Signing Day - Youngstown State Penguin Class of 2011

[IAA Fan]

Here is a list of those we expect to see sign today. ysupenguins.com will have complete bios and info as they become available. We will post it here as well.:

OFFENSE

Quarterback:
Dante Nania, QB, Hempfield Area Senior, PA

Running Back:
Nick Buonavolonta, RB/DB, Boardman
Demond Hymes, RB, Warren Harding
Blake Novotny, FB/LB, Hubbard

Wide Receiver:
Jimmy May, WR/DB, Warren Harding
Mike Thomas, WR/DB, East
Andre Stubbs, WR/DB, Maple Heights, OH
Christian Bryan, WR, Norwin, PA
Kintrell Disher, WR, Orangeburg-Wilkinson, SC
Brandon Thomas, WR/DB, Calhoun County, SC
Andrew Williams, WR, Bethune-Bowman, SC

Offensive Line:
Zach Conlan, OL/DL, Ursuline
Brandon Ferguson, OL/DL, West Branch
Ian Folmar, OL, Warren Harding
Justin Yuran, OL/LB, Sharon, PA
Steve Zaborsky, OL/DL, Fitch
Eric Myers, OL/DL, Triway, OH
Mark Pratt, OL, Snow College, UT (Junior)
Lamar Mady, OL, Butler County Community College, KS (Junior)

Tight End:
Trevor Strickland, TE, Clyde, OH

DEFENSE

Safety:
Sir Aaron Taylor, S, Alfred State Community College, NY (Junior)

Corner Back:
Eric Patterson, CB, Plant, FL
Tahir Blount, CB, Westlake, GA

Defensive End:
Emmanuel Kromah, DE, Hamilton West, NJ
Josh Fenderson, DE, Rochester Community College, MN (Junior)
Luis Quinones, DE, West Los Angeles College, CA (Junior)
Adonde Stanton, DE, Grand Rapids Community College, MI (Junior)

Defensive Line:
Nick DeCraker, DL, Grand Rapids Community College, MI (Junior)

Line-Backer
Jordan Markota, LB, Ursuline
Tevin Williams, LB, Huber Hts. Wayne, OH
Terry Johnson, LB, Countryside, FL
Aaron Morgan, LB, Los Angeles Southwest, CA (Junior)

Special Teams:

Kicker:
David Brown, K, Ventura Junior College, CA

[penquinboris]

No Wonderful Terrific Monds ??

[IAA Fan]

Nice video on that Terry Johnson, I will post it shortly. He caught the RB for minus-4 late in the 4th to seal the state title. HE also broke free for a TD on offense.

[ysubigred]

Here is a list of those we expect to see sign today. ysupenguins.com will have complete bios and info as they become available. We will post it here as well.:

OFFENSE

Quarterback:
Dante Nania, QB, Hempfield Area Senior, PA

Running Back:
Nick Buonavolonta, RB/DB, Boardman
Demond Hymes, RB, Warren Harding
Blake Novotny, FB/LB, Hubbard

Wide Receiver:
Jimmy May, WR/DB, Warren Harding
Mike Thomas, WR/DB, East
Andre Stubbs, WR/DB, Maple Heights, OH
Christian Bryan, WR, Norwin, PA
Kintrell Disher, WR, Orangeburg-Wilkinson, SC
Brandon Thomas, WR/DB, Calhoun County, SC
Andrew Williams, WR, Bethune-Bowman, SC

Offensive Line:
Zach Conlan, OL/DL, Ursuline
Brandon Ferguson, OL/DL, West Branch
Ian Folmar, OL, Warren Harding
Justin Yuran, OL/LB, Sharon, PA
Steve Zaborsky, OL/DL, Fitch
Eric Myers, OL/DL, Triway, OH
Mark Pratt, OL, Snow College, UT (Junior)
Lamar Mady, OL, Butler County Community College, KS (Junior)

Tight End:
Trevor Strickland, TE, Clyde, OH

DEFENSE

Safety:
Sir Aaron Taylor, S, Alfred State Community College, NY (Junior)

Corner Back:
Eric Patterson, CB, Plant, FL
Tahir Blount, CB, Westlake, GA

Defensive End:
Emmanuel Kromah, DE, Hamilton West, NJ
Josh Fenderson, DE, Rochester Community College, MN (Junior)
Luis Quinones, DE, West Los Angeles College, CA (Junior)
Adonde Stanton, DE, Grand Rapids Community College, MI (Junior)

Defensive Line:
Nick DeCraker, DL, Grand Rapids Community College, MI (Junior)

Line-Backer
Jordan Markota, LB, Ursuline
Tevin Williams, LB, Huber Hts. Wayne, OH
Terry Johnson, LB, Countryside, FL
Aaron Morgan, LB, Los Angeles Southwest, CA (Junior)

Special Teams:

Kicker:
David Brown, K, Ventura Junior College, CA

Hmm.. 33 Names on this list?  Would be the biggest signing class I've ever seen. 

[IAA Fan]

We signed 30 today + the 5 JUCO's they already announced.That certainly is the biggest class I have ever seen. See the other thread for the list and Bios.

Dubem Nwadiogbu:

Looks like a HUGE get! So Red ...he goes by "Bam Bam". I think that nickname can stick  

[YSUGO]

Who was saying that wolf doesnt recruit Caliofornia...LOL...looks like he did just a little!!!

[ysuindy]

It appears that the 30 new signees in the Fall is the maximum number a FCS school can have in one year, the "initial counters."  The 5 who enrolled in January count against the 2010 number.

This leads to a couple of questions:

FCS schools can have a max of 85 players on scholarship.  35 new players would seem to indicate only 50 scholarship players can return.  How many non-seniors were on last year's roster?  Does this mean that some players will leave the program?  How many?  I am not familar enough with the roster to know who is scholarship and who is not.

Does the fact that 30 were signed which is the max "initial counters" for FCS preclude YSU from taking any FBS transfers for next season?  I have done minimal web research and really haven't found a clear, consice answer.   

I would think Wolf would not have recruited to where YSU could not take any FBS transfers - but the rules can be complex.  The offset to that is that if any of the new recruits do not qualify academically, YSU would not be at the 30 max.  Nothing counts against the max limits until they enroll.

[YSUGO]

Indy, i wonder if some of the guys will get partial scholarships and that can cause such a high number of kids offered.  Doesnt the SEC over recruit...i asked the only player that i know that wsnt coming back was Stephen Meadows..

[IAA Fan]

True. I-AA/FCS is allowed the "equivalent" of 63 scholarships ...with a maximum of 85 receiving. In a "nutshell" ...FCS football allows equiveancies. So they use counters.

1. You are allowed 30 "initial" counters each academic year (not athletic year). So, what Indy is saying is those 5 players that registered for spring are part of the 2010 academic year ...therefore they are associated with the 2010 counters.

2. Of the 35 total signatures today, we have 10 people that will be juniors & register for spring. Thus we offered 25 total full or partial scholarships. We had 10 scholarships to give + graduation ...of 14. Thus we had (by my calculations) 24 scholarship equivalencies. Add in Meadows ...there is your 25.

3. We will have certain people not make it ...happens every year ...especially now that we are on semesters. We are fine. Lot's of local talent means school-only aid. No dorms or food. The initial 5 will not have to be concerned until the 2012 academic year.

4. Maybe an FBS move before this is an issue?

[Wick250]

I don't have any information, but I would expect that a significant number of players from last season will not return.  For example, the logjam at quarterback and at running back will not continue.  It will be a good thing to see quality players leave because they cannot get on the field rather than to see players leave because they could not compete at this level.  We experienced way too much of the latter during the past decade.

I am really impressed by Wolford after his first year plus.  Last winter, he did not turn to multiple jucos but rather played the 2010 season largely with the talent handed down from Heacock.  That worked well on offense; on defense it was a catastrophe.  Now with a firm grasp of the talent level on hand, he recruited coast-to-coast to fill our needs.  Does anybody seriously believe that Heacock and staff could have recruited these kids from the South and from California?  He also did not neglect the Mahoning Valley during a distinctly "down" recruiting year on the local scene.  Most of the local recruits might be projects, but Wolford understands that he not only must win games but also reinvigorate interest in our program among casual fans.  We might all be setting ourselves up for more bitter disappointments, but I feel perfectly confident that we will soon ascend back to the top of the FCS universe.

[YSUGO]

I was impressed in what we recruited..it looks like we got some gems, some guys with heighth and size ..we are slowly building a D1 team with legit heights and weights ...how many times have we said by watching warmups that we looked smallish...i think that is changing...

[IAA Fan]

Nice post Wick. I would add that we were only able to get some of these locals because it was a down year ...and he recruited a very high level. Only coach T did better, when he was selling local recruits with a move to the MAC. As the local prep talent goes up, we may continue to pull in the upper-tier as well. We can do that if a couple of these locals stay out of trouble and are successful. One thing I would not agree with ...it was coach H that first heavily-recruited CA. Just a trip down memory lane:

Andre Mason
Ian Dominelli
Dave Hong
Jake Anderson
Sherod Holmes
Kevin Smith
Crispin Fernandez


It was coach W himself that said he was not a California guy. I was very happy to see him rethink his position and get out there to some of those JUCO's. Staying in the upper east coast and GA made me very happy as well. Maybe we can start taking  some of these SoCon and CAA prospects.

[guinpen]

I am intrigued by the linebacker Bam Bam played a lot of position from d-line to safety.

[IAA Fan]

I was reading that JUCO commit Pratt chose YSU over Missouri State and Southern Utah. Says he was initially offered to BYU.

[HLecter]

Wick said "It will be a good thing to see quality players leave because they cannot get on the field rather than to see players leave because they could not compete at this level.  We experienced way too much of the latter during the past decade."


Great point.

If you are a YSU fan, you have to be excited with this class.

YSUGO also made a great point about the heights and weights.