Youngstown State - Valpo (9/10)

[Crusader65]

Halftime 63-6  I hope our team keeps it's head up and competes against the 2s and 3s they see in the second half.  I'll be very upset if YSU brings back the 1s.  Nothing good would come of that and their young coach knows it but he'll be looking for performance from the subs and that means we must stay engaged.  Not pretty at all but you have to endure and grow.

[drewsaders11]

YSU needs to take the foot off the gas a little bit.  This is embarrassing to me. It is disrespectful IMOP.

I wouldn't consider it disrespectful at all.  Its a college football game, and YSt should expect to be able to get their first stringers at least a half of actual football action to prepare for the rest of the season.  If there are 63 points put up in the second half, then yes.  But even if 20-30 more points are put up, don't worry about your school being "disrespectful"... you can't take a knee in the third quarter.  

[penguinpower]

YSU needs to take the foot off the gas a little bit.  This is embarrassing to me. It is disrespectful IMOP.

I wouldn't consider it disrespectful at all.  Its a college football game, and YSt should expect to be able to get their first stringers at least a half of actual football action to prepare for the rest of the season.  If there are 63 points put up in the second half, then yes.  But even if 20-30 more points are put up, don't worry about your school being "disrespectful"... you can't take a knee in the third quarter.  

At least they are just running it up the middle now with the 3rd team.  I was concerned that we would keep mixing it up.

[Crusader65]

Announcers on the video feed are complementing Valpo for contining to play.  They are trying to comment on good play and heart but I can see that Valpo is beat mentally. 77-6 now and Valpo defense is just catching them not even hitting and more.  I believe the team  will need a mental health day even if this offense does get something going in the end.

[90]

This game should not have been on the schedule. Extremely poor decision on the part of the AD. Injury to top FR recruit definitely not worth it. Cannot see how a game like this helps in recruiting or retention.  Certainly didn't help the "rebuilding" process.

This team needs confidence boosters. Losing faith in the administration.

[Crusader65]

Came back and scored at the end - not giving up helps the head.  77-13!  Put this one down and never pick it up again.  It's over, done , finished get on with the rest of the season.  Do what you are able to do and get ready for this coming week.  See you in Pittsburgh!

[valpopal]

This is a prime example why scheduling a team so far above our level in football is not the same as in basketball, and it should not be done. Nothing was gained by this game (except maybe some revenue), while there has to be harm to the team physically and emotionally. It also cannot help the stature of the team when trying to get new players next year.

In basketball, Valpo is not likely to suffer physical injury, the players learn and improve from playing top tier teams, they enjoy testing themselves against the marquee players, the strength of schedule rises, and everyone appreciates the television exposure, which also brings in funds and actually helps with recruitment.

Now, I hope the basketball team dedicates itself to avenging this game when they play the Penguins in the upcoming season.

[milanmiracle]

Well it's over. That's about the best comment I can make. There is no surprise here. It would have been the same results if Valpo scheduled IU. Actually that game might have been closer as I think YSU would beat IU most years.

Embarrassing. YSU could have named the score, and then some.

[78crusader]

Someone mentioned that a top freshman recruit was injured today.  How badly injured was he?  I hate it when our student athletes are injured.  Paul

[valpopal]

Someone mentioned that a top freshman recruit was injured today.  How badly injured was he?  I hate it when our student athletes are injured.  Paul

From the NWI Times:

Freshman running back Gabe Ali-El was averaging 6.8 yards on four carries when he left with an ankle injury midway through the third quarter. Ali-El returned to the sidelines on crutches late in the game and x-rays were negative. There was no word on Ali-El's availability for next weekend's contest at Duquense.

http://www.nwitimes.com/sports/college/valparaiso-university/article_380621d1-1589-5ba7-99a1-a9c4e6497c00.html

[vuweathernerd]

Nice to see that Valpo will be playing North Dakota in 2013. If I am still here I'll be sure to catch it!

but where's the game gonna be? any chance it's in valpo? or will it be bismarck?

Not sure, but the university of north Dakota is in Grand Forks and North Dakota state university is in Fargo.

i thought und was in bismarck... clearly i've had better days.

[vuweathernerd]

is it too late to get out of the game for next season? absolutely ridiculous.  if you can't beat a d3 program, there is no reason to schedule a d1aa powerhouse. i don't care that "we compete at the same level as them." clearly it's not even close.

[chef]

YSU won three games last season, and they're picked 8th in their league this year. They may have been a 1AA powerhouse when Jim Tressel coached there, but they don't fit in that category anymore.

[milanmiracle]

YSU won three games last season, and they're picked 8th in their league this year. They may have been a 1AA powerhouse when Jim Tressel coached there, but they don't fit in that category anymore.

They might have been 3-8 last year but lead in every game they played (yes, even vs. Penn State), and lost every game they played in by 10 points or less with the exception of Penn State

YSU also fired their coach had their previous coach resign, despite being 16 game over .500.

YSU is second all time in National Championships (all under Tressel) and is still a national powerhouse in much the same way that IU is still in that catagory in basketball. It's all a matter of opinion and having 3 losing seasons in the last 11 years, a point can be made both ways.

[valporun]

YSU won three games last season, and they're picked 8th in their league this year. They may have been a 1AA powerhouse when Jim Tressel coached there, but they don't fit in that category anymore.

They might have been 3-8 last year but lead in every game they played (yes, even vs. Penn State), and lost every game they played in by 10 points or less with the exception of Penn State

YSU also fired their coach had their previous coach resign, despite being 16 game over .500.

YSU is second all time in National Championships (all under Tressel) and is still a national powerhouse in much the same way that IU is still in that catagory in basketball. It's all a matter of opinion and having 3 losing seasons in the last 11 years, a point can be made both ways.

This is like comparing YSU to Notre Dame, minus the money, prestige, and mystique that surrounds the program. Neither program is the same, and it could be years before they both are at the top of their respective divisions of D-I football.

[penguinpower]

YSU won three games last season, and they're picked 8th in their league this year. They may have been a 1AA powerhouse when Jim Tressel coached there, but they don't fit in that category anymore.

They might have been 3-8 last year but lead in every game they played (yes, even vs. Penn State), and lost every game they played in by 10 points or less with the exception of Penn State

YSU also fired their coach had their previous coach resign, despite being 16 game over .500.

YSU is second all time in National Championships (all under Tressel) and is still a national powerhouse in much the same way that IU is still in that catagory in basketball. It's all a matter of opinion and having 3 losing seasons in the last 11 years, a point can be made both ways.

This is like comparing YSU to Notre Dame, minus the money, prestige, and mystique that surrounds the program. Neither program is the same, and it could be years before they both are at the top of their respective divisions of D-I football.

YSU's new Head Coach is a local product and he was brought in to restore  the program back to national prominence.  Last year was his first year and he ran off about 45 players.  He only used 50 of the 62 scholarships to save them because he was hire late in the recruiting game.  YSU was ahead in every game last year under the new coach, including Penn State for nearly the first half of football.  The defense was not good enough to keep the team in games and YSU lost 7 games with less than a minute remaining.  He went out recruiting and landed several highly rated recruits, D1 and JUCO transfers ( I think he got 2 JUCO's).  All of the new recruits are showing to be impact players.  I don't think that he wanted to go the route of transfers, but he needed them as the cupboard was bare.  YSU is well on its way.  If they don't get hit with injuries they should be able to make it into the playoffs and make a run at the National Championship.  They may be another year away as the secondary has not been tested and will likely need another year of recruiting to shore it up.  Football is too important to the schoolfor it not to remain successful.  It is the bread and butter of the athletics at the university.

[milanmiracle]

YSU won three games last season, and they're picked 8th in their league this year. They may have been a 1AA powerhouse when Jim Tressel coached there, but they don't fit in that category anymore.

They might have been 3-8 last year but lead in every game they played (yes, even vs. Penn State), and lost every game they played in by 10 points or less with the exception of Penn State

YSU also fired their coach had their previous coach resign, despite being 16 game over .500.

YSU is second all time in National Championships (all under Tressel) and is still a national powerhouse in much the same way that IU is still in that catagory in basketball. It's all a matter of opinion and having 3 losing seasons in the last 11 years, a point can be made both ways.

This is like comparing YSU to Notre Dame, minus the money, prestige, and mystique that surrounds the program. Neither program is the same, and it could be years before they both are at the top of their respective divisions of D-I football.

YSU's new Head Coach is a local product and he was brought in to restore  the program back to national prominence.  Last year was his first year and he ran off about 45 players.  He only used 50 of the 62 scholarships to save them because he was hire late in the recruiting game.  YSU was ahead in every game last year under the new coach, including Penn State for nearly the first half of football.  The defense was not good enough to keep the team in games and YSU lost 7 games with less than a minute remaining.  He went out recruiting and landed several highly rated recruits, D1 and JUCO transfers ( I think he got 2 JUCO's).  All of the new recruits are showing to be impact players.  I don't think that he wanted to go the route of transfers, but he needed them as the cupboard was bare.  YSU is well on its way.  If they don't get hit with injuries they should be able to make it into the playoffs and make a run at the National Championship.  They may be another year away as the secondary has not been tested and will likely need another year of recruiting to shore it up.  Football is too important to the schoolfor it not to remain successful.  It is the bread and butter of the athletics at the university.

I would completely agree that they found the right man for the job (even if he is an Ursline grad). I fully expect them to return to the national stage in very short order. YSU football IS Youngstown, OH. The town lives for High School football and Youngstown State football in much the same way Hoosiers used to flock to the state basketball tournament. It's that big, and maybe bigger.

If you think this year was bad for Valpo, wait till year 3 under Eric Wolford...they'll be even better.