Hello, and welcome to icecap insights, a podcast covering YSU athletics brought to you by the Tribune Chronicle and Vindicator, two of the longest published newspapers in the Mahoney valley. My name's Greg McAfee, and I'm here with YSU beat writer, Joel Whetzel for episode one, as the penguins football team gets set to take on Duque later this week. Joel, how are we doing today?
Joel Whetzel:Doing pretty well. How are you?
Greg Macafee:I'm good. I'm good. Thanks for joining us today, guys. This is gonna be, a weekly occurrence. We're gonna try to pump this one out as much as we do with the high school podcast. We're looking at every Thursdays, um, ahead of game weeks and things like that. It's gonna be interesting. It's gonna be fun. We're gonna try to bring some coaches on, maybe some players. We're gonna try to get everything, um, that we can just to expand our, expand our YSU coverage a little bit in terms of football, basketball, everything we can do really. Um, you know, we started in this venture last year, uh, here at the newspaper. Joel was first and, you know, I just, before we get into this season a little bit, I kind of wanna, um, go back to last year for a second, Joel, and just kind of talk about through, talk through your first season on the beat. I mean, what was that light covering, you know, uh, basically one of Doug Phillips's like first, I guess I don't wanna say real season, but you know, in the fall season<laugh> and everything like that. I mean, just, what was your experience like last year?
Joel Whetzel:First of all, it certainly was the first real season. Um, I moved to the valley in the middle of the spring season and it, it was nice to get that and it was nice to have football, but certainly not the same thing. Um, having said that last fall a little more typical, but still not totally COVID free, you know, mm-hmm<affirmative>, there were some odds and ends kind of deals this year. You had the full off season, no restrictions. You didn't play a spring. So kind of a more typical off season for Youngstown state, which is coming off a three and seven record mm-hmm<affirmative>. Um, so, you know, he, Doug Phillips had spoken a lot last year on the need for a full off season. So I'm excited to see how much progress that actually brought with it. Mm-hmm
Greg Macafee:<affirmative> I mean, I mean, off seasons are, are so special. I mean, not special, but crucial. Um, I mean, you get guys in the weight room, you get'em on a, a weight lifting plan. You get'em beefing up. And from what I've seen from your stories and everything so far this year, um, that's been one of the, the keys to their off season. Is these guys getting bigger, especially across the offensive line and things of that nature. Um, but they're, they're obviously they're recruiting off season was huge as well. They brought in, I think, a record setting class in, in the recruitment this off season.
Joel Whetzel:Yeah. Um, I, I think the largest mm-hmm<affirmative> largest class they've ever brought in and what stood out to me was that quote, unquote, state of Youngstown, I think the vast, vast majority of those prospects came from like within two or three hours of Youngstown. You love that you love getting the hometown guys mm-hmm<affirmative> so I think they did a good job there and they also did a nice job augmenting that with some portal editions. Yeah. Mm-hmm<affirmative> and you'll, you'll see that reflected in this week's depth chart, there are a number of transfers that are going to start this week. Mm-hmm<affirmative> on both sides of the ball. So a nice off season.
Greg Macafee:Yeah. I mean the transfer portal these days in, in all college sports is absolutely ginormous. I mean, you see, you see it more and more with teams kind of, rather than, you know, hitting the recruitment trail. It seems like they're going to go in the transfer portal, bringing guys that they can contribute right away. Cuz they've, you know, they've been in college of athletics for a couple years, um, and they're able to just kind of add that effort, extra emphasis. Um, but you, you know, you talk about, you know, this week, obviously they have Duquesne, Dukas coming off a matchup against Florida state in week zero. But before we get into that matchup, um, let's talk about, let's talk a little bit about the, the season outlook in a way. Um, what does the offense look like? What does the defense look like? Let's start, um, just in general, just kind of your, your thoughts that you've seen going through training camp and things of that nature.
Joel Whetzel:Yeah. You know, I, I think, you know, I wrote a few weeks ago, what are the big questions for YSU? Yeah. Can the offense be more dynamic mm-hmm<affirmative> which really means can the passing game get going? Yeah. Can the defense take a step forward under a new defensive coordinator? Mm-hmm<affirmative> and can they win the close games this year? Cuz they won a couple last year, but then there were still two or three others. They were winning in the second half winning in the fourth quarter. Let those slip you probably feel a lot better coming off five and five than three and seven. Yeah. If you close those out, um, as far as the passing game goes, Dimitri Crenshaw looks better this year. Mm-hmm<affirmative> you can't substitute anything for experience. Yeah. I think having year one under his belt is big mm-hmm<affirmative> having that off season was big in their second interest squad scrimmage. I think he went 16 of 18 for 275 yards, man. That that's a, that's a great day scrimmage game otherwise. So if he can keep that going and you don't have to go 16 for 18 every week. Yeah mm-hmm<affirmative> but if you can give enough of a threat in the past game that teams can't just stack the box like they did against Julio McLaughlin a league a year ago. Mm-hmm<affirmative> you're gonna be really tough to defend against because Julio's a home run hitter. Yeah. Um, the coaching staff has been very high on Bryce Oliver's growth mm-hmm<affirmative> uh, the Kentucky transfer. Um, I will be excited to see what he can do. He had eight touchdowns, I believe a year ago. That was the highest total since 2011. I believe mm-hmm<affirmative> so really excited to see what he can do. And then we touched on the transfer portal. The other receiver out wide is Latrell Fordham. Mm-hmm<affirmative> um, kind of excited to see how they will work him into the passing game. And then max, Tom, Zach.
Greg Macafee:Yeah, I was, I was gonna ask about him. He's the one that got the scholarship offer got put on scholarship. Right,
Joel Whetzel:Right, right. Mm-hmm<affirmative> so max was a walk on receiver, had a great spring and even better fall camp. And we'll start this week do in part to CJ Charleston, going out with an injury for the year. Um, and do in part two, like I said, having a really good camp, uh, he made some really nice grabs mm-hmm<affirmative> at practices and scrimmages. I was at so kind of a nice, nice guy to have in the slot. Yeah. He'll he'll do well.
Greg Macafee:Mm-hmm<affirmative> he, he was the guy that I saw kind of like, uh, through social media. I saw, I saw his name pop up every once in a while through the spring training and camps and everything like that. Um, so it, it, and it's good to see those feel good stories too, of guys coming on as walk-ons putting in the work, having all that and then getting rewarded in the end, especially right before the season starts. And now he's getting in, he's getting thrown into the fire right away.<laugh> yeah,
Joel Whetzel:For sure. For sure. And you know, the big thing Doug Phillips is harped on is mm-hmm<affirmative> this is a developmental program. Yeah. You can keep getting guys in as walk-ons and mm-hmm<affirmative> produce scholarship players, man. You you're doing something. Right. So I'm I I'm curious to see how he works into this. Mm-hmm<affirmative> how much more balanced this offense will be versus a year ago. Mm-hmm<affirmative> you don't want to abandon the run, especially with an all American yeah. Tailback mm-hmm<affirmative> um, but can you open up the play action? Can you keep defenses honest mm-hmm<affirmative> to keep them off balance and close games out. Yeah. Mm-hmm<affirmative> defensively, new defensive coordinator. A lot of new faces, um, not necessarily up front, but scattered around the defensive backfield. You'll you'll see some new new guys. I will be curious to see how, how well they do. I thought a year ago, maybe some trouble front mm-hmm<affirmative> kind of got pushed around trouble, getting rushes on quarterbacks. And it's really tough to defend if you're not winning the
Greg Macafee:Battle, you get the pressure on the quarterback and get in the back field. That's for sure.
Joel Whetzel:Now having said that a lot of starting experience upfront mm-hmm,<affirmative> really on both sides of the ball. I think all five offensive linemen started in games last year and the same is mostly true of the defensive line. So you, you like having that continuity? I would say mm-hmm<affirmative> even under a new system. You like having that experience, especially in a, in a conference like the Missouri valley. Yeah. That is full of some big dudes.
Greg Macafee:Do, do they like bigger? Do they look stronger across the front or anything like that? Like what are kind of some things you've seen in practice and, and things of that nature,
Joel Whetzel:You know, they, they look bigger. Mm-hmm<affirmative>, it's kind of tough to tell when it's,
Greg Macafee:When it's yeah. When it's YSU on YSU. Yeah.
Joel Whetzel:So I guess ask me week four, when they're in Fargo, how much
Greg Macafee:Bigger they look.
Joel Whetzel:Right. You know, um, on, in the defensive backfield, a local guy is going to start this at least in week one, Jordan Trauers mm-hmm<affirmative> he's a valley Christian grad. Uh, okay. He had, he had a pretty good camp according to Jamal brown, the defensive coordinator kind of a surprise. Um, certainly not a surprise. Your strong safety's Marcus. Mm-hmm<affirmative> he's in from Ohio state. I think the writing was on the wall the day that was announced. Yep. Um, at the other safety spotty, John Jones and Quincy Litton are kind of as one or the other mm-hmm to start that's one a and one B yeah, those are, those are good options. And then NATA is paying out on the other defense back spot. So plenty of experience there. A lot of guys that started a year ago, or at least play in games a year ago at linebacker, Greg Benton transferred in from Western Illinois. Mm-hmm<affirmative> he is listed as either him or Devin Johnson at one linebacker spot. And then Griffin, ho or Keon Friedman at the other, uh, Keon is in from the university of Charleston. It's a division two school down in my home state of West Virginia. Uh, he can rack up some tackles. He's pretty athletic. They're both. I mean, carbon copy builds. They're both six one and Griffin is listed at 2 22 and Keans listed at 2 26 mm-hmm<affirmative>. So another situation where it's one, a one B and then Dylan Woodkey Anthony Johnson, Chris Fitzgerald and James Jackson front. A lot of familiarity there. Yeah. Um, the thing you notice really as a whole, this year is a lot of guys that were starting a year ago. Mm-hmm<affirmative> are listed as, or, and there's a lot more depth this year. So you you're not necessarily seen that drop off from one to two mm-hmm<affirmative> at least on paper, at least on paper. We don't know yet. Yeah. Season hasn't started, but I like the depth they have this year versus a year ago. And that's another thing the coaches have been pretty high on mm-hmm<affirmative> so that will be exciting to see. And we'll find out,
Greg Macafee:Especially when you go through, like, I feel like they, they went through a lot of injuries last year where they were kind of, there's a little bit of a drop off from the guy that was injured to the guy that was failing in for him. Um, and that from reading your stories and you know, doing a little bit of research, it seems like there's, there's less drop off, um, especially through this off season of kind of building up that depth and, and having guys ready to play, you know, when it's kind of a next man up mentality in a way.
Joel Whetzel:Right. And, and I asked Troy or, and Bueller the offensive coordinator mm-hmm<affirmative> have you had this much depth before since getting here, he laughed<laugh> he laughed when I asked that and said, no way, you know, this is the most they've had. So what do they do with it is the next question. Yeah. Um, I think they take a step forward mm-hmm<affirmative> um, I personally have the medic at six and five mm-hmm<affirmative> to go a game either way from there. Yeah. I could even see four and seven or seven and four mm-hmm<affirmative> it just, you never know until the game were
Greg Macafee:Being played. Yeah. I mean, we talked about it a little bit last year, as the season was going on to where like, you know, they, they finished at what, three and seven, but they, they easily could have been five and five and you know, somewhere in there because of those close call games where they, they lost close, they lost latent games or they gave up a lead or something like that.
Joel Whetzel:I mean, you can look at three losses in particular where they were either winning or within a score in the second half, they were up 35 to seven on Western Illinois at home a year ago. Mm-hmm<affirmative> lost 38 35. They were up at Indiana state before falling in the fourth quarter. I think ISU scored 14 on the fourth mm-hmm<affirmative> and then they were in it or possibly even beating North Dakota up at
Greg Macafee:North Dakota. Yeah. And they kind of gave it up late
Joel Whetzel:And lost it late again. Mm-hmm<affirmative> um, like I said, if you went, if you even only, if you take two of those five and five, you're not in the playoffs. Mm-hmm<affirmative> 500 feels pretty. Yeah. Pretty good. Step forward. Mm-hmm<affirmative> um, this year you get North Dakota at home that certainly helps Western's replacing its coaching staff. That certainly helps. And you get ISU here. Mm-hmm<affirmative> having said that, I guess let's get into the
Greg Macafee:Schedule. Yeah, I was, I was gonna, I was gonna say what is, what, obviously there's been a little, um, I think that that takes into place next season with Murray state and everything. Right. Mm-hmm<affirmative> okay. So this year, I mean, just kind of looking at their schedule, what do you think? It, it looks like, kind of break it down for, for the listeners.
Joel Whetzel:Okay. So they open with three non-conference games, Duque at home dating at home, and then they go to Kentucky for their annual buy game. Mm-hmm<affirmative>, you're probably looking at two and one. I don't want to describe du Kane and Dayton as must wins, but when you're weeks, three and four are Kentucky and North Dakota state, you really want to pick up two wins out of the gates. So in personally, I think you're probably looking at two and two to start, which I don't think is a knock on anyone. Mm-hmm<affirmative> Kentucky's a 10 wins sec team, North Dakota state's won a million national titles. So, um, I don't think they have closed the gap with NDS. You quite yet. So looking at two and two, and then there there's this five week stretch where I think really will define the season. You get North Dakota at home. Mm-hmm<affirmative> Indiana state at home. You go to Western, you get South Dakota at home, and then you go to Illinois state. You really want to at least go four and one. Yeah. Mm-hmm<affirmative> in, in that stretch, I would say, especially when the two hardest teams on that stretch are north and South Dakota. And they're both coming to Youngstown mm-hmm<affirmative>
Greg Macafee:And the home atmosphere always helps.
Joel Whetzel:Well, there, it just, like you said, it, it helps. And you, you really have to make your hay there because your final two games of the season mm-hmm<affirmative> are at Missouri state and Southern Illinois. Now they beat both of those teams a year ago. Yeah. Missouri state really cough the ball up here in Youngstown last year. I don't think you can count on Jason Shelley in that offense. Yeah. Turning the ball over that much. Again, I think the bears are a top five team in this, in the FCS. Certainly top 10. If they're not top five, I had them at, I believe second or third in the valley, in my preseason poll. Mm-hmm<affirmative> so, really tough to go there. And then you get Southern at home. I think that one's winnable. Um, they really performed well,
Greg Macafee:That, that, that was like the surprise win last year, right? Like at the end of the
Joel Whetzel:Year. Yeah. Yeah. Mm-hmm<affirmative> so they had gotten on that losing ski to kind of end the year and then went to Southern. And I think it was something like 35 to 17 or 19. Yeah. Mm-hmm<affirmative> and it, it snapped that road skid they were on. Yeah. So you like closing with that because if you stumble in that five week stretch, if you drop one of those Dakota games, mm-hmm,<affirmative> you at least get one final shot to state your case. I think they're a dark horse for the postseason this year. Mm-hmm<affirmative> um, certainly you want to look at this schedule and say you want five or six ones at minimum that you feel like you're making progress though.
Greg Macafee:Mm-hmm<affirmative> and we, we, we talked about it a little bit already, but obviously, you know, you're, you're within a couple games of 500 last year and it's, you know, a couple swing games can, you know, push you over the edge. Obviously you get an off season, you get a full off season with Doug Phillips, they get in the weight room, they kind of, you know, get the coaching staff, they develop that depth. Do you think they take a step forward this year with, with everything that they've kind of gone through in the off season and they, the ability to build that depth and, and improve more?
Joel Whetzel:I do. Yeah. I mean, you, you look at the depth chart and you really like what you see. I think receivers a little thin, I think a lot of unproven variables at that spot mm-hmm<affirmative> um, but, and the defense is unproven. I really think the defense will dictate kind of how things go. They're gonna need to make stops. But having said that, I think the talent is there. I think the depth is there for them to take a step forward. Um, I don't think you're looking at a team that's going to go on this national title run by any means mm-hmm<affirmative> but realistically, like I said, five, six wins, maybe a seventh, if you really play well during that, that five week stretch mm-hmm<affirmative>, I don't think eight and three is necessarily out of question. Yeah. But that is like, everything has gone your way. You're healthy. Um, and I think they do that for a few reasons. Demetri, I think will be better this year. Yeah. I think the passing game improves this year. That'll help them close games out. Mm-hmm<affirmative> um, and defensively, I think with, with the additions of guys like Marcus to go with a lot of returning experience, you you're probably looking at, at an improved defense or certainly a defense that won't be worse than a year ago. Um, I think that will depend on getting more pressure on quarterback. So
Greg Macafee:Mm-hmm<affirmative>, I mean, that's getting in the back field is always huge. I mean, you gotta be able to put pressure on the vet pressure on the quarterback. You gotta be able to assign me the run game. I mean, you saw it happen to YSU last year and now you gotta do it yourselves. I mean, you got the depth, you got the strength, um, they've been kind of preaching it all off season from what it seems like from reading your previews and hearing your interviews and things like that. Um, it, it seems like they're in a good position, but obviously you never know until, until they take the field
Joel Whetzel:And you never know when injuries are hit, will hit and who injuries will hit. I mean, this season could turn on a dime if any, one of a number of guys goes out. I mean, mm-hmm,<affirmative> Indiana state last year. Dimitri got hurt. Yeah. And that's when things kind of shifted. Yep. Um, so you feel better about the depth mm-hmm<affirmative>, but you don't want to have to dip too far into it. Yeah.
Greg Macafee:<laugh> I mean, the, the one thing that, I mean, we talked about Demetri. We, we talked about him throughout the podcast, but I mean, he, I think he's the one guy that I'm really excited to see how he develops this year. Because last year he was a, he was a decent dual threat quarterback. And when you look into the passing game, you didn't really have much time in the back field, things like that. I'm, I'm really excited to see how far of a step he takes for this year. Because if you add a dynamic quarterback in, into this offense with, in the backfield and being able to stretch the field and things, I think it, it gives them like just an extra, an extra angle or an extra dynamic to that offense to be able to make, let them take another
Joel Whetzel:Step. Yeah, for sure. And you don't need Demetri to go out there and air it out with Peyton, man. Mm-hmm<affirmative> you just need, you know, 15 to 20 completions game. Mm-hmm<affirmative> keep defenses honest. Keep the, keep the box from being too crowded. Yeah. I think in, in some of those games, they lost a year ago that they probably should have won, um, teams were able to just put eight, nine in the box and say, throw it on us. Yeah. Mm-hmm<affirmative> we, we dare you. And the passing game just wasn't that far along yet. Yeah. And teams kept Jule bottled up mm-hmm<affirmative> if you can keep teams from being able to do that, it's it becomes pick your poison pretty quickly and Dmitri can run the ball really well, too. So, I mean, there's a reason he is the reigning freshman of the year mm-hmm<affirmative>. So I'm with you. I think he is certainly a breakout candidate. If you can call a guy that won freshman,
Greg Macafee:This conference,
Joel Whetzel:A breakout candidate<laugh> um, I think Bryce Oliver is the other one. Mm-hmm<affirmative> to keep an eye on. I, I want to see how they kind of use him to stretch the field. Cause he's really athletic that I think that's his number one trait is he is athletic. He can jump. He runs, runs pretty well. So can he be the guy that kind of keeps defenses honest and the thing it all comes down to will Demetric have time to do all that? Yeah, I, I think is where we still, we still don't know. I think it's hard to judge in the preseason. They look better, but you don't know until another, until you take the in town.
Greg Macafee:Yeah. And, and we'll, we'll we get the first opportunity to see that this Saturday at the ice castle in Youngstown, um, as the penguins, uh, welcome Duquesne to town. Um, so week one, let's get into it. Joel, just kind of give me a little bit of a, uh, an overall summary of what you think this, uh, matchup will come down to. Obviously Duquesne's coming off a trip down to Florida state, uh, visiting Tallahassee in the seminals took,
Joel Whetzel:Took a big loss and a bigger paycheck and all that came down to mm-hmm<affirmative> mm-hmm<affirmative> so Duque you, you would like to think YSU is the favorite, but man don't sleep on Duquesne. Yeah. A year ago they went to TCU week, zero lost by 42 and then turned around and went to Athens, Ohio and knocked off Ohio, U mm-hmm<affirmative> and the first NEC team to do, to beat an FBS opponent. So, uh, that was a thing Doug Phillips kind of touched on in this week's press conference was you, we have to be ready. Teams make their biggest improvements between game one and two mm-hmm<affirmative> Duquesne's had game one. Yeah. YSU is not. So be careful take care of it. I say, knock'em out early, like Florida state did. And just don't leave it up the chance because you don't wanna be in that position. Yeah. Um, having said that, I, I think it shapes up well for YSU, uh, Duque gave up, I think like 400 yards of rushing to Florida state. Now mm-hmm<affirmative> I don't think YSU is gonna do that, but I think Jule's in a good position to go, go off. Like he did mm-hmm<affirmative> in the non-conference last year. Um, three Florida state players ran for over a hundred yards and they were only on like 11, 13 and 14 carries. Geez. So if you can rush for eight, nine yards a pop you're feeling pretty good about your chances. I think Jole could have a, a very big day. Um,
Greg Macafee:Now do you, you think it's a situation where you kind of, you kind of feel out the Deccan defense where you, you know, you feed Julio the ball early, see what kind of happens. See if you can lean on the run game before you, you lean into the, the off lean into the passing game and let Dmitri kind of show what he's improved
Joel Whetzel:This year. I think they will do that in every game this year, because I think ju at any point, Julio McLaughlin is the best player on Youngstown states team at any point in any situation. So certainly get Jole going early, build a nice lead. Hopefully you build enough of a lead that he's out in the fourth quarter, so you don't have to yeah. Keep running with him. And that kind of takes me to my next thing. I am kind of curious to see how this run game does this year, as far as maybe you're you're up four or seven late mm-hmm<affirmative> you got the ball with five minutes. Go, can YSU sit on it, run the clock out with kind of,
Greg Macafee:Kind of close out games in a
Joel Whetzel:Way. Yeah. Kind of a more four to five yards mm-hmm<affirmative> we're we're gonna run it right at you. We're gonna make you stop it. And if you can't, you're not getting the ball back mm-hmm<affirmative> um, having said that Dre rush and, and Randy Smith, a couple local kids,
Greg Macafee:I was, I was gonna say, do they have that kind of, that depth in the backfield, the BR cause obviously gile is more of like a, I see him kind of as like a scap back. He's a guy who's gonna break outside and he's a home run hitter obviously. But do they have that, that pound back, that guy that just can run between the tackles, take some hits and eat up, you know, three or four yards of carry.
Joel Whetzel:Yeah. You know, I, I think Dre can be that, uh, Troy Roth and Bueller kind of describes Dre as a little more shifty than Julio mm-hmm<affirmative> I think Jule's biggest thing is he is fast. Yeah, man. He's the fastest dude. I have watched in a football game mm-hmm<affirmative> at this level. So can Dre kind of be that guy that runs it hard and I think, I think yes. And Randy Smith runs hard too. Mm-hmm<affirmative> I mean, he, he had a pretty good camp, so I think they have the depth to do that. Um, as far as this week goes good chance to find out. I mean, you would like to think they'll be up in the fourth quarter with the chance to, to run the clock down. Um, having said that be careful du Kane's the same way they like to run the ball. Mm-hmm<affirmative> they have a couple really good tailbacks so gonna be interesting to see it's kind of strength on strength, two, two teams that like to run the ball against each other.
Greg Macafee:I was gonna say defensively, is there any, is there any areas that you think, um, the penguins kind of have to focus on or be able to, you know, shut Duque down in order to come out with
Joel Whetzel:This victory? Yeah. I, I, I think the bottom line there is stop the run early mm-hmm<affirmative>, you know, keep the ball out of their hands. Um, they, they really pound the ball with, uh, Billy Lucas and DeMarcus where DeMarcus transferred in from Sanford and Billy Lucas was a second team, all C team player last year. Okay. So kind of similar to YSU with a kind of a two-headed approach mm-hmm<affirmative> now DeMar had the bigger week, last week, 11 carries for 30 yards, which I don't know how much you can really take from down to, to Tallahassee to be honest. Um, their, their quarterback, Joe Misler went seven for 17 for 71 yards on a score. Um, Doug and James Jackson both said he will get the ball out pretty quick. So that's something to keep an eye on. I think they could try to test this secondary pretty early. Um, that will be interesting, especially for a secondary, with a new piece and Marcus, Jordan trousers is making a first start. So how, how will that kind of transpire and the, the receiver to keep an eye on is Abdul Janina. Mm-hmm<affirmative> if I'm pronouncing that correctly, three receptions for 44 yards on a touchdown, that's pretty good day. So
Greg Macafee:Especially against a team like Florida state.
Joel Whetzel:Yeah. You know, so kind of keep an eye on how does YSU handle the quick passing game and can YSU plug the run gaps and mm-hmm,<affirmative> force them to go to the air. Mm-hmm<affirmative> I think are kind of the two keys defensively.
Greg Macafee:Do you have any prediction? Do you wanna give any prediction, anything like that? Any areas of, of concern, or to watch either for YSU or decay?
Joel Whetzel:I would say from a Youngstown state perspective, can you be more too dimensional and offense? I kind of want to see if they're going to air it out and kind of let Demetric throw, especially like if they get up one or two scores, do, do you run the clock and take the conventional approach or say, you know, we we've gotta lead. Let's see what we're doing offensively in the past game, how much progress have we made? Mm-hmm<affirmative> um, I also wanna see how, how they handle being the favorite and if they can come out and put the clamps down early and play with a lead mm-hmm<affirmative> cause really you wanna be doing that the next two weeks. Yeah. To, to get that under your belt. Mm-hmm<affirmative>
Greg Macafee:All right. Well guys, Duka comes to town Saturday. Um, 2:00 PM at the ice castle Sambo stadium, uh, Joel will be there covering it. He'll have his article and photos we'll have photos afterwards. Coverage will be up on the website tribtoday.com and vindy.comI. Um, but a look around you want to get into little MVFC, um, just breakdown kind of games around, um, the conference this
Joel Whetzel:Week. Yeah. So other Missouri valley games, north Alabama visits, Indiana state, uh, Western Illinois goes to UT Martin, uh, kind of, of note UT Martin beat Missouri state in the playoffs last year. Mm-hmm<affirmative>. That is a really tough way to start your season. If you're Western, uh, Missouri state at central Arkansas is pretty interesting. They played last year. They're also playing
Greg Macafee:Thursday tonight. Yeah.
Joel Whetzel:Mm-hmm<affirmative> so Missouri state beat them at home last year, 43 34. I'm kind of curious to see if, if they're going to win by more this year. I wanna see if Missouri state can be that dominant team this year. Mm-hmm<affirmative>, uh, South Dakota state at Iowa, I think could get really
Greg Macafee:Interesting. Do you think there's a chance that, uh, that Jack's upset Iowa?
Joel Whetzel:I, I think so. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, Iowa kind of plays that slower, that slower style, you know, mm-hmm,<affirmative>, it's not like they're gonna come out and score 50 points. So in South Dakota, state's good, man. I think every preseason poll I've seen their number two in the FCS behind North Dakota state. Of course. So I think the jacks could make that really,
Greg Macafee:Really interest. That would be interesting. That'd be interesting to see,
Joel Whetzel:Uh, Drake at North Dakota state. I like the bison and that one for pretty obvious reasons. The other kind of power five game I'm keeping an eye on is North Dakota at Nebraska, uh, you know, Nebraska coming off that loss over in Ireland. Yep.
Greg Macafee:Could it be the end of the Scott Frost there<laugh>
Joel Whetzel:If, if North Dakota state goes there and wins does Nebraska cut Scott Frost right then and there I think is an interesting thing to keep an eye on. And I think North Dakota, state's a good enough team to make that interesting. Mm-hmm<affirmative> having said that I don't envy anyone that gets a really angry Nebraska team in going into Lincoln. Yeah. So that might be tough. Uh, Southern Illinois at incarnate word, um, a team that came here a year ago and YSU beaten overtime. Oh,
Greg Macafee:That was an exciting one.
Joel Whetzel:Yeah. You weren't the one riding on deadline.
Greg Macafee:That's why it's exciting.
Joel Whetzel:Um, Illinois state at Wisconsin. I, I like Wisconsin in that one. Mm-hmm<affirmative> and then South Dakota and Kansas state could also maybe be a little interesting South Dakota as a team, in my opinion, maybe where YSU wants to be the kind of that younger core mm-hmm<affirmative>, especially at their skill positions. They, I think went seven and five last year and went to the post season to kind of where YSU hopes to be this year. Yeah. And, you know, Kansas state is no stranger to upsets by Missouri valley teams, North Dakota state beat them in yeah. Manhattan, Kansas, not terribly long ago. Uh, so kind of an interesting one to watch there.
Greg Macafee:Okay. Awesome. Um, well it, it seems like it's gonna be a pretty interesting first week of college football. Again, du Kane's coming to town 2:00 PM on Saturday for week one. Um, but guys we'll be, we'll be back every Thursday, um, morning, afternoon, somewhere in there. Uh, Joel Whetzel and I, um, Greg M cAfee and we w ill, uh, w e'll bring it back t hen. A ll r ight. Thanks for joining us guys. T hank y ou.