After prison term, tight end given second chance at Youngstown

By Doug Harris

Staff Writer

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

COLUMBUS — Youngstown State is accustomed to taking players from Division-I schools looking for a chance to revive their careers, but Louis Irizarry is probably the first to make the transition after a six-month prison term.

Considered one of the nation's premier tight-end prospects in high school, Irizarry saw action at Ohio State as a freshman in 2003 and appeared poised to become a starter as a sophomore.

But he was convicted of a felony robbery in 2004 and dismissed from the team. At the time, he was on probation for a misdemeanor assault.

After a stint in the Correctional Reception Center in Orient, Ohio, the Youngstown native suited up for the hometown Penguins last season, starting eight games and making 25 catches. And coach Jon Heacock said Irizarry appears to have gotten his life in order.

"He's done a good job here," Heacock said. "We gave him an opportunity. This is his senior season. There's not a kid on my team who doesn't want to go play at another level, and he's no different.

"He really appreciated coach (Jim Tressel) and those guys down there. I think his experience there was good. It didn't work out. He's been given another chance, and he's taken advantage of it."

Irizarry declined an interview request but said in a statement: "Coach Tressel offered me the chance to be part of a very special program at Ohio State and I'm very appreciative of that opportunity. ... Being a part of this tightly-knit Penguin football family is something that is very important to me. I'm excited to return to the Horseshoe to represent the YSU football team."

Center in good hands

The Buckeyes place a high demand on their centers, requiring them to make the blocking reads for the offensive line before the snap. Junior Jim Cordle appears capable of handling that chore.

"He's seeing things really

well and running the show pretty good," offensive line coach Jim Bollman said.

Although Cordle has a challenge in living up to the standards set by his predecessors — LeCharles Bentley, Alex Stepanovich, Nick Mangold and Doug Datish — Bollman doesn't expect a decline in production.

"We've really been fortunate and blessed to have that string of guys in a row, but I'm not worried about that (position)," he said.

Saine picks up moniker

Freshman running back Daniel "Boom" Herron arrived at OSU with a nickname, and speedy classmate Brandon Saine, from Piqua, quickly acquired one: Zoom.

Tressel complimented the pair for how quickly they're picking up the offense, saying: "That's two good students. Boom and Zoom can learn."