There are plenty of fresh faces to get acquainted with within Youngstown State U.’s football program, 22 of which are freshmen this season. Four new coaches also look to start their terms off with a bang on YSU’s football team.
Jamarious Boatwright, cornerback and a native of Largo, Fla., and Thomas Sprague of Gainesville, Ga. were both drawn away from their sunny residences to Youngstown by the current and upcoming facilities as well as the recruiting of the coaching staff.
“With new coaches there’s equal opportunity for playing time,” Boatwright said about his decision.
Sprague, a linebacker, received a call from Rick Kravitz, defensive coordinator and linebacker coach, roughly a week before signing day urging him to choose YSU.
Sprague agreed with Boatwright’s assessment regarding the new coaching staff but added for all freshmen that they lack experience that could possibly hinder their chances come game day.
Kevin Watts didn’t need to travel as far, hailing from Middletown, Ohio, but still faces the same hurdles due to his class rank.
Watts, along with numerous other freshmen, came to campus early this summer to take classes and begin working out with the team.
On the field, Watts also had some adjustments to make.
“One disadvantage for me would be speed. I need to get faster. In high school, I was the fastest. Now I’m not,” he said.
He acknowledged that he’s young and needs to keep learning but has been working with his position teammates to do so effectively. In addition to being young mentally, he’s young physically, and feels he needs to become stronger.
This is also an insecurity shared by Youngstown native, Zach Larson. Even while listed at 6 feet 3 inches and a whopping 300 pounds, he feels that he is behind the curve since the offensive linemen ahead of him on the depth chart have been lifting for two to three years longer than he has. This doesn’t discourage him though; he only focuses on the positive.
“I’m still young and fresh,” Larson said. “I haven’t been getting beat up on the college level for all these years.”
He also has high aspirations for what the team can accomplish this year. First and foremost, he’d like to come home from Happy Valley on Sept. 4 with a victory. After what he hopes turns out to be a successful season, he’d like to be part of a conference title and ultimately a national title.
As the team is built of many individuals, Larson does have some personal goals as well. He said he’d like to become “bigger, stronger and faster” but before that he wants to fine-tune his technique.
Breaking the mold of the typical local high school student eager to attend a university other than YSU, Larson couldn’t be happier.
“In the ’90s I remember this place being packed and I think Wolford’s staff can bring this program back to that,” Larson said.
On the university’s proximity to his home, Larson noted, “It’s still like getting out. I’ll be living down here in the fall and it’s not even like being at home but it’s close enough. My mom still calls to go to lunch.”