For three weeks last fall, the smallest player on Youngstown State’s roster made a big difference.
But when electrifying freshman Andre Stubbs suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in Week 3 against Illinois State, everyone felt the pain.
“Sometimes the coaches would tell me I could have made this play and that, but I was hurt,” Stubbs said Wednesday after YSU’s first spring practice. “I’m here now.”
The 5-foot-6, 160-pound Stubbs averaged 27 yards per kickoff return last season before getting a medical redshirt. The coaches were then forced to turn to possession receiver Kevin Watts, who averaged 21 yards per return on a unit that ranked second-to-last in the Missouri Valley Football Conference.
Losing Stubbs was just part of a bigger special teams problem. Outside of punter Nick Liste — one of the league’s best at that position — the Penguins were awful on special teams last fall, particularly on kickoff coverage, where they ranked last in the MVFC with a 36-yard net average — more than 10 yards behind No. 1 Northern Iowa (46.2).
During the offseason, Youngstown State coach Eric Wolford and his staff traveled to places like Ohio State, Kansas State and Oklahoma and, at each stop, they saw the same thing: starters playing on special teams.
“Sometimes our starters don’t think they need to play special teams,” Wolford said. “We need to do a better job getting players to buy in. And we need to do a better job coaching special teams.”
Injuries ravaged YSU’s linebacker depth last season — key reserves Thomas Sprague, Dom Rich, Ali Cheaib and John Sasson all missed games — which forced Wolford to play his starting freshmen linebackers on several special teams units. He’s hoping a deeper roster will give him more flexibility this fall, but he’s not afraid to take away playing time from nonbelievers.
“We need more players to take some pride in playing special teams,” Wolford said. “If not, we’re going to have to make some changes.
“Just because you earned the right to be here doesn’t mean you’ve earned the right to stay. You have an obligation academically as a student but you also have an obligation to the football program and to earn your way on the field. Special teams is a big part of it.”
When asked how many starters he expects to play on special teams, Wolford said, “As many as we need. We’ll play as many as we need. Except for [starting QB] Kurt Hess.”
Stubbs won’t need to be coerced into playing special teams. But with Big Ten talent and Division III size, he will always be an injury risk.
Redshirt freshman RB Demond Hymes and incoming freshman Byron Pringle give the Penguins some home-run hitters behind Stubbs, but Wolford hopes it doesn’t come to that.
If Stubbs can stay healthy, he can be a game breaker in the slot and in the return game.
“My goal this year, first of all, is not to get hurt,” Stubbs said. “After that, just make plays. Make as many plays as possible.”
