Published Tuesday, Aug. 26, 1997
THIS TEAM'S...
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1997 season preview
YSU eyes new league
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1997 schedule Aug. 28 _ Slippery Rock, 7 p.m. Sept. 6 _ Kent State, 7 p.m. Sept. 20 _ at Boston University, 1 p.m. Sept. 27 _ Hofstra, 7 p.m. Oct. 4 _ at Indiana State, 3 p.m. Oct. 11 _ Buffalo, 1 p.m. Oct. 18 _ at Northern Iowa, 2:30 p.m. Nov. 1 _ Illinois State, 1 p.m. Nov. 8 _ at Southern Illinois Nov. 15 _ SW Missouri State, 1 p.m. Nov. 22 _ Western Illinois, 1 p.m. |
This season, the Penguins of coach Jim Tressel head west, sort of, joining the I-AA Gateway Conference, which includes Northern Iowa, Western Illinois, Southwest Missouri State, Indiana State, Illinois State and Southern Illinois.
Northern Iowa, which has won or shared seven consecutive league titles and 9 of the last 12, is tabbed by the coaches to make it eight straight. The Panthers finished 12-2 a year ago while advancing to the semifinals of the national playoffs.
``It's an exciting day for the YSU football family as we accept the challenge of competing in the finest I-AA football conference in the land,'' Tressel noted at the time.
With his fifth victory this year, Tressel will reach the 100-victory plateau. He is 95-44-1 at the Penguins' helm since taking over in 1986.
A total of 42 letterwinners return for the Penguins from a season ago, while 19 players _ 10 offensive and 9 defensive _ with starting experience are set to line up again.
Quarterbacks Demond Tidwell and Jared Zwick, who shared starting chores in '96, are expected to battle it out again for the starting job.
In addition to that 1-2 punch, the Penguins return the top two rushers in Adrian Brown (655 yards, 11 TDs) and Jake Andreadis (425 yards, 4 TDs), as well as their top two receivers in Renauld Ray (25 catches, 507 yards) and Willis Marshall (24, 305).
Among those on the offensive line with starting experience are Slippery Rock High School's Matt Hogg (OT) and his cousin, Ian Shirey (C), Todd Kollar (T) and Frank Page (G).
Defensively, the top four tacklers, linebackers Kawonza Swan (80 total, 27 solo), Tom Paolucci, Mike Stanec and Troy Tuck are all back.
Also returning for the defense are: linemen Harry Deliganis and Jarritt Goode, strong safety Eugene Lewis, free safety Dwyte Smiley, halfback Andre Cook and cornerback Anthony Pannunzio.
Both Swan and Brown were named to the '97 preseason All-Gateway Conference first team.
Assisting Tressel are: Ken Conatser, John Klacik, Sam Eddy, Bub Tucker, Bob Stoops, Mike Sullivan, Herb Williams, Mike Priefer, Mike Cochran and Richard Jenkins.
