By Charles Grove
cgrove@vindy.com
youngstown
There’s still 26 weeks before Youngstown State’s first game of the 2017 season, so it’s the time of year to try some new things.
Quarterback Ricky Davis is hauling in passes instead of throwing them this spring. The senior is trying his hand at the final slot position available.
Davis said the move was his decision after he saw the strong end of the season Hunter Wells had.
“Me and Hunter have been going back and forth at QB for a few years and when he finished up last season I kind of understood it was his job to lose from then on,” Davis said.
“I don’t want to do the competing thing anymore. I wanted to compete at a different position. There’s no reason we can’t both be on the field at the same time.”
Davis said the position taxes his body a lot more than his brain.
“Mentally, it’s easier,” Davis said. “I’m a lot more wore out than I’m used to. I’m sweating a lot more. It’s a lot of fun but I’m really sore.”
And all his quarterback experience helps him click with the guy taking the snaps, even if the play isn’t designed for him.
“From a QB aspect I know what the quarterback is thinking,” Davis said. “A lot of times I know I’m not going to get the ball but I know how to get the guy who’s going to get the ball open.
“I know where Hunter wants me and I know how deep to get. I know the routes and plays. Mentally, I’m with the receivers, right now I’m just trying to get physically there.”
Wells said Davis has been successful in learning his new position.
“It’s easier throwing to someone in a black shirt because they’re easier to pick out,” Wells joked. “Ricky has done a good job picking it up so far, though.”
Offensive coordinator Shane Montgomery said the team tried this with Davis in the past, and they’ll see how well he’s picking it up once they get a look at how he’s handing the basic packages being thrown at him now.
“We tried him at wide receiver two or three years ago in the spring and talked about him being there, but we had another quarterback transfer so we brought him back there,” Montgomery said. “We thought if we did it now and had basic stuff in we could see if he fit in athletically with what we need.”
The story is also a bit different on the ground. Running back Tevin McCaster returns after a season in which he run for 638 yards and scored 11 touchdowns, six of which came in either the fourth quarter or overtime.
Outside of McCaster though, there’s not much experience to be found.
“We know what we’ve got with Tevin,” Montgomery said. “We’re trying to find that second and third guy. [Joe] Alessi is the only other guy that’s played any really at all. [Devon] McNutt and [London] Pearson are two guys we feel have talent and then there’s two new guys we just signed as well.”
The other question mark on offense is the right side of the offensive line. Brock Eisenhuth and Dylan Colucci are gone and now the Penguins are looking for their replacements. Justin Spencer has also been hindered by an injury and him taking time off is allowing the coaching staff to see some younger guys step up.
“By the time we get out of spring ball we’d like to see six, seven, eight guys we can count on,” Montgomery said. “We don’t want to just see who’s the second-string tackle, we want to see who’s the next best player so we can move guys around if we want.”
