown.
They had already defeated ISU once this year during the regular season, 27-13, in a game that the Penguins dominated on both sides of the football. Everyone knew the second matchup wouldn't be that easy.
YSU's defense, which held the Redbirds to 161 total yards and just 18 yards rushing in the first meeting, gave up 375 yards Saturday night and 186 of those came on the ground.
They shut down ISU running back Pierre Rembert to 11 yards on 14 carries the first time, but Rembert ran for 114 yards on 24 carries Saturday. Still the defense came up with the big plays and just when they needed them with four interceptions and they also had a big fourth down stop early in the final period.
Face defending
national champs
But the Penguins need to play a whole lot better this week when they go up against the defending national champions and No. 1 seed, Appalachian State.
That game will be played Saturday at 4 p.m. in Boone, N.C., where the Mountaineers have won 27 straight games.
The Penguins extended a streak of their own Saturday as they won for the 14th straight time in the playoffs at Stambaugh Stadium, dating back to the 1990 season.
Appalachian State defeated Montana State 38-17 Saturday in its quarterfinal matchup.
In the other bracket No. 2 seed Montana defeated Southern Illinois, 20-3, and No. 3 seed Massachusetts turned back New Hampshire, 24-17. Montana will play host to UMass in the other semifinal game Friday at 7:30 p.m. in Missoula, Mont.
Saturday was the first time since 1996 that all four seeded teams in the FCS won and advanced to the semifinals. It also means there will not be a first-time national champion this year since all four teams have won at least one national crown and all four teams were their conference's outright champion.
Kickoff coverage
has been horrible
Getting back to the Penguins, there needs to be some serious work done this week on special teams, mainly the kickoff coverage teams. Nobody is more aware of this than coach Jon Heacock.
"I can't stand to watch it anymore," Heacock said in his postgame interview.
"We have to seriously look into some personnel changes in that unit," he said. "You can't keep giving the opposition the ball at or near midfield on every return."
Two weeks ago James Madison returned one kickoff for a touchdown 99 yards and several others out or near midfield.
Things didn't get a whole lot better Saturday night as the Redbirds had 157 yards on five kickoff returns and that included one that the Penguins did stop for just a 15-yard return. Illinois State took kickoffs back to their own 42, 47, 18 and 35 and one back to the YSU 34 in Saturday's game.
"There's no excuse for this," Heacock said. "We have all of our best athletes on that unit. I'm not questioning their effort, but something has to be done and quickly."
The Penguins have also had some luck in the first two games, especially with a couple of pass interference calls.
Against James Madison they had a defensive interference call in their final touchdown drive, while Saturday night they had an offensive call nullify a Illinois State touchdown in the third quarter.
Lucky or not, the Penguins are in the final four and the only thing that counts at this point in the season is the final score.
Pete Mollica covers YSU athletics for The Vindicator. Write to him a mollica@vindy.com and read his blogs at Vindy.com.
Monday, December 4, 2006
It had been six years since Youngstown State has been in the postseason. Obviously, they haven't forgotten what to do.
Saturday's 28-21 victory over Illinois State in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division I Football Championship Series wasn't dominating in any way, but the Penguins got the job done and at this point in the season that's the only thing that counts.
Over the years the Penguins have won a lot of playoff games that they weren't expected to win. Saturday night wasn't one of those, since the Penguins went into the contest with the Redbirds favored by more than a touchdown.
They had already defeated ISU once this year during the regular season, 27-13, in a game that the Penguins dominated on both sides of the football. Everyone knew the second matchup wouldn't be that easy.
YSU's defense, which held the Redbirds to 161 total yards and just 18 yards rushing in the first meeting, gave up 375 yards Saturday night and 186 of those came on the ground.
They shut down ISU running back Pierre Rembert to 11 yards on 14 carries the first time, but Rembert ran for 114 yards on 24 carries Saturday. Still the defense came up with the big plays and just when they needed them with four interceptions and they also had a big fourth down stop early in the final period.
Face defending
national champs
But the Penguins need to play a whole lot better this week when they go up against the defending national champions and No. 1 seed, Appalachian State.
That game will be played Saturday at 4 p.m. in Boone, N.C., where the Mountaineers have won 27 straight games.
The Penguins extended a streak of their own Saturday as they won for the 14th straight time in the playoffs at Stambaugh Stadium, dating back to the 1990 season.
Appalachian State defeated Montana State 38-17 Saturday in its quarterfinal matchup.
In the other bracket No. 2 seed Montana defeated Southern Illinois, 20-3, and No. 3 seed Massachusetts turned back New Hampshire, 24-17. Montana will play host to UMass in the other semifinal game Friday at 7:30 p.m. in Missoula, Mont.
Saturday was the first time since 1996 that all four seeded teams in the FCS won and advanced to the semifinals. It also means there will not be a first-time national champion this year since all four teams have won at least one national crown and all four teams were their conference's outright champion.
Kickoff coverage
has been horrible
Getting back to the Penguins, there needs to be some serious work done this week on special teams, mainly the kickoff coverage teams. Nobody is more aware of this than coach Jon Heacock.
"I can't stand to watch it anymore," Heacock said in his postgame interview.
"We have to seriously look into some personnel changes in that unit," he said. "You can't keep giving the opposition the ball at or near midfield on every return."
Two weeks ago James Madison returned one kickoff for a touchdown 99 yards and several others out or near midfield.
Things didn't get a whole lot better Saturday night as the Redbirds had 157 yards on five kickoff returns and that included one that the Penguins did stop for just a 15-yard return. Illinois State took kickoffs back to their own 42, 47, 18 and 35 and one back to the YSU 34 in Saturday's game.
"There's no excuse for this," Heacock said. "We have all of our best athletes on that unit. I'm not questioning their effort, but something has to be done and quickly."
The Penguins have also had some luck in the first two games, especially with a couple of pass interference calls.
Against James Madison they had a defensive interference call in their final touchdown drive, while Saturday night they had an offensive call nullify a Illinois State touchdown in the third quarter.
Lucky or not, the Penguins are in the final four and the only thing that counts at this point in the season is the final score.
Pete Mollica covers YSU athletics for The Vindicator. Write to him a mollica@vindy.com and read his blogs at Vindy.com.
Monday, December 4, 2006
It had been six years since Youngstown State has been in the postseason. Obviously, they haven't forgotten what to...
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